Airlines in the U.S. have gotten much better at squeezing every last dollar out of their premium cabins. With business travel still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels, airlines have pivoted to selling more first-class seats to leisure travelers who want a bit of extra comfort—rather than just rewarding frequent flyers with upgrades.
United Airlines has fully embraced this shift, with premium leisure travel becoming a major driver of its revenue. According to an internal presentation, United is making record profits even as traditional business travel fades.
But here’s what I can’t wrap my head around: Who is actually paying these prices?
I recently booked an economy flight from Orlando to Newark using United miles. Right after checkout, I got the usual pop-up offering me a chance to upgrade. No big deal. But then I saw the price.
$1,520. Per person. To upgrade to United First on a three-hour flight.
They can’t be serious.
And yet, maybe they are—because the cost to book first class outright was a staggering $2,025. No wonder the cabin was still almost empty.
Apparently, four people had already booked first class. I have a hard time believing they actually paid that much, but hey, maybe I’m out of touch.
As someone who never even considers paying cash for domestic first class, I must ask: Are these prices normal? Do people really shell out this much to sit up front?
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