Business Class...this is as good as it gets

If you can swing a seat in Business Class on an international flight, go for it. It does not get any better than that.

First Class on domestic flights is only slightly better than coach. You do get a meal which is small but decent. The alcohol is free in First Class on domestic flights, but I would join others in advising you to not drink on a flight. I makes jet lag much worse. The seats are better, wider, with more leg room but those are about the only advantages. Free upgrade, yes! Pay for the upgrade, no.

On two rare occasions, I was lucky enough to get bumped into First Class on international flights. The food was better than business class, but not THAT much better. The wine selection was broader (see my comments on drinking alcohol on long flights). They served caviar, which I can take or leave. The seats were a little bit better and the movie selection was broader. You get to leave the place before the people in the back of the plane do. Those are about all the advantages I saw.

Business Class on an international flight is about as good as it gets and about the best a business traveler can dream about. Today, most companies will not pay for business class, but a true road warrior has an upgrade or two he can use from time to time. You can also upgrade with miles if you have an over abundance of them. Business Class is comfortable. It is like flying in a recliner instead of a cramped car seat (as I would characterize coach travel). The food is very good. The movie selection is normally pretty good unless you travel all the time. There have been periods of time when I flew so much I'd seen all the movies. You are able to get up and walk around easily even if you have a window seat.

Flying in Business Class is wonderful. However, most of my travel has been in coach, so I would like to help those of you less seasoned travelers with your coach travel.

James Snider is a global marketing professional with 15 years experience in the high tech industry. He is currently looking for his next great job. www.linkedin.com/in/jamessnider