Is it ok for 1/2 the family to fly bizz class while the other half goes to steerage?

[MPMD]

why would there by anything wrong with this?
it's what they did in Home Alone and no problems there obviously.
seriously though, i am part of a 40 year old 2 MD couple and rarely fly first class now (i do upgrade on longer flights if it's reasonable).
when i am 50 my kids are going to be 14 and 12 respectively, you had better believe that we are going to travel and that they will be in steerage while mom and i sip champs and fully recline.
as Vagabond said, if they want the upgrade they can mow lawns.



btw: first or biz class upgrades are often very much worth the money. a few hundred extra to board first, get off first, have a big comfy seat, and a dedicated attendant? um yes please. i'm been C-67 on southwest plenty of times in my life. i did this last time i flew by myself to see a friend, early flight, beautiful hot cup of coffee and scone while i buzzed through email on a short hop. sorry not sorry.

[uptoolate]

My son flew business class with DW and I once. He was 3 months old. I have no idea why Lufthansa offered to upgrade us. That was almost 29 years ago. Neither he, nor any of the other three children, have flown business class since. DW has only on someone else's dime. I have upgraded a few long flights from Africa in recent years (as planes have become more and more crowded and leg room less and less). For a few years, when the kids were all single digit ages, we all flew economy trans-Atlantic a couple times a year. Great adventures and memories. I barely see the value for me, so I certainly don't see it for kids who would most likely be happy in the overhead and wind up together in one 'pod' in business class. Happy wife is one thing but I'd be worried about cultivating high end tastes in any of my children, perhaps especially a daughter whose wedding I might be asked to pay for.

[burritos]

You prefer a thousand cuts or quick and simple?
https://www.knifecollectors.org/

Our household prefers balisongs. At least my son does. Much cheaper than airplane upgrade. And more fun.

[burritos]

Yeahnoo do not ever ask the wife something you think will result in the look. I didn't realize you were in the sit on the bench at the mall holding her purse type of relationship. No critique but that renders my suggestion useless. My better 1/2 would likely relish a solo plane ride.

Usually I'm geocaching but yeah, I'm there for some reason.

[PWMDMD]

I have zero problems flying first/business with my wife and putting my three ingrates in steerage. Kind of like my 16-year old who last week said he'd rather not go to Paris and London this summer because "Europe just isn't my thing", the first-class experience would be totally lost on them anyway.

[StarTrekDoc]

Rarely fly business still. Just booked Europe trip...going steerage. Have the points but it's a quick nonstop.

If I had to do china all over again, yeah ,20hours in a tin can is getting an upgrade.

Not like you upgrade you car ride on a road trip and need lay flat.

Then again....I'll let you know what my 50yo body says this trip around 🤪

For splitting....go for it. Kids in back and spoil yourself, just let the flight attendant know you're up front to throw tomatoes at them if needed.

If dd goes up front ds would get a few Nintendo switch cards and upgrades to go with that trip

[childay]

If dd goes up front ds would get a few Nintendo switch cards and upgrades to go with that trip

Sounds like a win for DS and $$ win..
But 20 hours maybe equation changes never done that

[The White Coat Investor]

I flew on a separate ticket than Katie and the kids on our last trip. I joined them two days into the trip. On the way home, I got an upgrade to first class. I offered it to Katie but she wouldn't take it. They all got upgraded to economy plus then at the last minute, they were switched to the very back row of the plane, couldn't even recline. Three people were back there puking the whole way home. I had a very nice time in first class. I didn't really feel badly for the kids at all, but I did for Katie. We've still got a 6 year old though, so we probably can't just leave all the kids back there by themselves quite yet. We're too cheap to actually buy first class tickets though, so we'll just take them when we get the upgrades.

[MPMD]

I flew on a separate ticket than Katie and the kids on our last trip. I joined them two days into the trip. On the way home, I got an upgrade to first class. I offered it to Katie but she wouldn't take it. They all got upgraded to economy plus then at the last minute, they were switched to the very back row of the plane, couldn't even recline. Three people were back there puking the whole way home. I had a very nice time in first class. I didn't really feel badly for the kids at all, but I did for Katie. We've still got a 6 year old though, so we probably can't just leave all the kids back there by themselves quite yet. We're too cheap to actually buy first class tickets though, so we'll just take them when we get the upgrades.

brah you should meet my wife

[AR]

I don't think there is anything "wrong" with this per se, it just feels weird to me to go on a family trip and do this.

It's a bit different if one or two people in the party are offered upgrades. But to knowingly do it seems a bit weird to me. Not wrong, but weird. If I'm buying tickets, either everyone flies business/first class or no one does.

Why stop at worse airline seats? We could buy kids lower quality food, clothing, etc. Is that OK too? I guess I probably do that for some of those things, but somewhat unintentionally. My kids have fairly undeveloped palates and wouldn't eat fancier food. But I guess if they wanted what I was having, I wouldn't say no. Also you can't really compare kid and adult clothing, but they are all bought from the same general level of stores. But I'm quite sure they would enjoy business/first over coach.

I'm not saying any of the above would be wrong, but it would just feel weird to me.

Even weirder would be to have one kid fly business and the other coach. I can at least see the logic of parents up front.

[bovie]

Why stop at worse airline seats? We could buy kids lower quality food, clothing, etc. Is that OK too? I guess I probably do that for some of those things, but somewhat unintentionally. My kids have fairly undeveloped palates and wouldn't eat fancier food. But I guess if they wanted what I was having, I wouldn't say no. Also you can't really compare kid and adult clothing, but they are all bought from the same general level of stores. But I'm quite sure they would enjoy business/first over coach.

100% okay for all of the above.

Kids and adults are just different, with different tastes and different levels of appreciation.

One dinner out at the “nice” restaurant where junior orders chicken tenders or comes home with the “nice” new clothes covered in mud and grass stains is all the proof you need. Not to mentioned they’ll grow out of them in six months anyway.

Don’t get me wrong, no problem with that at all and kids will, and should, be kids.

But spending the extra money on those things makes sense for a certain type of
human—for a certain other type (i.e., the small
version), not so much.

[AR]

100% okay for all of the above.

Kids and adults are just different, with different tastes and different levels of appreciation.

One dinner out at the “nice” restaurant where junior orders chicken tenders or comes home with the “nice” new clothes covered in mud and grass stains is all the proof you need. Not to mentioned they’ll grow out of them in six months anyway.

Don’t get me wrong, no problem with that at all and kids will, and should, be kids.

But spending the extra money on those things makes sense for a certain type of
human—for a certain other type (i.e., the small
version), not so much.

Yeah, I think the difference is that with the food and clothes I know they either wouldn't care or would prefer the cheaper option. With the plane tickets, I think they would definitely enjoy and appreciate the difference of business/first class. So, I'd be denying them something they would want while partaking of it myself. That's very clearly not the case with the other examples mentioned.

But like I said, I don't think it's necessarily wrong. I would just personally feel weird doing it.

[CordMcNally]

Why stop at worse airline seats? We could buy kids lower quality food, clothing, etc. Is that OK too?

Of course it is. I wouldn’t let my 16 month old order a tomahawk ribeye when we go out to eat but if I wanted one I’d go for it. I also poop my pants less than her so I’m more likely to by myself nicer clothes that I won’t grow out of in the next two months.

[AR]

Of course it is. I wouldn’t let my 16 month old order a tomahawk ribeye when we go out to eat but if I wanted one I’d go for it. I also poop my pants less than her so I’m more likely to by myself nicer clothes that I won’t grow out of in the next two months.

That's not actually a conflict that comes up as most 16 month-olds would not prefer a tomahawk ribeye to their usual food. Nor could they eat it.

Now if you find a 16 month old that wants one and can more or less finish it, then you have a valid comparison.

[CordMcNally]

That's not actually a conflict that comes up as most 16 month-olds would not prefer a tomahawk ribeye to their usual food. Nor could they eat it.

Now if you find a 16 month old that wants one and can more or less finish it, then you have a valid comparison.

Well, she’s an animal. But finishing something typically isn’t a prerequisite most children entertain when they order.