Should You Use Airline Miles to Upgrade to First Class?

Most of the stories about using travel rewards cards for free travel center around international business class flights. Indeed, most folks rarely suggest using rewards for domestic travel at all, most especially domestic first/business class. But why?

I think the answer to this question is twofold. First, there's the idea that first class on a domestic flight isn't worth the upgrade. Then there's the idea that you don't get great value out of your rewards this way. We'll address both of these points below.

The value-add of flying first class

We've all been conditioned by the media and marketing to associate first class with luxury and wealth. But beyond any associated status, what's the allure of flying first class on a domestic flight?

There are four main reasons I personally find first class to be a worthwhile upgrade domestically:

• Guaranteed bag space: Between priority boarding and dedicated overhead bins, first class passengers have pretty much guaranteed space for their carry-on bags. Since I never check bags, the peace of mind that my stuff will always have a place is a legitimate perk.
• Larger seats further apart: I'm what you might call vertically challenged, but even I find most economy seats tight. First class seats are not only larger -- by several inches in each direction -- they're also further apart.
• Meals and drinks: There is very little comparison between the food and drinks you get in first class and what is offered in the main cabin. Drinks are free, including alcohol, and served quickly. Snacks are typically better quality, plus you can have more than one. You may even get full meals in first class on flights that don't otherwise serve meals.
• Dedicated flight attendants: The first class cabin usually has at least one flight attendant (sometimes more, depending on the size of the cabin) that is there just for first class. This means service is quick and you rarely have to wait long for assistance -- or a refill.

Now, these factors may not matter much to you on short flights. However, the U.S. is a big place. Flying from one side of the country to the other can easily take five hours or more, which is nearly equivalent to crossing the Atlantic. In this case, I'd argue that's plenty of time to really enjoy all of the perks of domestic business/first class.

Looking at the real-world math

Now, even if you do decide you'd like to fly first class, we have to address the question of value. Is domestic first class actually a well-valued redemption option for your rewards points?

To determine the per-point value of a given redemption, I take the total cash cost of a given itinerary, subtract any cash fees for the award flight, then divide that amount by the total number of miles needed.

Per-point domestic vs. international values

In the table below, we look at four United flights in October, three domestic -- Boston, Denver, and Los Angeles -- and the last one to Paris, France. All four fly out of Newark airport (EWR).

We see the expected outcome of a better value for international flights than domestic. Additionally, you actually get better value on economy flights over first class across the board.

This presents an argument against using your United miles for first or business class at all, from a value perspective. However, the United chart doesn't show the whole story. Each airline prices its flights -- including award flights -- differently.

For example, the value proposition changes a bit if we switch to flying Delta from the west coast. Below, we look at four flights from Seattle, three domestic (Portland, Minneapolis, and Chicago), plus an international trip to Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Here you can see that you get better value from main cabin tickets -- but only until you get to the international trip. You get the best overall value for Delta miles from the international business redemption.

The refundability factor

One additional factor that can influence the whole proposition is whether you need a refundable ticket. Most airlines charge extra for that when you pay cash, but allow you to refund award fares without issue. Here's how that can change the value on a first/business class trip:

So, if you are going to fly first class and really want a refundable ticket, you could get some decent value using points to pay for your ticket.

All in all, whether the points are worth it for domestic first class depends on you. But personally? If you want to splurge and have the credit card points to do so, I say go for it. Flying first class is a lot of fun.