Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget

It is the substance of travel legend. To have a few of these notched up is to have obtained savvy traveller status, to be spoken of in revered tones by green-eyed fellow travellers forever more.

What am I talking about? Getting an upgrade.

Is it purely urban myth or does it really happen to stylish but not-quite-cashed-up-yet individuals like you and me?

And most importantly, how can we make sure that this Holy Grail of Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget happens to you next time you travel?

The turbulence, the seatbelts, the emergency landing routine - surely all of this will be such a lighter burden from the front end of the plane?

In a two-part series, Champagne Travel on a Beer Budget presents the ULTIMATE guide to getting an upgrade when you fly.

To whet your appetite, Part 1 will provide the low-down on all that first-class has to offer across the different airline carriers. Part 2 will deliver the information you need from the people in the know to ensure that you’ll be turning left, not right, next time you board a plane.

So what is so fabulous about first class anyway?

Here is the best of the best:

Cuisine

Qantas has partnered with award-winning chef Neil Perry (of Sydney’s Rockpool restaurant) to present a first-class menu that includes caviar and an 8-course tasting menu. Freshly made coffee from an onboard espresso machine is one aspect that would bring a smile to this traveller’s face.

Entertainment

Mr Branson definitley takes the cake when it come to in-flight entertainment. Not only are there on-board beauty treatment available on Virgin Atlantic flights,

but you can even lean over to your neighbour and ask if they’d like to join you for a drink at the bar.

That’s right, Virgin Atlantic’s ‘Upper Class’ suite comes with its own bar and bartender. It could get interesting trying to look stylish sipping that martini whilst trying to maintain your balance during turbulence though.

Comfort

Singapore Airlines sees exclusivity as the key, offering only 8 seats in first class. Keeping the front of the plane exclusive isn’t the only reason for so few seats with Singapore Airlines boasting the biggest seats, beds and entertainment screens available. If size matters for you, Singapore is your airline.

Convenience

Apart from the obvious conveniences of quicker check-in lines and being first to board and depart the plane that most airlines offer their big-spending passengers, British Airwaysgoes one step further. To help you kill some waiting time at the airport and allow you to make the most of sleeping time on the plane, BA offer you your meal in their FIRST lounge at the airort prior to flying as part of their dine before you fly concept.

These snippets are only the tip of the iceberg. For a full explanation of everything you can expect frm international first class air travel, as well as a detailed comparison of what the different airlines offer, check out The Seat Guru’s first class comparison guide.

Ok.. tempted yet? Well, if you’re worth your weight in bubbly as a champagne traveller on a beer budget, then you’ll be as keen as mustard to know how you can experience some of the luxury described for the same price as a seat down the back of the plane.
Stay tuned for Part 2 in this series which will be jam packed with advice from those in the know on how to turn your upgrade dreams into reality.

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Main image photo source