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Another consideration is that the miles required to upgrade could also be used for a free coach round-trip. Flyers must determine whether it's better to use the miles to upgrade an upcoming trip or to get a free trip sometime in the future.
Finally, there's the elusive value of comfort. How much is it worth to have more personal space for the limited duration of an airline flight? Different flyers will have different assessments, but most would agree that the longer the flight, the more important comfort becomes and the greater its value.
The elite upgrade
The third route to the first-class cabin is via loyalty—attaining elite status in the airlines' mileage programs and receiving upgrades as an elite benefit.
The story of the elite route to upgrades is an old one, but it does have a new wrinkle. In the past, attaining entry-level elite status was sufficient to guarantee a reasonably steady supply of upgrades. That was before the airlines cut back on the supply of first-class seats.
Today, would-be upgraders don't set their sights on mere silver status, typically awarded after logging 25,000 elite-qualifying miles; they aim instead for gold or platinum status, requiring 50,000 or 100,000 miles. They know that with higher-level elite status come better odds of receiving an upgrade. The higher-level elites can book their upgrades further in advance, so they're guaranteed better access to a very limited supply of first-class seats.
Is first class in your future? Maybe. While first-class seats are harder than ever to come by, they still can be had. But snagging those coveted seats won't be easy, and it certainly won't be cheap.
