My Thoughts on Children in First Class
There are few topics as controversial in the world of air travel as children on airplanes — especially in premium cabins. Yesterday, TPG Senior Points & Miles Correspondent Jason Steele wrote a Comprehensive Guide for Flying with an Infant, and I was a little blown away by the vitriolic response. I even had readers beseeching me to fire Jason, claiming that we don’t need more stinkin' kids on planes. Seriously?
Let me start by addressing the notion that children misbehaving on planes is some sort of epidemic. I fly several hundred thousand miles each year, usually in the front of the cabin, and I've only encountered an unruly child a handful of times. As for unruly adults — loud, drunk, putting their feet on the bulkhead, arguing with flight attendants, trying to bring on carry-on bags that are way beyond the limit, etc. — I encounter them much more often.
Maybe it's because I have a soul or realize that we were all children once, but I love kids and I remember learning to love aviation at a young age. I can’t imagine wanting to take that away from a child simply because I want a quieter cabin. Why have so many of us become so cranky — isn’t travel supposed to make us more well-rounded, understanding people?
Furthermore, who is to say that adults have more of a “right” to travel than kids? With sky-high divorce rates and the global nature of business, children inevitably need to travel. Frankly, their reasons for flying might be more urgent than your own. I know many families who have adopted from overseas and flown back in business class, and more power to them! While you might not be thrilled to see that baby in the premium cabin on your way home from a vacation in the Maldives, it doesn't help anyone for you to judge a situation you know nothing about.
I suppose the reaction to yesterday’s post shouldn’t have fazed me, but I was inspired to write this post thanks to what happened last night on my flight from Abu Dhabi to JFK on Etihad. At check-in I noticed only one other seat had been claimed in the first class cabin. Sure enough, upon boarding I saw that it was just me and one other passenger on the other side of the plane. I was happy about the prospect of a nice, quiet 13-hour ride to JFK. However, just before the doors closed, a family of 6 (including two small children under 2, parents and grandparents) entered the cabin. I admit, for a split second I was a little annoyed, but then I remembered a few important details:
- I’m incredibly fortunate to be able to fly in my own first class suite with a chef — all for $39 out-of-pocket and 90,000 miles.
- The suites close off.
- I carry Bose noise-canceling headphones to have control over what I hear.
The father even came over to me and said that if any of the children were a problem, that he was seated in front of me and I should let him know. Classy.
Our departure time was 3am, so the kids conked out shortly after takeoff, and I watched TV and enjoyed a fabulous dinner (more on that in the full review). However, at two points while the flight attendant was presenting my meal service, the grandfather (who was seated next to me) interrupted her to ask questions, to the point where I had to ask him to wait his turn like anyone else, since the flustered flight attendant couldn't tell him to mind his manners.
Scoreboard: Kids 1, Adults 0
The second biggest annoyance on the flight was the father, who decided to keep his window shades open during the whole trip. This flight goes north and then west across Iran and follows the sunrise, so even though I had eye shades, it was still jarring to wake up to use the restroom and have an almost fully lit cabin. Meanwhile, the kids continued to sleep peacefully.
Scoreboard: Kids 2, Adults 0
While both of those inconveniences are trivial in the scheme of life, I couldn’t help but notice that they occurred on a day when children flying in premium cabins was a controversy on the blog. I guess it reinforced my opinion that adults behave badly on planes more than kids do.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.