I'm clearly not some high powered executive, or Hollywood elite, or trust fund recipient, or anything remotely of the sort, but I've learned that splurging a bit more to lie flat and sleep on an overnight flight makes it possible for me to land and simply do life the next day. Big kudos to you if you can make that happen while sitting up in an economy airline seat and saving the extra money or miles, but that's just not me. I don't care if it is the smallest most cramped business class seat out there (and it probably was), as long as it goes flat, just hand me my pillow and blanket and I'll see you tomorrow.
I'll do a full review of the few minutes of the flight where I was conscious in another post, but after getting to partake in the final United 747 flight to Honolulu on Tuesday, spending one night in Hawaii, and squeezing as much as I could into my one day on the ground there, it was time to fly home back to my family and life here in Texas.
I was dead tired before I ever boarded the United 8:25 PM nonstop flight back to Houston last night, but no matter how tired I was going to be today, there was work to do and kids to take care of, so I needed to sleep on that plane as much as possible.
I know for some of us, it can make you feel guilty to book the lie-flat seat for yourself when you can cut corners and sit in the back, but finding a way to get the rest you need while traveling is a strategy that has worked well for me for years. In fact, that is the only way that I am able to squeeze family life and travel right next to each other. I could care less about the pre-departure drinks, wine and cheese courses, or ice cream sundaes or anything like that, in fact, I stayed awake long enough for dinner to come out last night just to try it and take a picture for the site, otherwise, I would have gone straight from 10,000 feet to sleep. Heck, my first time flying Lufthansa First, which is really quite fancy, I passed out before the caviar and champagne and don't regret that decision in the slightest.
For me, flying business or first class is not at all about enjoying the fancy stuff, it is just about finding a way to not waste a day or two being too tired to function. I suppose that is really why it was created in the first place, so that those folks traveling for business could get some rest on the plane and then hit the ground running to a very important meeting, but frankly, I think that getting home to my kids and functioning for them is pretty important, too.
When it is affordable via a decent price, an upgrade certificate, or using miles, I am Team Book Business Class when you think it will make the difference between functioning upon landing and being the next member of The Walking Dead. I also have to add, while this is a gender neutral recommendation, I will emphasize it again for moms since I almost always see a premium cabin full of men, but very rarely see anywhere near a representative sample of females. Mamas, if you have the miles, money, or upgrade certs, get yourself up front so you can get rest, too. It doesn't make you a spoiled monster or turn you into a Real Housewife of Wherever just by taking a spin or two in a lie-flat seat, it just makes you someone who knows how to be sure they get the rest they need in order to be there for others.
Stay tuned for more about the flight itself and my 24 hours of maximizing time in Hawaii...after I do a little more life here at home.
