Take a look at Jesse McKinley’s article entitled “What Happened To First Class?.”

McKinley notes that first class is no longer defined by the benefits it provides. Instead, this often very expensive section of the aircraft is described as simply being “less horrible than coach.”

This article also has an interesting portion that evaluates the first class accommodations provided by Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, United/ Continental Airlines, US Airways, Virgin America Airways, and Delta Airlines.

Click here to read the whole story….

I’ve upgraded to first class a few times for travel to California by using United frequent flier miles, and it seems that the experience can be dependent on the type of aircraft that you’re riding on. The first time I did this, I was treated to a large leather seat that looked like a barcalounger.

The next time, I was sorry I spent the miles. The seats were stiff and not that big,  and we all had to watch the same movie from the TV that was attached to the ceiling.

Please share with us any experiences that you may have had in first-class.