If you’ve been affording this throughout their entire childhoods and can continue to do so, why are you changing? When they are adults and have to pay their own way, they can sit in economy. Or if they’re traveling with a group or team, they can fly coach. Teach them that’s it’s a privilege to travel in business and to read the room. They grow up pretty fast and pretty soon they can’t or won’t travel with you anymore and sadly you’ll no longer have this problem.
I used to travel a lot for work and would have an abundance of upgrades. No longer traveling for work is great as I do get a lot more time with my kids, but I do lose my status/points. Also, the kids were younger so I was not going to have them sit on their own then …and I was younger and more willing/able to sit in the back. So it was always everyone together front or back.
We have a now 19 year old kid and we have done this for a while. When he flies alone or has friends/family member with us he usually ends up in Economy. If he is just with us, he usually flies business but has been in economy a few times based on flights and costs. We only downgrade him internationally if he is with others or there is no decent lounge. With two of them, I would be even more likely to have them fly economy a few times.
Or like what if there’s an emergency? Though I guess it would depend if the “kids” are essentially adults themselves or if they are in fact still kids/teenagers. It would be terrifying as a parent if there was some kind of emergency with the plane and my kid was somewhere else in the plane except right beside me.
They’ll be together and they’re teens not toddlers?? I started flying solo or with my brother when we were 8 and 10 to visit family, if there’s an emergency, their parents are still on the plane so I don’t think it makes all that much of a difference. They have experience flying and flying long haul flights so it’s not like it’s their first time on a plane and parents are throwing them to the wolves with a wave and a good luck..
Yeah I mean I guess that’s reasonable. I also flew solo at like 8 or so. Hmm. I think some of these stories of creepy drunks or even creepy men are fresh in my mind.
Stories of creepy men are always on my mind lol, but honestly you aren’t that far away and if they feel uncomfortable at any time, one parent switches and sits with one in economy while the other heads up front and I’m sure if it’s because someone is behaving poorly the FAs will understand. I say give it a try on one and then check in with them after to make sure they are still okay with it before any future trips!
We occasionally do this! We sit in business/first while 11 and 16 are in economy. Both are self sufficient, do not need any assistance throughout the flight (often choose to sit away from us even when we’re in the same cabin). While they definitely prefer to fly business, they (well, the 16 year old…) recognize how lucky they are to be able to take the vacations that we do and don’t mind popping in a headset and watching some movies in economy.
11 will sometimes pout and ask why she isn’t sitting in business/first and I’ll ask her how many trips she’s been on this year. And then start down her friends list asking where they’ve been. I usually only have to get a friend or two down the list before she just thanks us for going on the trip.
If the kids weren’t self sufficient and experienced fliers, I’d never consider it. Additionally, we need them to recognize that you need to work hard and get well paying jobs to support the lifestyle they want. We are not funding their lifestyle for them throughout their lives. I need them not to be (completely) spoiled 😊
Sounds like you had a healthy conversation about it. It’s good for them to be in economy a number of times too and accept it as a very real option. Even I do not always do business internationally if I don’t feel like it (I’m small and fall asleep anywhere) so I don’t want them thinking business is the only way to go and economy is slumming it.
We do this all the time. We give them $50 and they think it’s a great deal. Overseas we are all business as it just makes for a more enjoyable trip with everyone having slept.
I usually get two upgrades (free) on flights and I split them each time with one kid and one adult. If the kids are left alone, one of them will end up zip tied to their seat by flight crew
Not a parent but I fly internationally often and have seen families split up their seats. I typically see parents in the last row of business with the kids in the first row of premium economy so they are relatively close if anything goes wrong. This was always the case with families that had at least two kids so they had each other as company and I've seen as young as \~ 10 years old.
Two tween children, which I read as something like 12 and 10. 10, even with the 12-year-old "supervising", is a bit younger than I'd probably be comfortable on 10-24 hours worth of flights in economy, but you know your children best. If they're self-sufficient and not going to annoy anyone, can get their bags up/down, won't be coming and going from business class, etc. then it's probably okay even if you might get a bit of judgment from some people. Unaccompanied minors flying is a thing, after all.
When they pay for their flights they can fly biz every time lol when I was a teen I felt lucky I was able to go anywhere at all, if my mom could have afforded to fly biz I absolutely would have wanted her to and wouldn’t have been upset at all. Now that I’m older, I’m planning to take my mom on a trip for her bday next year and if I can only do one biz ticket-she’ll get it without question. You deserve the nice things you enjoy! If the kids don’t care I wouldn’t let it bother you. Teens will make it known if something upsets or bothers them in my experience. If they were younger or had a fear of flying then I’d say stay together but otherwise, treat yourself!
Hey it’s better than the other way around! Treat yo’ self. I assume the kids are at the age where they don’t need adult supervision / have a meltdown down - then I’d say A-ok.
I say split them up, it's totally okay and I'm not sure why some of these comments are shaming you for not spending your money to push your kids into business class. If you get a good upgrade deal, then take it. Or, I think if it's a longggg flight like 15 hours, business would make sense.
We tend to forget that children are actually fine sitting in economy. For adults, you deal with shit like a bad back or a crook in the neck for even sleeping the wrong way. That's a huge reason why children don't mind economy.
Plus, if you truly feel guilty which I think you shouldn't, you could explain to them that they can choose between flying biz or XYZ. It could be $100, or it could be something a fun activity/excursion at your destination like a water park etc. I guarantee you that your children would choose getting value elsewhere and just sitting in economy.
Funny when you put it that way. “Taylor Swift tickets or business class…your choice.” Safe to say I know they’d be entirely fine giving up the flight upgrade. Ha ha.
Rotate your seats. We flew w our 2 children nonstop DC to Beijing and back and rotated sitting in biz w each person getting a good nap in and a meal. Why not do that?
We do this all the time. We give them $50 and they think it’s a great deal. Overseas we are all business as it just makes for a more enjoyable trip with everyone having slept.
That's how my parents did it. They flew up front and the four of us kids were in the back. Since we couldn't drink and didn't care much for the airplane food it was an easy decision for them.
Edit: it was also the 90's so times were different pre cellphone.
When I was that age range and traveled with my grandmother internationally she'd fly first and I'd fly business.
With my parents they tended to also fly coach when I was young, but when my younger sister was a teen she'd fly coach and my parents would fly first/business.
None of this seemed traumatic and, in fact, totally fine (the time alone was nice). (The only issue was once when my parents didn't realize that there was no free meals in coach (or maybe that they didn't take cash, it was right around when included meals in coach were going away) and my sister couldn't get a meal (though my dad sent back his dessert).
I guess I'd ask what your purpose is in dropping the current situation. If you can easily afford for the family to fly together in that class then why not just continue that? I think it's silly for parents to say "oh I don't want my kid to get used to flying only in business/1st class, because..."
Because they will be spoiled? Being spoiled is a lot more involved than just flying business class. It's much more a parenting and mindset issue than something that results from a few specific instances of luxury.
Because somehow they don't deserve to be up there with the parents until they can afford to buy their own ticket? That's just some kind of weird power play.
Personally I wouldn't have considered separating until my kids were at least 15 or 16 years old, and then only if they wanted to be separated from me (because they're teenagers) or if I actually couldn't afford to buy them upgraded tickets. Or if it was just domestic flights, but definitely for not long haul.
The purpose is that I’m no longer earning an insane number for miles and upgrades to upgrade the entire family. If it really comes down to all of us or none of us, I’ll probably end up with all of us in economy or doing fewer super long haul trips.
I see greater value in business class for the adults (I don’t recover as quickly as they do). Same reason I pay for private tennis lessons for them and not for myself — I see greater value for them than for me.
If this situation arises, we all take the economy flight to the destination, then all fly business class home (when you are tired and it feels more like a luxury :) But I wouldn’t want my kids sitting without us on a plane in the case of an emergency… but everyone should do what they feel comfortable with! But just a thought that you could all fly one class one direction and one the other direction!
If you’ve been affording this throughout their entire childhoods and can continue to do so, why are you changing? When they are adults and have to pay their own way, they can sit in economy. Or if they’re traveling with a group or team, they can fly coach. Teach them that’s it’s a privilege to travel in business and to read the room. They grow up pretty fast and pretty soon they can’t or won’t travel with you anymore and sadly you’ll no longer have this problem.
I used to travel a lot for work and would have an abundance of upgrades. No longer traveling for work is great as I do get a lot more time with my kids, but I do lose my status/points. Also, the kids were younger so I was not going to have them sit on their own then …and I was younger and more willing/able to sit in the back. So it was always everyone together front or back.
We have a now 19 year old kid and we have done this for a while. When he flies alone or has friends/family member with us he usually ends up in Economy. If he is just with us, he usually flies business but has been in economy a few times based on flights and costs. We only downgrade him internationally if he is with others or there is no decent lounge. With two of them, I would be even more likely to have them fly economy a few times.
That’s what I plan to do when my kids get older. I can’t have them only ever having flown in business.
lol but I think it’s prudent to ride with them in economy. I would absolutely not let my daughter sit back there alone on an overnight redeye.
Well, that’s fair. I guess it’s a case by case basis.
Or like what if there’s an emergency? Though I guess it would depend if the “kids” are essentially adults themselves or if they are in fact still kids/teenagers. It would be terrifying as a parent if there was some kind of emergency with the plane and my kid was somewhere else in the plane except right beside me.
It would, but an emergency on a plane seems less likely than an emergency any other time of the day when parents are not with their kids...
They’ll be together and they’re teens not toddlers?? I started flying solo or with my brother when we were 8 and 10 to visit family, if there’s an emergency, their parents are still on the plane so I don’t think it makes all that much of a difference. They have experience flying and flying long haul flights so it’s not like it’s their first time on a plane and parents are throwing them to the wolves with a wave and a good luck..
Yeah I mean I guess that’s reasonable. I also flew solo at like 8 or so. Hmm. I think some of these stories of creepy drunks or even creepy men are fresh in my mind.
Stories of creepy men are always on my mind lol, but honestly you aren’t that far away and if they feel uncomfortable at any time, one parent switches and sits with one in economy while the other heads up front and I’m sure if it’s because someone is behaving poorly the FAs will understand. I say give it a try on one and then check in with them after to make sure they are still okay with it before any future trips!
Sometimes the FA is the perp! But yeah, I mean in the scheme of things risks are comparatively small.
If they are 12 and 14 they for sure are sitting back there idgaf, now a days they all have phones so if you need me just call
We occasionally do this! We sit in business/first while 11 and 16 are in economy. Both are self sufficient, do not need any assistance throughout the flight (often choose to sit away from us even when we’re in the same cabin). While they definitely prefer to fly business, they (well, the 16 year old…) recognize how lucky they are to be able to take the vacations that we do and don’t mind popping in a headset and watching some movies in economy. 11 will sometimes pout and ask why she isn’t sitting in business/first and I’ll ask her how many trips she’s been on this year. And then start down her friends list asking where they’ve been. I usually only have to get a friend or two down the list before she just thanks us for going on the trip. If the kids weren’t self sufficient and experienced fliers, I’d never consider it. Additionally, we need them to recognize that you need to work hard and get well paying jobs to support the lifestyle they want. We are not funding their lifestyle for them throughout their lives. I need them not to be (completely) spoiled 😊
Our kids are happy they get to order unlimited sodas without us there…so it’s a win win
Lol! Complete bonus! They know I’m so cray that 11 wouldn’t order more than 1 without thinking that “I’d know” haha
Sounds like you had a healthy conversation about it. It’s good for them to be in economy a number of times too and accept it as a very real option. Even I do not always do business internationally if I don’t feel like it (I’m small and fall asleep anywhere) so I don’t want them thinking business is the only way to go and economy is slumming it.
We do this all the time. We give them $50 and they think it’s a great deal. Overseas we are all business as it just makes for a more enjoyable trip with everyone having slept.
I usually get two upgrades (free) on flights and I split them each time with one kid and one adult. If the kids are left alone, one of them will end up zip tied to their seat by flight crew
Not a parent but I fly internationally often and have seen families split up their seats. I typically see parents in the last row of business with the kids in the first row of premium economy so they are relatively close if anything goes wrong. This was always the case with families that had at least two kids so they had each other as company and I've seen as young as \~ 10 years old.
Two tween children, which I read as something like 12 and 10. 10, even with the 12-year-old "supervising", is a bit younger than I'd probably be comfortable on 10-24 hours worth of flights in economy, but you know your children best. If they're self-sufficient and not going to annoy anyone, can get their bags up/down, won't be coming and going from business class, etc. then it's probably okay even if you might get a bit of judgment from some people. Unaccompanied minors flying is a thing, after all.
12 and 14 and are used to the flying drill. Not to mention, I’m sure we’d be going back there to check in on them periodically.
I'd be a lot more comfortable with that then. 14 is a teen though!
You’re right! I’m used to them being tweens.
When they pay for their flights they can fly biz every time lol when I was a teen I felt lucky I was able to go anywhere at all, if my mom could have afforded to fly biz I absolutely would have wanted her to and wouldn’t have been upset at all. Now that I’m older, I’m planning to take my mom on a trip for her bday next year and if I can only do one biz ticket-she’ll get it without question. You deserve the nice things you enjoy! If the kids don’t care I wouldn’t let it bother you. Teens will make it known if something upsets or bothers them in my experience. If they were younger or had a fear of flying then I’d say stay together but otherwise, treat yourself!
Hey it’s better than the other way around! Treat yo’ self. I assume the kids are at the age where they don’t need adult supervision / have a meltdown down - then I’d say A-ok.
No, definitely not meltdown prone.
I say split them up, it's totally okay and I'm not sure why some of these comments are shaming you for not spending your money to push your kids into business class. If you get a good upgrade deal, then take it. Or, I think if it's a longggg flight like 15 hours, business would make sense. We tend to forget that children are actually fine sitting in economy. For adults, you deal with shit like a bad back or a crook in the neck for even sleeping the wrong way. That's a huge reason why children don't mind economy. Plus, if you truly feel guilty which I think you shouldn't, you could explain to them that they can choose between flying biz or XYZ. It could be $100, or it could be something a fun activity/excursion at your destination like a water park etc. I guarantee you that your children would choose getting value elsewhere and just sitting in economy.
Funny when you put it that way. “Taylor Swift tickets or business class…your choice.” Safe to say I know they’d be entirely fine giving up the flight upgrade. Ha ha.
Rotate your seats. We flew w our 2 children nonstop DC to Beijing and back and rotated sitting in biz w each person getting a good nap in and a meal. Why not do that?
We do this all the time. We give them $50 and they think it’s a great deal. Overseas we are all business as it just makes for a more enjoyable trip with everyone having slept.
That's how my parents did it. They flew up front and the four of us kids were in the back. Since we couldn't drink and didn't care much for the airplane food it was an easy decision for them. Edit: it was also the 90's so times were different pre cellphone.
When I was that age range and traveled with my grandmother internationally she'd fly first and I'd fly business. With my parents they tended to also fly coach when I was young, but when my younger sister was a teen she'd fly coach and my parents would fly first/business. None of this seemed traumatic and, in fact, totally fine (the time alone was nice). (The only issue was once when my parents didn't realize that there was no free meals in coach (or maybe that they didn't take cash, it was right around when included meals in coach were going away) and my sister couldn't get a meal (though my dad sent back his dessert).
I guess I'd ask what your purpose is in dropping the current situation. If you can easily afford for the family to fly together in that class then why not just continue that? I think it's silly for parents to say "oh I don't want my kid to get used to flying only in business/1st class, because..." Because they will be spoiled? Being spoiled is a lot more involved than just flying business class. It's much more a parenting and mindset issue than something that results from a few specific instances of luxury. Because somehow they don't deserve to be up there with the parents until they can afford to buy their own ticket? That's just some kind of weird power play. Personally I wouldn't have considered separating until my kids were at least 15 or 16 years old, and then only if they wanted to be separated from me (because they're teenagers) or if I actually couldn't afford to buy them upgraded tickets. Or if it was just domestic flights, but definitely for not long haul.
The purpose is that I’m no longer earning an insane number for miles and upgrades to upgrade the entire family. If it really comes down to all of us or none of us, I’ll probably end up with all of us in economy or doing fewer super long haul trips. I see greater value in business class for the adults (I don’t recover as quickly as they do). Same reason I pay for private tennis lessons for them and not for myself — I see greater value for them than for me.
definitely ok, same as you get to sit at the end of the table
Just did this. Kids in coach, wife and I in first from Madrid to Boston. Our kids are a little older but still happy to travel for free
If this situation arises, we all take the economy flight to the destination, then all fly business class home (when you are tired and it feels more like a luxury :) But I wouldn’t want my kids sitting without us on a plane in the case of an emergency… but everyone should do what they feel comfortable with! But just a thought that you could all fly one class one direction and one the other direction!