planesky-y-up-e

Nosing around travel sites for bargain holiday airline fares, I was surprised to come across a ticket I had never heard of before: a Y-UP. Which turned out to be a discount First Class fare.

Who knew there was such a thing? For most of us peons, our knowledge of First Class flying encompasses little more than shuffling through all those spacious, First Class cabins, pretending not to envy the passengers languidly lounging in their plump, king-size seats. Contrasting that cool, serene atmosphere with our own steerage accommodations, we shamble like chained convicts toward the screaming babies, gargantuan seat mates and pitiful snacks awaiting us in rear economy.

First Class airline tickets are mucho pricey and even the wealthy balk at coughing up that much dough. When First Class cabins are not fully booked, airlines convert these tickets to Y-Ups and put them on sale at a discount. Y-Ups are not bargain basement cheap Their price is comparable to full price Coach fare (Coach not purchased in advance). Sometimes the price is less. But for the airline, it’s a lot more profitable than an empty seat or an “upgraded” passenger. And for the passenger, it’s still flying full First Class all the way at a bargain rate.

These tickets are ideal for business travelers booking at the last minute, even when their companies forbid First Class travel. (Y-Up tickets have no visual first class designation so they’ll easily pass muster in expense account reviews). Y-UPs can also work for travelers with sudden emergencies and no turn around time to purchase a ticket.

And let’s not forget special occasions when an all out splurge could be in the flying cards. Maybe a honeymoon trip, an anniversary, a prize for a job well done, maybe even a much deserved and long overdue indulgence for one self.

Y-Ups are usually one way fares. Often refundable and always exchangeable, they can have the advantage of availability at peak hours and days, even when Coach is fully booked.

One thing to watch out for: an airline could sell a Y-UP even on a flight without a First Class cabin. So check before parting with your cash. A good place to track these fares (and where I first found out about them) is FareCompare.com.

So go ahead. Start dreaming of that First Class flight with First Class service and First Class food and First Class attention and most dreamy of all – First Class space. Lean back, stretch out, take a sip of wine and enjoy every delicious minute. And even if you’re a cheapskate like moi and may never spring for that Y-UP unless a sweepstake divinity smiles from above, it’s still a fine luxury to contemplate…

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