Check First-Class Ticket Prices Before You Book an Economy Flight

Getting a comfy seat in first-class usually costs as much as you expect—too much, for many of us. But sometimes first-class is even cheaper than economy.

FareCompare’s Rick Seaney writes on ABC News writes about finding a first class fare for about $550 cheaper than economy for an LA to NY trip. Two factors that probably came into play here: It was a last-minute, next-day flight and the elite-seat flight required a stop while the economy was non-stop. The stop seems like a fair tradeoff for free drinks and the other perks of being the luxury cabin.

Even if you don’t find first class fares that are cheaper than coach, you might find ones that are close enough to be worth a small difference. You might find these fares through ITA Matrix or just get lucky, as Seaney did