Who Gets Cathay Pacific First Class? Me vs. the Wife

ByDW
The image shows a luxurious airplane seat in a first-class or business-class cabin. The seat is upholstered in beige fabric and has a white pillow placed on the backrest and another on the seat. There is a seatbelt fastened across the seat. The area around the seat includes a side console with a small storage compartment and a wooden surface, likely for placing personal items or food. The seat is positioned next to a window, allowing for natural light to enter the cabin.

My hard work paid off! A few days ago I posted about how I was able to find last minute First Class award space flying Cathay Pacific JFK-HKG on an Alaska Airlines award ticket!

While my initial search on Qantas revealed 2 First Class award available, just one of them was showing as available to Alaska Airlines. My wife and I agreed that in the event only one seat was available, we would separate and pay the additional 20k miles to bump one of our award tickets up to First Class, and keep the other award ticket in Business Class.

As far as who will get to sit in First Class and who will be “stuck” in business class – heavy emphasis on the sarcastic air quotes – that is to be determined…NOW!

The image is a seating chart of the first and business class sections of an airplane. The chart shows the layout of seats, restrooms, and other facilities. Two seats, labeled 1A and 16A, are highlighted with red boxes. The chart includes icons indicating the locations of restrooms, galleys, and other amenities. The first class section is at the front of the plane, followed by the business class section.
2 Premium Class seats on Cathay JFK-HKG… but who gets 1A!?

What Does First have that Business Doesn’t?

Glad you asked! While both of the cabins are considered “premium,” the First Class offerings shine brighter in a few noticeable areas:

Exhibit A: Upgraded and gender-specific Aesop amenity kits!

Exhibit B: Pajamas – Necessary? No, but a nice touch!

Exhibit C: Upgraded food and beverage offerings – Krug, anyone?

Exhibit D: More room/comfort – Both in terms of seat size and cabin size (6 First Class “open suites” versus 53 Business Class flat bed seats)

Who Gets First Class – The Case for Me:

Size DOES Matter!

In terms of height, I measure at an even 6′, while my wife stands at 5′ – rounded up to the nearest quarter inch! And if we are talking waistline – I am at 32 while my wife is “petite.” The First Class seat measures at 36 inches in width, compared to the Business Class seat which measures at a (still generous) width of 21 inches.

The image is a table titled "Seating details" with columns for "Pitch," "Width," and "Seating details." The rows are categorized by different classes: First, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy. The details for each class are as follows: - First: Pitch 81, Width 36.0, 6 open suites. - Business: Pitch 81, Width 21.0, 53 flat bed seats. - Premium Economy: Pitch 38, Width 19.5, 34 recliner seats. - Economy: Pitch 32, Width 18.5, 182 standard seats with 4.0 recline. There is a red box highlighting the First and Business class rows.
It’s science… err, math… right?

Doesn’t it only make sense that the physically larger of the two of us (me) sit in the larger of the two premium class seats (First)!?

I Put in Work!

I was in charge of planning out the points strategy and then subsequently built the necessary point/mile balances to achieve this redemption.

From there,  I went through the time consuming process to search, monitor and book the award redemption. I even had to call Alaska Airlines directly and talk to a real human being – multiple times!

The image shows three vintage rotary payphones mounted on a wall. Each phone has a black handset and a coiled cord. The phones are evenly spaced and aligned in a row. The wall behind them has a light-colored, textured surface.
Who ya gonna call!? Alaska Airlines Reservation Line!

I mean this whole process start to finish took hours – Shouldn’t I be to reap the benefits!?

I am hungrier and thirstier…

Meaning I have the willingness and the ability to consume more high quality food and drank – specifically caviar and champagne! Because I am able to consume more I will be able to experience the full range of the meal service offerings and would have a deeper appreciation for it, compared to my wife.

A person is pouring champagne from a bottle into a glass. The glass is placed on a tray, and the person is wearing a dark suit. The background appears to be an indoor setting, possibly a room or a cabin.
Just go ahead and leave that bottle here with me please, sir!

Who Gets First Class – The Case for My Wife:

She puts up with me!

Specifically, she puts up with my crazy, time-consuming points and miles habit/obsession. She deserves some recognition/pampering for her ever-supportive efforts… right!?

A man and a woman are sitting in a first-class airplane cabin, each holding a drink and smiling at the camera. The cabin features spacious seating with a desk area, and the man is wearing a dark t-shirt and a baseball cap. The woman is seated across from him, also smiling and holding a drink. The setting appears to be luxurious and comfortable. A woman is sitting in a luxurious airplane cabin, drinking a glass of champagne. In the foreground, there is another glass of champagne on a table. The setting appears to be a first-class or business-class section of the airplane, with comfortable seating and a sophisticated interior.

She has experienced Singapore Suites and does appreciate the finer First Class things!

Final Thought

I am super pumped that either my wife or I will get to experience Cathay Pacific First Class for the first time!

It’s a bummer that Alaska Airlines did not have the ability to book both award seats that opened up, but I will keep searching these last few days before flight departure, since as of this writing there are still 2 First Class Seats for sale on this flight…

In the meantime, it’s all up to you guys to vote to see who gets that First Class seat!

[Total_Soft_Poll id=”2″]

Happy Travels!

DW

Disclaimer! This poll is for entertainment purposes only… I am not as foolish as I may seem! Regardless of the results, the wife will be sitting her happy little butt in First – happy wife, happy life!

The image shows a simple white line drawing of a paper airplane inside a blue circle.

One Comment

  1. Pingback: Flight Review: Cathay Pacific First Class 777-300ER JFK-HKG - AcCounting Your Points

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