In February 2026, I flew to the United States for the Epic Webinar Summit, where my business partner Štěpán Hlinka and I worked on our joint project, Editee.
I traditionally buy my tickets through Pelikán, and this time I found a very interesting Lufthansa routing:
Vienna → Munich → Miami
And of course—since I was already in the US, I couldn't resist flying from Miami to Dallas after five days.
Dallas completely captivated me, but that deserves a separate article.
How I actually ended up in business class
After purchasing the ticket, I took the booking code from Pelikán as usual and loaded the flight into the Lufthansa mobile app.
Honestly, I never wanted to spend that much money on business class.
I'm 192 cm tall, so I usually just pay extra for an exit-row seat because of the legroom. I can handle 10–11 hours in economy; I fly that way regularly and don't have any major issues with it.
But this time, I noticed an Upgrade button in the app.
I occasionally click on it just out of curiosity—usually, the price immediately brings me back to reality.
Not this time.
Why business class makes such a big difference
It may not be obvious at first glance, but business class wasn't originally created as a luxury at all.
In the 1970s and 1980s, airlines began dealing with an interesting problem—wealthy executives were flying less because long flights were physically exhausting, and they were unable to start working immediately after arrival. So an intermediate class between first class and economy was created. Not a luxury, but a functional workspace in the air.
Today, it is actually the main source of airline revenue on long-haul routes.
And why is it so comfortable?
The difference isn't just a wider seat. In reality, you're buying a completely different way of traveling:
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priority check-in (no lines)
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dedicated security lanes at some airports
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lounge access (food, showers, peace and quiet)
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being among the first to board
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your own space on the plane
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a fully flat bed (not just a seat)
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service “on demand”
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significantly less jet lag
And the main thing:
In economy, you survive the flight. In business class, you live normally during that time.
On long flights, sleep is where the biggest difference lies. If you arrive in the US and are out of commission for the first two days, you've lost part of your trip. Business class effectively gives you one whole extra day.
An upgrade is therefore especially worthwhile when:
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you're flying across the ocean
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the flight is 8+ hours
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or you need to function immediately after arrival
The offer that won me over
A round-trip business-class ticket to the US normally costs around CZK 100,000 or more.
My economy ticket:
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Miami + Dallas
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return from Dallas → Frankfurt → Vienna
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short layover
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approx. CZK 17,000
The app offered me an upgrade for CZK 21,300 round trip.
That was a different calculation altogether.
For the price of a better hotel, I could have comfort for 20 hours of flying.
I told myself: OK, I want to try this.
And that's where the adventure began.
Payment hell (or Lufthansa vs. Austrian Airlines)
I clicked through to the upgrade on Lufthansa's website, entered my card details…
and the site redirected me to Austrian Airlines (the operating carrier).
Then it crashed.
In my banking app: CZK 21,300 blocked.
In the airline app: no upgrade anywhere.
I called Austrian Airlines → they sent me to Lufthansa.
Lufthansa → couldn't see the transaction.
The bank → the transaction existed, but hadn't been posted.
After several phone calls, I found out:
if the payment gateway doesn't complete the transaction, the bank automatically releases the funds after about 14 days. And that's exactly what happened.
The next morning, I tried again in the app.
Same problem. Another blocked amount.
In the end, I called Lufthansa again and asked the agent whether we could do it over the phone.
It went through immediately.
As an apology, he even assigned me an even better window seat worth about an additional USD 500.
At that point, I had won.
Departure day
I fly from Vienna—it's closer to Brno and, honestly, more pleasant than Prague (especially the parking).
At the airport, I headed straight to the business lounge for breakfast.
The difference starts right there—no sitting at the gate, no stress.
Vienna → Munich went smoothly.
Then came the first big moment in Munich:
they announced Group 1, and I was among the first to board the plane. Most importantly, I used a different boarding bridge from economy.
First impression on the plane
When I entered the cabin, I immediately understood why people are willing to pay for it.
It wasn't just about the size of the seat.
It was about personal space.
For someone who is 192 cm tall, it was almost a shock.
For the first time, I could stretch my legs out completely straight.
The seat:
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converts into a fully flat bed
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adjustable backrest
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lumbar support
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heating
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personal storage compartments
Each passenger essentially has their own little “pod.”
Service and food
Each passenger practically has their own flight attendant.
Business class is very much about the food—and I wasn't expecting that.
It's not “airplane food.” It's a restaurant:
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welcome drink
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menu
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several courses
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porcelain tableware
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metal cutlery
By the end of the flight, I was honestly stuffed.
Sleep and work
The biggest difference: sleep.
After dinner, the flight attendant made up my bed, and I actually fell asleep.
I woke up after about two hours and felt genuinely rested—not “airplane rested,” but properly refreshed.
I had:
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power outlets (US-style, so you need an adapter)
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charging ports
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a table for working
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a large display
The 11 hours passed surprisingly quickly.
Arrival in the US
The only downside was immigration.
Several planes arrived at once, and I waited in line for about an hour. The interview itself only took a few dozen seconds, though—I've been flying to the US for years, so there was no problem.
Conclusion: is business class worth it?
Yes.
It's not money wasted—it's a different type of travel.
I wouldn't buy it for CZK 100,000.
But with a good upgrade offer? Absolutely.
The greatest value isn't the luxury.
It's the energy you have after arrival. You don't arrive “wrecked from the flight.” You arrive ready to function.
And I suspect this wasn't my last long-haul flight in business class.
