Where to spurge - flights or hotel?

We splurge on better seats on the plane. We always do at least 3 star hotels so room is clean quiet and while we appreciate the better hotels it doesn't impact us. Having more legroom and space on the flight really improves our experience. We also now take more cabs and users as age is increasing and mobility decreasing.

If I splurge on airline seats, it's on the outbound flight to get a better start for my trip. I'm less likely to upgrade my return flight...I can catch up on sleep at home.

I'm still learning my own hotel preferences and recently have enjoyed hotels with balconies, whether that's my own room or a shared rooftop space with a view, or a lovely courtyard for breakfast. These have put me in a good mood to start or end each travel day... seemingly more than the room itself.

Paying extra for an exit-row seat allows my 6’3” frame to actually sleep comfortably during the flight. Sooo worth it.
I also like well-located accommodations that offer a quiet night of comfortable sleep. Reading the hotel reviews can be enlightening.

I share your thoughts on accommodations. As for the seats on the flight, thats really a personal thing. Try it once. Fly Business Class out and Premium Economy back and see what you think for the $$$.

For years I did the cheapest ticket that lets me pick a seat. But I did that so I could make more trips. Time off wasnt a signficant issue for me for the last 10 or 15 years of my career so it came down to how many trips I could afford. No way I was giving up Christmas Markets in Budapest in December so I could fly Business Class to Paris in June. Compared to Premium Economy my cheap seats got me one extra trip a year, compared to Business Class, well ..... And we are only talking about 20 hours on a plane out of 500+ hour vacation; I have survived it just fine. BUT, this is just me. What is important is that you maximize your enjoyment in travel and if that requires a foot rest, then go for it. Each to their own.

I live in Europe now, so the differences are less signficant, but the trips are shorter too, so still the cheap seats when I travel. Of course I am only 6 foot tall and at 190lbs I still fit in the standard seat just fine.

Over the years my travel philosophy has changed.

I now travel as well as my budget allows.

I try to sit in the larger seats on planes especially with more legroom. As a plus, the larger, more expensive seats also come with looser baggage restrictions but not always. I also agree with our host that a good pair of noise cancelling headphones/ear buds makes any flight more enjoyable.

I want my hotel rooms to be clean, quiet, conveniently located and offer good wifi. If it has a kettle, refrigerator and other helpful amenities even better. While some people aren't as picky with their hotels saying they are only there to sleep, that's fine, but I need a place that will offer me a good rest.

I don't necessarily look at hotel "star" ratings because they have different meanings in different countries. But I do read reviews.

As we have gotten older (now in our late 60s), coming out of the pandemic in the last 2 years we increased our travel budget to include first / business class seats and nicer hotels and rooms with more space - including suites. After being sidelined from travel by the pandemic years, we are making up for it and traveling now, while we can (financially and physically able), and while we still have the desire and interest to travel, versus what I see as delusional thinking that we will somehow travel more or even as much as now 5 or 10 years down the road.

My crystal ball is too cloudy to see more than a year into the future...I see folks here booking tours way out into 2026, and we don't do that (never really have). We are more spontaneous in our travel decisions, often make plans and book everything less than a month ahead.

I can see the literal end of the road (being on the road) coming into view for us. Our philosophy is to get out there and do it now while we can afford it, while we are physically able, and while we still have the desire to subject ourselves to the rigors of travel, the most pernicious for us being jet lag which, for us, has gotten worse as we have aged. We can afford the comfort of paying up for the front of the plane, and nicer hotels, and that is how we travel now.

The "fire in the belly" desire for travel we had a decade ago has faded a lot for us, but we still have interest and foresee more travel in the coming year. We spent 3 weeks in Europe in October, and after a week at home, we decided to go back for 2 more weeks in December, got home a few days ago. We will think about 2025 travel ideas soon, and we hope to take a couple of nice trips next year. Never been to Australia / NZ, it feels like we should do that sooner rather than later...while we can, and while we have the desire.

We have traveled a lot and never paid more for flights than 2nd class. We frequently are upgraded to plus. We can handle a 8 hour flight to Europe or even a 14 hour flight to East Asia in 2nd class. What I do try to avoid is booking a trip with lots of transfers.
We pay a little more for a direct flight from Atlanta to our destination, instead of having to transfer.

Regarding lodging, when in third world countries like Egypt, Morocco, Peru, Ecuador, etc., we book four or five star hotels. They are usually not too expensive and you need the security of those types of hotels in those countries.
In Europe we prefer B&Bs or small hotels that are located near the tourist sites. We usually get a great free breakfast and enjoy the more intimate nature of the lodgings.

We try to dine in restaurants that are highly rated. I use TripAdvisor.

As we have aged, we now prefer booking tour packages where everything is included (lodging, tour guides, admissions, transport, etc.). We like Gate 1 Travel and have found their tours to have five star hotel lodging in 3rd World places, but in Europe usually a 4 star.

[Background: Just returned from Peru where having a $600 set menu restaurant meal is a thing.]

In a food vs flight comparison, I asked my sister-in-law Thanksgiving Day if she would ever pay $600 for a meal. She completely dismissed the idea. I followed up with asking if she would pay $12,000 for lie flat seats to Australia. She immediately said “yes.”

Incidentally, her turkey was chewy and dry.

In my opinion, Premium Economy is worth the money; Business class is not. One of the best things about PE is getting to board while there's plenty of overhead space, although that is more of a concern on domestic flights. If I were the one making our airline reservations, I would pay more to fly direct from Atlanta but my husband insists on flying from NY because Business Class is much cheaper from that airport. For hotels, I want a good location, elevator and comfortable bed.

JoJo Rabbit you need to do NZ Australia as soon as you can-because the distances involved require lots of air travel rather than more comfortable trains, I found it more physically challenging than Europe. I'm 70 and don't know that I would have the stamina for that trip when I'm 5 yrs older. I've forgotten what we paid for our Business class seats to New Zealand and back from Australia, but it was less than the 12,000 quoted above. We saved 3000 or 4000 each by flying Fiji Airways. They are a Quantas partner and their employees seem happy to serve their customers. I would try to fly out of San Francisco rather than LA-when we were at LA in Jan and Feb of 2023, the international terminal wasn't even accessible by taxi so there was a lot of walking.

Why not give an upgraded plane seat a try?
That's really the only way you will know if it's worth it to you.
I splurge for Premium Economy sometimes, when the price isn't too much higher, but still go economy other times. It's a bit more comfortable for overnight flights, but not as worth it for daytime flights for me.

I would say hotels since you spend a lot more time there than in flights. Even if it’s just for sleeping, a good nights rest is important. And by splurge I mean getting comfortable, clean hotels in the city center (or close to whatever activities you’ll be doing), rather than commuting from outer areas. If there’s still extra $$ in your budget, try to get a bulkhead or exit row seat (or some other extra legroom option) which do make things more comfortable.

Here’s a different idea - how about both? But without breaking the bank?

The past two times we’ve gone to Europe, we’ve taken the day flight from JFK (once to London, once to Paris). Both times were in standard coach, one on Virgin, and one on Delta. We totally circumvented any worries about sleeping because it was a day flight and we weren’t trying. We also felt that the jetlag was easier to navigate with the day flight. The cost was the same as the overnight flight. For us, the added expense was flying into New York a day early and getting a hotel, but for you, being from Massachusetts, you could probably take a train (or drive) that would be much cheaper than a separate flight. Heck, for all I know, Boston has some kind of day flight.

Regarding hotels, I do believe in spending a little more, and I prefer to stay in American chains where I knew exactly what I’m going to be getting. That may be a somewhat unpopular view on this board, but it allows me to use points and avoid some of the “quirks” of European hotels that I’m not keen on.

As others have said, this really depends on your preferences. I tend not to splurge on flights, since I can't sleep in any seat, although I do now bump up to Comfort+. But years ago, I flew using Delta buddy passes that my brother gave me, and I was always upgraded to Business Class on the overseas trips. Even in a seat that went completely flat, however, I still couldn't sleep. So now I just accept that I'm going to lose a night of sleep when I travel and plan accordingly.

As far as hotels, it varies from place to place and I tend to decide on an individual basis depending on where I am going. It just depends on what I find and what I take a liking to. I do want comfort, convenience and cleanliness, but really don't care too much about a lot of other amenities.

Kelly - I'm so glad to see that another traveler prefers "chain" hotels to the unknown. There is nothing better after a 14 hour flight (I'm thinking my frequent Asian travels) to be greeted with, "Welcome Mrs. -------. Thank you for your loyalty, we have upgraded your room and here are the hours for the Executive Lounge."

In 2024 with multiple trips to Asia and Europe, I have had 1/3 - 1/2 of my rooms paid via points due to various loyalties. And, I have never had a bad room. Contrast that to a "forced" stay at a privately owned, well-reviewed hotel in a small French town - solo traveler, I'm certain I had the smallest room in the facility. No bigger than a broom closet. No thank you.

As to the original question - nothing lower than PE for trips to Asia - Business Class preferred which is why I stay loyal to one carrier and accumulate status. Upgrades about half the time gratis or with points. Europe, depending on destination, I can manage Economy, but PE is my preference.

For me, I am almost always good with economy for flights, but do sometimes opt for Comfort Plus. When I fly domestically, it is almost always on Alaska, so do opt for premium and sometimes opt for first class on there but the rates are so reasonable and even first class is not what I call real first class. Sometimes though it fits the bill.

I don't give a hoot about fancy restaurants. I can do street food or a nice meal, depending on the situation, but nothing extravagant.

Hotels are a mixed bag. I am good with guesthouses with shared baths, or with something very elegant. Each trip is different, so lodging is decided by factors such as who is traveling with me and what is our agenda. I am thinking back to our Amsterdam trip last February where we stayed at a beautiful hotel(about $350/night) that had everything, and then Iceland in September where it was a road trip and we did quite a few guesthouses with shared baths($110/night). Both were great, but just very different.

Depends on type and length of journey. On car round trips I tend to spend some money on a 2-3 nights stay in between to have some time to rest.

Finally I think it is a question of value for money spent which depends of course on very individual preferences.

We "splurge" by traveling business class to and from Europe, but we set a budget for lodging in each location and stick to it. Most of our lodging is in AirBnBs, so almost always more space than a hotel room and almost always near the train station. We aim for comfort pretty completely, and it's absolutely worth it to us.

We don't really care for Michelin starred restaurant foods, generally, though the one such restaurant we went to was excellent (and not particularly expensive). We prefer simpler recipes, prepared well with excellent ingredients. And we eat cereal in the room and grab a quick sandwich for lunch. Our food budget is less than $50 apiece, daily, pretty much everywhere we travel. Poland and Czechia were much, much less.

I'll add that we've not yet had to pay more than $3,600 for any round trip or open jaw airline ticket. Google Flights and ITA Matrix have been incredibly useful tools.

JoJo Rabbit you need to do NZ Australia as soon as you can-because the distances involved require lots of air travel rather than more comfortable trains, I found it more physically challenging than Europe. I'm 70 and don't know that I would have the stamina for that trip when I'm 5 yrs older.

Thanks, cala, I am looking at it as I write this response...

We fly United and years ago we chose to get economy plus seats on one trip to Europe. We’ve never done it since. We aren’t tall people and it wasn’t worth it to pay extra for the extra leg room. We would rather have the extra money for the actual trip as opposed to something that will only potentially enhance our 12 hour flight. That said, I’m going to Australia with a friend soon and she is insisting we fly business class. She is very generous and is paying for it so I guess I’ll see if I sleep in a lie flat seat. I rarely have success sleeping on a plane. We usually use airline miles when we travel internationally and because we have a United miles credit card we have priority boarding. That helps with getting overhead space.

Where we do spend a little more now is for comfortable lodging in more desirable (to us) locations. We tend to take long trips (in 2024 it was 6.5 weeks, in 2022 it was 6 week and a 10 week trips, etc.) and this year we will have an 11 week trip. We prefer apartments when it makes sense for many reasons, but are fine with hotels for shorter stays. I guess I’d rather take more trips for longer durations than have luxury for a shorter time.

how you evaluate these decisions?

Regarding flights, I am Platinum for life on American, so I can always get a good exit row seat in economy on my twice peer year trips to Europe. My splurge is to ensure that my time-in-the-air and connections are the most convenient. For example, I avoid Heathrow as a connection due to the crowds there. I am planning a big trip in 2026 with my wife and we will probably go with one-time upgrades to business/first to go along with a Christmas Market river cruise.

My hotel splurge is to find a really great hotel at a really great price. On a recent trip I got a fabulous room at a Steigenberger for less than the comparable price as my go-to chains. My normal go-to hotels are Marriott Moxy, Mercure or ibis Styles, and Holiday Inn Express. These chains are consistent (expecially Moxy) and I can often find a hotel that is convenient to my plans for a city. Since I normally spend multiple days in a city there is almost never a hotel that is walkable for everything I plan to do, so it really comes down to access to public transport.

Like you, I don't splurge on food more than once a week of so. What I do is splurge on a day pass to a therme and a massage. This is, IMO, one of the best ways to address jet lag and the 15,000 steps each day while traveling.

Given this particular choice now in my mid-70s, I am much more likely to spurge for a hotel.

I have always flown rock bottom Basic Economy getting the absolute cheapest seat and flight possible from SFO to FRA or Paris CDG, the non-stop overnight flight. Sleeping is almost a given, if it's difficult, I'll get less, say 3 hrs out of 11. If it's easy, the longest is over 6 hrs...obviously much better.

If by chance I am upgraded, that is certainly welcomed but no way am I going to pay extra, say for Premium Economy to get more luxury on a flight. Putting up with a non-stop 11 hour flight in Basic Economy I am used to, if that were 16 hrs or more going to Japan and the Far East, Australia, then I would consider Premium Economy.

For me, the flight is something to be tolerated so I can make it to the trip. I am more likely to spend a little more for a hotel — but I do a mix. Some cheaper hotels so that I can afford a couple of nicer hotels for a few nights.

You're especially lucky, as since you live in Massachusetts, you have among the very shortest flight times to Europe of anyone coming from the U.S. or Canada. Less time spent on the transatlantic portion of the voyage = to my mind, less of a need to spend extra for comfort on the flight (unless you are 6 foot two and really need some more space than the stingy space the airlines give you !).

I used to find the cheapest flights possible.
Now that I’m older, I’ve had two knee replacements, my hips are now a bit painful at times and I have never managed to sleep on a flight, I’m flying Premium Economy nowadays just for the extra space around me.
I flew Business Class last trip on Lufthansa, and while the whole experience was lovely, check in, lounges, staff, food, service etc…. the actual lie flat seats were like hard articulated coffins.
I couldn’t get comfortable no matter what .
No mattress pad offered.
I didn’t sleep!!
I believe the planes I was on were recycled Philippine Airlines ones.
It was my treat to myself for a big birthday, so it was a bit disappointing.
It hasn’t put me off upgrading though.
Next time, if I splurge again, it will be with a different airline.
I also choose flights with only one transfer.

As far as accommodation goes, as long as it has many reviews and photos and is clean and safe, I’m happy.

...I care more about modern sleeping accommodations (a quiet and spacious room, a good bed, a convenient location)... wonder whether paying for premium economy...would make the travel more pleasant...

Yes, premium economy will make your trip a bit more pleasant. But, that is only a short part of your trip and the hotel stay will be a larger part. If you can only do one or other, you might be happier splurging on the hotel rather than the flight. You migh have to put up with smaller seats and get little sleep on the plane, but that might be better than having a bad sleep experience every night. Just food for thought.

Basically, I pay what I want to ease my travel days, particularly traveling to locations. Once I discovered the day flight from Boston to Heathrow T5, twenty+ years ago, I have taken no other flight to Europe (except once in 2023 when I had business class seats, lie flat. Not anywhere close to worth it for me. I'd forgotten how awful jet lag was, so back to my system). The older I get the more I splurge to make transportation more relaxed. I will upgrade my seat to BA One World Plus...it's a smaller group of seats as well as being slightly more comfortable. it also guarantees me an overhead spot for my carryon, which is a new perk for me, but new suitcase, new system. I get a room at the Logan Hilton the night before so I can walk to my 8:25 AM flight. I enjoy my reading on the plane. Then I walk to the Sofitel in Heathrow at about 8:00 PM their time for my first night and room service. It's now a lovely day. On the return trip, I sit in World Traveler, because I'm almost home and there are no ramifications to my choice.

For the hotels, I pick small ones where people comment about how hard the beds are or how well they slept. I pick that hotel. LOL. I could care less regarding fancy meals, but in France give me a good boulangerie, fromagerie or patisserie any time. ;0

This next trip I have a RT on the Eurostar. I am thinking about upgrading my seat to Paris to the middle level for a little more space. Had I read the seating more correctly I might have gone with Business for even fewer people, quick check in and (maybe) fresher air. Again, going home, I don't care. I haven't traveled on the Eurostar since it was at Waterloo so I should have studied. LOL

I will play.

Like Cathy, I have been at times a frugal traveler. My age is north of Cathy's so I appreciate increasingly a certain level of comfort when traveling.

As a practical matter, airline costs do not affect what I spend on hotels. I nearly always book with Delta Skymiles and opt for Delta's Economy Plus or Comfort. The cost difference between regular coach and Comfort can be small, and I like the greater leg room and dread the trans-Atlantic flight a bit less. In short, travel is an adventure I should be looking forward to.

I do cut back on dining costs, and money is not the principal reason. If I am traveling solo, I feel awkward dining alone in nice restaurants. I am content eating in less expensive restaurants or take-out food.

But to play the game, if I had to choose between flights and hotels, I would choose hotels because the wrong hotel can ruin a trip. I often avoid single rooms because they can be just too small. I want an en suite bathroom. I want a good location. I look for hotels known for their helpful staff and a front desk that is manned 24 hours a day.

As a postscript, I find in some major cities that the big chain hotels can offer greater value than the smaller, family-run hotels favored on these forums. This may not be true in Paris, but it is true in London. I usually can find a rate at one of several Hilton-family hotels and certainly at a Premier Inn property that is reasonable and lower than the rates charged by hotels like the Lime Tree and Aster House.

The answer?

It is right here in your post:

" money is less of an issue than comfort"

We each only have so much time on this earth. Treat yourself (as YOU deem appropriate)..

"If I am traveling solo, I feel awkward dining in nice restaurants." More or less, likewise, quite understandable but it depends.

I define "nice restaurants " as a white table cloth restaurant with nice silverware and glassware on the table, maybe even a small candle as part of the table setting. Mostly I do travel solo.

Dining alone in such restaurants in France, especially in Paris, I am hit at times undoubtedly by this feeling of awkwardness, mainly due to linguistic inferiority and insecurity. In Germany and Austria no such feelings at all.

If I do Economy then I make sure I am in an aisle seat and if possible in the window row w/two seats only if available. I try for Economy Comfort/Plus or Premium Economy more often mainly for the leg room. As for hotels, I prefer smaller or local hotels over the name brand ones and near to the city centers. I just hope for a somewhat comfy bed and hot shower for my needs.

brushtim, like I noted above with a bit of luck and some seat watching up until check in you have a very good chance of grabbing something pretty nice at economy prices. Exit row of course. Will cost you a bit more but not the cost of the Premium Economy. Yes, you still get the 1" narrower seat, but you can get several feet of legroom. Or, pick that asile seat in the center section that already has the opposite aisle seat booked. The odd of someone wanting the middle seat are slim unless its a sold out flight. So you get a spare seat for your junk. Then at check in do a quick search and see if there is a row that is empty. Grab that aisle seat and stretch out across three or four seats and sleep. Your own Economy class cocoon. I get the empty seat next to me at least 75% of the time and I snag an entire row about 25% of the time.

Every time we walk past those pod-like fancy seats to our tiny seats, I always call back to Nick, "one day, Dear! One day." I'm surprised to see a few people say they are not worth the money. I guess we'll just have to bite the bullet and splurge (one day) to see if they are really worth it for us.

Hotels by far are the number one splurge. Good beds, AC and showers make being out all day a comfort zone to recharge. It can be a local hotel or a national chain just as long as it checks all the boxes.

I've done the small charming hotels with pillows so thin it makes you crave an airline pillow. Also, no AC is a strike out. Forget showers so small you long for an old phone booth.

Food is a distant expense. You can eat well, delicious and reasonably priced, but you do have to search or ask around.

Business class is worth the money even if you don't really sleep. It is more comfortable by far, but I would say it is second to hotel splurge if you have to choose.

Every time we walk past those pod-like fancy seats to our tiny seats, I always call back to Nick, "one day, Dear! One day." I'm surprised to see a few people say they are not worth the money. I guess we'll just have to bite the bullet and splurge (one day) to see if they are really worth it for us.

There's a critically important fact that I think most people (mostly those who have never before flown up front) often (usually?) fail to understand about "business class" seats. Here it is:

"Business class" is NOT all the same!
"Business class" - or whatever name the airline's marketing team has applied to it - is not a single, uniform thing. Each one is different from the others! If you fail to understand this, and simply choose (and pay for) "business class" without noting the details of the very specific "business class" you are going to get, you could be in for a serious disappointment.

Business class can be wonderful, with great food and drink, super-comfy seats with plenty of space to stretch out (and even walk around a bit), fantastic service, privacy, goodies and sawg, and IMHO the most important of all, a spacious, comfortable sleeping spot where pretty much anyone can enjoy many hours of solid, deep, restful, refreshing sleep. Those flights are very, very nice, and your biggest disappointment might be that they ran out of your favorite champagne (cry me a river, brother). But not all business class seats are like that! Sometimes, "business class" can be just a minor cut above the experience back in coach, with none of the swoon-worthy comforts and posh delights that you might have expected. Like so many things in life, IT DEPENDS on the circumstances and details.

The business class experience you get completely depends on multiple variables, including: The airline. The route. The aircraft type. The specific airplane you happen to be flying on that route on that day. The individual seat you get. Most of those variables are pretty easily discoverable before you buy your ticket. But there's always a small chance that there's a last-minute aircraft swap and you end up in a lesser business class than you had hoped for - that doesn't happen very often (in most cases) but it can. Given the investment that the flight may cost you (whether bought with real money or frequent flyer points), personally I think it's absolutely worth your time to do the small amount of research needed to see exactly what you can expect in your seat and experience.

There are indeed some awesome, wonderful business class experiences available that'll leave you grinning from ear to ear. And there are others that are pretty meh and might make you question your sanity for bothering. IME most are at least pretty good. Before you click the "buy" button, it's really worth knowing which you will get.

Another truism: Any seat in business class is probably going to be better than a seat in economy (or basic economy) on the same flight (remember, airline and specific aircraft type matters). Yes, that's generally true. But how much better?  is a question worth asking.

"Is it worth it?"  is a question that nobody else can ever really answer, only you can (it's completely subjective, and the question really should be "is it worth it *compared to what*?"  Travel choices are full of trade-offs, and we all "value" or prioritize things differently.

For me, "splurging" for business class is worthwhile on any flight when I am going to want to get some sleep; the longer the flight, the more important. Getting a good night's sleep (often when I'm already sleep-deprived before I head to the airport due to pre-trip tasks), that makes a huge difference to my trip, and effectively "buys me" another 1-2 usable days on my trip. That ain't nothing.

Bottom line, what is going to give you the best option for a successful trip? For Europe, you have an East Coast advantage, which impacts amount of time spent on a plane and there’s more flexibility on the time of day you depart. If orthopedic issues don’t come in to play, I’d lean more towards splurging on the hotel.

Coming from the west coast, it can be a different story. Age (72 & 80) and orthopedic issues mean that if something shifts out of place due to prolonged cramped sitting, it may not correct for days, so that’s where we splurge. I would say 90% of our hotels have been fine and the bad ones cut across price ranges, so there hasn’t been a magic formula there. It does help when we’re returning to a location and have a favorite hotel.

David makes some important points about the quality of any service class. For example, Icelandic Air’s business class is different than British Airway’s business class, so do the research on whatever class you’re considering, I.e. know what model of plane is being used and the pros and cons. Even within the same airlines, service can vary from one departure point to the next. We used to depart from Seattle on British Airways but now it’s Las Vegas. Service on the Vegas night flight is very different than mid-day out of Seattle, so now we’ve given up waiting for dinner on the night flight and aren’t ready for breakfast before landing. It’s enough for us to be able to elevate legs and stretch out.