I really like it when you log in to Manage Booking and there is an upgrade offer. I’m generally quite amenable to these things, having some form in availing of these in the past. The question is, would you pay to upgrade a three hour flight in Europe for €172?

Clearly the answer is, it depends. For a famous rapper, €172 would be spare change, while for a 18 year old working at McDonald’s, it would be something completely different.

Would You Pay Finnair To Upgrade?

It is quite some time since I have flown with Finnair, and recently I booked a trip from London Heathrow to Helsinki and back. The outbound flight cost me £59 in economy class with no bag.

Naturally I booked a return flight and because Finnair allow it, I ordered my meal for each sector. Once done, I received all my confirmations. Later, I logged in to Manage Booking and found this.


For just €172 (which today is valued around £145), I can fly in the delights of European business class. That means Champagne, a meal and the middle seat kept free. Other items such as lounge access I already have thanks to my status.

Considering the business class ticket is exactly £300 more than the economy class ticket I purchased (£359 vs £59), the upgrade price is a shade under half of what I would have paid extra had I booked business class in the first place. So, would you pay for this?

Overall Thoughts

Since I haven’t flown Finnair business class since 2005, I am sorely tempted to pony up the cash for the sector. At the same time, it’s a fair amount of cash for a short enough flight. I mean, since I already have lounge access, is being fed on the plane and given bubbles really worth €172?

That is the conundrum that I currently face. What would you do in my situation? Would you pay the upgrade since it’s actually half the fare difference or would you absolutely never do it? Thanks for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

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Featured image by Anna Zvereva from Tallinn Estonia via Wikimedia Commons.