Business Insider's author sat in both economy and business class for long-haul flights.Monica Humphries/Business Insider
- I flew business class on an Air New Zealand flight from Los Angeles to Auckland.
- Nine months later, I was on a 12-hour flight from Denver to Tokyo in United's economy cabin.
Within one year, I embarked on two of the longest flights of my life.
In the summer of 2022, I hopped on an Air New Zealand flight to Auckland, New Zealand.
In the spring of 2023, I was off to Tokyo. This time on United Airlines.
While both flights hovered around 12 hours, there was one major difference. For Air New Zealand, I was seated in business class. For United, I was in the back of the plane in economy.
The experiences couldn't have been more different. As flight prices continue to skyrocket, deciding whether to spend your money on a cabin class upgrade or in your destination can be tough. Take a look at how the two cabins compare.