Airlines go premium on demand for business-class

Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images; Talia Lakritz/Business Insider I paid $162 to upgrade to Premium Class on an Alaska Airlines flight from New York to Oregon. I flew in the main cabin initially, but decided to test Alaska Airlines' Premium Class product after hearing about the trend and being tempted by a $162 upgrade. The upgrade cost nearly as much as my entire flight, and I regretted nearly doubling the cost of my trip.

The upgrade only provided four extra inches of legroom, an early boarding pass, and reserved overhead bin space, but it felt like an extra-legroom economy seat rather than the elevated cabin I expected. The premium-class seats were located in the middle of the plane and had no significant differences compared to main cabin seats.

For those who want extra legroom, prefer to board early, and enjoy flying with an alcoholic beverage, a premium-class upgrade may be worth it. However, the extra $162 didn't seem worth it for me, and I regretted nearly doubling my trip's cost.