Man Pays $500 to Pretend He Belongs in First Class for Three Hours
KEY POINTS
- •Joey Hadden flew from NYC to West Palm Beach on Delta’s first class in early morning July 2025 for $500.
- •He enjoyed perks like two free checked bags and Sky Priority check-in but didn’t use them because of TSA PreCheck and only one carry-on.
- •The 16-seat first-class cabin had winged, wide seats with extra legroom and entertainment, but the trip felt too short to justify the splurge.
Joey Hadden, Business Insider’s intrepid reporter, splurged $500—$350 above basic economy—on Delta’s first-class NYC to West Palm Beach flight, dreaming of VIP thrills on a Boeing 737-800 with 16 posh seats. Arriving at JFK only 60 minutes before his 8 a.m. flight, he barely used Sky Priority’s fast-track perks because, spoiler, he had TSA PreCheck and only a carry-on. Sporting sweatpants and Crocs amid blazer-clad chimps, his faux-posh vibes were punctuated by dual water bottles waiting at his winged seat with a plush 21-inch width and 38-inch pitch, an inch or two away from actual luxury. The three-hour flight was so short, he wished it lasted longer, probably to figure out what exactly made him a VIP besides the extra recline inches and the agony of overpaying.
Share the Story
Sure, pay $350 extra to sit in giant seats with free water for three hours. Because who doesn’t want to awkwardly pretend they belong with the blazer squad while counting every extra seat inch?
First class: where you pay double to board first and still feel like you crash the party wearing Crocs.
Delta’s Sky Priority is apparently the express lane to existential doubt disguised as a comfy seat.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 12/31/2025 | Author: Joey Hadden
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