I Have Airline Elite Status. Here's Why I Still Pay for Business Class Sometimes

I fly frequently, and because the closest airport to my home is a rather small one (served by just two airlines), I tend to fly with American Airlines each time. Simply put, its routes are generally more convenient for where I go, and it's usually the lower-cost airline of the two that I can choose from. In addition, I have an American Airlines co-branded credit card that I use for most of my everyday spending and recurring payments.

The combination of these two things has given me elite status in the American Airlines AAdvantage program. In fact, for the current year, I have AAdvantage Executive Platinum status, the highest level that is publicly available. Through spending money on flights, using my credit card, utilizing the AAdvantage e-shopping portal, and a few other methods, I barely earned the required Loyalty Points to reach this level.

Although I qualify for free upgrades to business class, there are some situations where I end up paying for an upgrade. Here's why it can still be worth paying extra to sit in those big front seats.

Executive Platinum members get frequent upgrades

There are several major perks of Executive Platinum status, but perhaps the most notable is free first- and business-class upgrades on domestic flights. All four tiers of elite status get free upgrades for the status member and a companion, but there are a couple of big differences when it comes to Executive Platinum.

• Aside from Concierge Key members (the top status level, which is not publicly available), Executive Platinum members are at the top of the upgrade priority list.
• Executive Platinum members are eligible for complimentary upgrades on both paid travel as well as award tickets paid for with miles.

Now, there are some big variables that determine your likelihood of getting upgrades with elite status, in addition to your particular status level. But overall, I'd estimate that I get complimentary upgrades to business class about 60% to 70% of the time.

Why I sometimes pay for a business-class upgrade

To be sure, I don't need to sit in business class all of the time. But there are some situations where it's more than just a luxury (if I need to get work done, for example). So, there are some cases where I'll willingly pay for a business-class upgrade, especially where these three things apply.

1. It's a very busy route for business travelers

I've been on flights where literally half of the plane has Executive Platinum status. This isn't common if you're flying on a route commonly taken by leisure travelers, but if you're flying from say, Atlanta to Los Angeles on a Monday morning, high-status business travelers can dominate the aircraft. I'm an Executive Platinum member, but within the status level, priority is determined by the number of Loyalty Points you've earned in the previous 12-month period, so I get outranked on routes like these quite often, especially when the business-class cabin is rather small.

2. It doesn't cost much to upgrade

There have been times when I'm booking a flight and the price difference between business class and main cabin is less than $100. If this is the case, and the route is likely to have lots of business travelers, I'll sometimes pay the extra charge, especially if the third reason applies.

3. I need to get work done

Let's face it. It can be extremely challenging to work on a laptop in a small main cabin seat. I'm technically an independent contractor, meaning that I get paid based on production. So if the value of the work I can get done is greater than the cost to upgrade, it could be worth it from a budgeting perspective.

I'll rarely pay for a business-class upgrade unless all three of these things are true. But the bottom line is that there are times when it makes sense, even when I have a high status level with the airline.