filereaperNov 2021Strongly recommends
Highly recommend Wendover's videos on Airline economics, this specific one is about the various classes in Airline seats ▶ this video
in “Billion-dollar airline routes” · View on HN
The Economics of Airline Class
The Economics of Airline Class on HackerTube: recommended by 6 Hacker News commenters across 6 separate months, 2017–2025.
Wendover Productions
Open on YouTubeexplainer · evergreen
Wendover Productions explains how airlines make money from different cabin classes and why premium seats matter so much to profits. It also touches on how this shaped decisions such as the decline of supersonic travel.
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN commenters recommend it as an in-depth, accessible look at airline class economics and revisit it in many discussions about airlines.
- people recommended it
- 6
- separate months
- 6
- strong recommendations
- 3
- discussed on HN
- 2017–2025
“Would highly recommend the YouTube video below [0] from Wendover”
What HN commenters said
11 Hacker News comments link this video. Each one links back to its thread.
alehulMar 2019Strongly recommends
Would highly recommend the YouTube video below [0] from Wendover, which went pretty in-depth on the economics of airline classes a while ago, and how first-class was the least profitable for the airlines. :) [0] ▶ this video
in “First-class air travel is in decline” · View on HN
sillysaurus3Jan 2018Strongly recommends
If anyone finds the operation of airlines a fascinating topic, you might like Wendover Productions: [link] How airlines price flights [link] The little plane war [link] Why planes don't fly faster [link] The economics of Airline Class ▶ this video How airlines schedule flights [link] I just recently found the channel. So much good stuff. (My unrelated favorite is [link] How the US government will survive doomsday.)
in “As of today, no US passenger airlines operate the Boeing 747” · View on HN
mynameisvladJun 2019Recommends
Economy class seats generally speaking will earn the least amount of money to an airline, so this idea would actually likely be the most unprofitable option. To make it truly profitable, you convert the plane to First class, but then you'll need to fill all those seats. Wendover Productions had a great video on this a few years ago: ▶ this video
in “Flying-V: Flying long distances energy-efficiently” · View on HN
caio1982Jul 2018Recommends
There is also another Wendover one explaining the economics or airlines classes and it talks about specifically why supersonic flights went into oblivion: ▶ this video
in “Is killing the boom the key to supersonic air travel?” · View on HN
djsumdogApr 2017Recommends
There's a good Wendover video on airline classes: ▶ this video And another great one about AmTrak in relation to flight: [link]
in “How the Airlines Became Cartels” · View on HN
Show 5 more comments
ThorrezSep 2025Cites it
Do you have a source showing $/sqft of economy vs business/first class? This video is basically saying the opposite of you: that business/first class subsidizes economy. ▶ this video
in “Boeing has started working on a 737 MAX replacement” · View on HN
meinersburJul 2025Cites it
There is also market separation in play: For the base service you only charge cost+small margin. For higher service levels you charge higher profit margins even though the additional service does not cost that much more to provide. Best example: flight seats. Economy class fills the plane, but business and first class are the money makers [1]. [1] ▶ this video
in “Why do some AI chatbot subscriptions cost more than $200?” · View on HN
chiphSep 2019Cites it
I don't understand why they won't run a platform car on the back of the trains and sell tickets as a super-premium class. It'd be the most profitable seats on the train because of what you'd charge for the experience, much like how the few 1st class seats on an jet earns the airline more than the entire economy class. ▶ this video Sure, the product is basically the same - a ride from Point A to Point B. But if you offer a private dining room, an observation lounge, a steward who attends to just you and 3 other cabins, you can charge way more than an economy seat. By only focusing on the "Point A to Point B" aspects, they're entering a downward financial spiral.
in “End of an American tradition: Amtrak kills the traditional dining car” · View on HN
clarkenheimMay 2018Cites it
According to this: ▶ this video First/business class seats are where the airlines make all of their money, so Concord would be economically viable today.
in “Concorde ‘B’” · View on HN
shimon_eApr 2017Cites it
Unfortunately, due to the economics of airline class[0], privileged passengers account for about 70% of airline revenue. 0. ▶ this video
in “United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler” · View on HN
Topics & tags
Business & economics (other)Aviation & aerospace engineeringMicroeconomics & behavioral economicsairlinesfirst classbusiness classpricingwendover