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Being upgraded from coach to first class on an airplane is a lovely thing: more leg room, drinks, comfortable seats. But Cincinnati couple Bruce and Jeanette Rogovin’s upgrade wasn’t just a few seats up on the plane: it was to an entire private jet.
The couple, on their way from Ohio to Atlanta to see their son, were upgraded onto a Falcon 2000, a soundproofed Delta jet that seats up to 10 people. Provided were a flight attendant, a bar, free wi-fi, and a DVD library. Bloomberg reports that the couple, who are enrolled in Delta’s top-earning “diamond medallion” status, were both chosen for their frequent use of Delta airlines, but also because their route matched with one Delta had already planned. The plane was needed for a customer in Georgia who was flying to the Bahamas, and rather than take the plane empty, the airline offered seats to the Rogovins.
Delta offers this program, the only of its kind in the world, allows holders of the “diamond medallion” status traveling on certain Delta flights to upgrade for an additional fee, which includes “transportation to and from the private airport and the main commercial terminal, and complimentary on-board catering.”
If it sounds fancy, that’s because it is. The flight on a Falcon 2000 would cost several hundred dollars more than a regular flight—out of the range of affordability for most people, but maybe a simple splurge for those who can afford it. A few hundred dollars more for a quiet, private jet, champagne, specialty catering, knees free and not pressed against the back of another seat—it sounds pretty tempting.
Bruce Rogovin certainly enjoyed the luxurious upgrade. “I would have to say that it was the most relaxing, enjoyable flight I’ve ever had,” he says, “from the lack of lines to the spacious, beautiful cabin, everything was truly enjoyable.”
