Gone are the days when flight attendants used to dole out carved meats and champagne. Nowadays, we’re lucky to get a handful of pretzels. Air travel has become less and less of a luxurious experience, but does that mean we should also lower the bar when it comes to the way we dress?
See our best credit card bonuses here. If you want to read about great places to visit with the points and miles earned with credit cards and loyalty programs, see this list of best travel destinations.
In this guide, we’ll cover three reasons why you should dress up for your flight.
THE PLATINUM CARD® FROM AMERICAN EXPRESS

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
The Platinum Card® from American Express has a special offer for 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 in purchases within your first 6 months.
Membership Rewards® points are some of the most valuable in the market. Redeeming these points by booking travel through American Express or by redeeming for gift cards will give you a standard 1 cent per point value. The 100k bonus points are worth $1,000 going this route.
You can potentially get more value by transferring your points to Membership Rewards travel partners. Using this strategy can get you up to an average value of 2 cents per point. Get around $2,000 in value with 100,000 points this way. Read more on this here.
With this card, earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
The biggest drawback to this card is the $695 annual fee (see Rates & Fees, Terms Apply), which puts it in the premium class of credit cards. The card has a market because it offers premium travel benefits, such as 5X points for flights (up to $500,000 on these purchases) and eligible hotels, access to 40+ Centurion Loung and Studio locations worldwide, up to $200 airline fee credit annually, and an annual Walmart+ membership. These benefits are given as statement credits.
For frequent travelers, the added benefits make sense in terms of value and added luxury.
1. To Be Respectful

You don’t have to pull out your most expensive outfit for a flight, but you should dress respectfully when you travel. If you’re going on a short-haul flight, avoid wearing pajamas and taking off your shoes. You’re sharing a tight space with many others, so you should dress and act in a way that doesn’t make others around you uncomfortable. Plus, you never know who you’re going to meet – your next client, your future bestie, or even a love interest.
2. To Score An Upgrade

You shouldn’t expect an upgrade just for wearing a suit jacket, but it might help. That, coupled with an amiable attitude and small gifts (like chocolates or gift cards) can pave the way to a lie-flat seat. If you put yourself in the shoes of a gate agent, it also makes sense. Would you upgrade someone wearing flip-flops to the front with the airline’s best customers? Probably not.
3. To Look The Part

If you make it to the premium class section, you should dress accordingly. Like how you would make the effort to dress more formally for an extravagant dinner at a nice restaurant. Again, this is out of respect for the carrier, airline class and for the other passengers around you.
Bottom Line
Dressing appropriately for a flight pays respect to the airline and your fellow flight mates. And who knows? Maybe you’ll even score the upgrade.
Worried about health while you travel? Check out our posts Tips & Tricks For Eating Healthy On Planes and 12 Tips For Staying Healthy While You Travel.
READ MORE: SEE THE BEST BANK BONUSES HERE AND THE BEST INVESTING BONUSES HERE.