I flew in business class for the first time. It costs $6,000 and was the best flight of my life, but I wouldn't do it again for 5 reasons.

Minutes after settling into business class on an Air New Zealand flight, I had the realization that this plane ride was going to be unlike any other flight I'd taken.

Before I even found seat 1A on the Boeing 787-9 aircraft, I was already being treated like royalty. 

One flight attendant was pouring me a glass of Champagne and another one was helping lift my carry-on into the overhead bins. A third stopped by soon after to introduce herself and welcome me onboard the Air New Zealand flight from Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand. 

If those first few minutes on my first business-class flight were an indicator of the rest of my ride, I knew I was in for a glamorous flight. 

I cherished every sip of bubbly since sitting in business class was a rare luxury experience. And it's one I'm unlikely to go again soon.

As I settled into my lie-flat seat, I was acutely aware that this is how a slim population of the world travels. 

The business-class passengers around me had likely dropped around $6,000 for their one-way ticket, as according to Air New Zealand's website, one-way business-class tickets from Los Angeles to Auckland typically cost about $6,000. Round-trip tickets are often closer to $10,000. 

While some people might be able to afford that, I'm not one of them.

I was sitting in business class because I received a press rate for the trip and was off to New Zealand to cover the airline's redesigned cabins. Prior to this flight, I'd never spent more than $1,400 on a plane ticket, and most of my vacations involve free campsites and nights spent in a $20 tent I bought off Facebook Marketplace. 

So while I was appreciative of the indulgent luxury flight, I knew it was something that would never become routine for me. And by the end of the 12-hour flight, while I was rested and relaxed, I was also convinced that there is no plane ride on earth worth $6,000.

Every expectation of business class was met, but I'd ultimately never shell out $10,000 for a round-trip ticket. It's not like the plane will get there faster than sitting in coach.

Every part of the 12-hour flight was filled with luxury.

I was handed a warm towel before a three-course dinner. I received a turndown service and flight attendants converted my seat into a lie-flat bed. I slept better than I had on any flight and woke up to a fruit smoothie and warm coffee.

But even with all those perks, it was hard to ignore the fact that the flight was the same 12 hours as in coach. 

No amount of wine could distract me from the fact that I was still confined to a tight space, and no number of free toiletries could make me ignore the fact that I was about to be jet-lagged. 

And I was going to feel cramped and jet-lagged whether I sat in the front or the back of the plane for 12 hours. Like every flight I've ever been on, I was still anxious to get off the plane the moment it landed. 

Now if my business-class ticket came with turbo speed that could transport me to New Zealand in fewer hours than by sitting in economy, perhaps I'd think twice about the cost. 

 

For the same price as a round-trip flight, in theory, I could've paid for another three weeks in New Zealand, covered months of rent, or put a down payment on a new car.

When it comes to traveling, I'm typically willing to sacrifice comfort for the experience. For example, I'd much rather pay money to go skydiving or bungee jumping than stay in a five-star hotel.

And $10,000 could fund a lot of life experiences. The cost of my business-class seat on the same route could buy another vacation, pay for multiple months of rent, or be a down payment on a new car that could take me on adventures throughout the US. 

I could also replicate my entire 21-day trip to New Zealand and Australia for less than the cost of a round-trip ticket to New Zealand. For context, my three-week adventure cost closer to $9,000. 

So while I loved the business-class experience, I'd trade it in a heartbeat to go diving in the Great Barrier Reef again, stay in more magical tiny homes, and continue exploring the two epic countries. 

The flight also taught me that I don't truly embrace the motto: "It's about the journey, not the destination." To me, flights are all about getting from point A to point B.

I've probably reiterated the phrase dozens of times. And to some degree, I stand by the concept that life is often about the journey. 

I've embarked on plenty of road trips where the best memories happened in the passenger seat of the car — not the destinations we were driving to. 

But when I look at the highlights of every trip I've ever been on, plane rides never stand out.

I think that's because the entire experience — regardless of your cabin class — still has challenges. Between possible delays, dry air, cabin pressure, limited space, and potential jet lag, I've never been all that eager to board a plane.

I'll admit, I absolutely love the rush of when the plane lifts off the ground. And each time I'm in the air, I savor the views and conversations with strangers.

But the excitement I experience on planes is more about where I'm going. It's not about being cramped on a plane. And ultimately, it's just not the type of experience I want to invest a large sum of money into.

I previously never considered the environmental toll of sitting in business class.

Before my trip, I knew that flying was one of the more carbon-intensive transportation options. Aviation makes up about 2% of global carbon emissions and 80% of a vacation's carbon footprint comes from the flight, according to National Geographic.

But two months after my business-class flight, I was chatting with sustainability experts about how to make trips and vacations more sustainable, and they told me that if you do have to take a flight, it's more responsible to sit in economy class. 

That's because a business-class seat takes up significantly more space on a plane. This means that fewer passengers can fit onto the aircraft and therefore there's a larger carbon footprint.

For example, a business-class row of seats on Air New Zealand's Boeing 787-9 fits three people. Meanwhile, a row in economy on the same place fits nine passengers. Those nine people have a much smaller personal carbon footprint than the three sitting in business. 

As someone who never had the chance to sit in premium economy, much less business class before this trip, I hadn't considered the different carbon footprints each cabin class has on planes.

This year, I'm searching for more sustainable ways to travel. While trains are on my radar, I'm also looking at sitting in economy for future flights to do my part when I fly.

I am privileged to be able to sit in an economy cabin as an able-bodied person, and I plan to do so for as long as possible.

I'm young and able-bodied. And while sitting in economy is never a blast, especially on long-haul flights, I am fortunate I can. Planes aren't designed for everyone.

As Buzzfeed reported, flying as a plus-sized passenger is both stigmatized and challenging. Some airlines like Southwest at one point had "customer of size" policies which stated that "[P]assengers who are unable to lower both armrests when seated should book another seat because of complaints [Southwest] has received from customers whose comfort has been ruined by the 'encroachment of a large seatmate.'"

And as Insider reported, a Qatar Airways passenger said she was denied boarding and asked to buy a first-class ticket because of her size. 

But it's not just plus-sized passengers who face flying struggles. Planes are not often a comfortable experience for many people with disabilities. Rebekah Taussig, a wheelchair user, wrote for Time that "flying has always felt disempowering." And a survey by Disability Horizons reported that 43% of wheelchair users who've attempted to fly now avoid it. 

Flying — especially in economy class — isn't something everyone has the privilege to do. I'm fortunate that I can fit into and relax in an economy seat on a long-haul flight. For me, wanting the luxury of a business class just doesn't seem necessary. 

Ultimately, I'm at a point in my life where every dollar and every day of exploring matters to me. For now, I'll skip paying for a business-class seat.

There are a few circumstances where I'd consider splurging on a premium-economy ticket like a monumental birthday trip or a honeymoon.

But I can't envision an instance where I would pay $10,000 for a regular long-haul, business-class flight.

From the environmental toll to extra time in a destination, I would rather use that money elsewhere and plan to stick with economy class for all my future flights.