This first-class flight is worth $7,000 but one traveler says he paid $76 for it

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Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Traveler pays $76 for a $7,000 first-class ticket
Travel blogger Sam Huang paid about 1 percent of the cost out of pocket of this luxurious first-class flight.

This luxurious first-class experience is worth $7,000, but one passenger said he managed to snag a spot for just $76.

The 7-hour flight from Indonesia to Japan included an in-flight chef, a massage chair with different settings and even a sliding door to create a private cabin.

Seasoned traveler Sam Huang said he pulled it off by taking advantage of an amazing flash sale from Garuda Indonesia, as well as using his miles. Huang wrote about the full experience on his blog, "TopMiles," which gives advice about how to take advantage of travel miles.

Huang has been on other first-class flights, but he said Garuda's attention to service, especially on the ground, was top-notch. He wrote on his blog,

"While a few select airlines offer an escort to the gate, Garuda takes this to a different level. As we walked past various checkpoints, all the employees slightly bowed and greeted me like I was royalty."

During the flight, they even took off his shoes and put on his first-class slippers for him.

"If this wasn't over the top enough, when taking off my shoes, a red cloth was placed underneath, to prevent my feet from actually touching the floor!" he wrote.

The flight was a part of a trip to Tokyo for his dad's 60th birthday. Huang revealed on his blog how he saved on the rest of the trip, managing to pay $700 for an incredible vacation that he said was worth $18,000.

The travel blogger saves wherever he can, as evidenced by his exchange with one of Garuda's escorts after he landed.

"She asked if I required any ground transportation, and was quite amused when I told her I was planning on taking the commuter train."