Am I the Asshole?

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The original was posted on /r/AmItheAsshole by /u/Amiaplanejerk on 2023-08-29 23:28:00.

Okay so here’s the story, I’m a big guy. In fact I was a NCAA Division II Tight End, for non Americans, think of the size of rugby players, for non sports people, I’m a big ass dude. Not to mention my poor knees are shot, and I have a bad lower back. Then factor in that I travel by plane often for work. My job reimburses for flights, but they only pay for a basic seat, any upgrades come out of pocket. Thankfully I make a decent enough living that most of the time I spring for an upgrade to economy comfort or even business class. If I have enough points, or the flight is cheap enough I spring for first class, but only if it’s a longer haul flight. If it’s a regional flight, I just suck it up, save the cash and sit in economy.

Okay so here’s the story, my in laws invited me and my girlfriend “Diana” on a trip, we paid our own way FYI. The trip would be seven hours so I told my girlfriend and in laws that I paid for an upgrade to business class, they were cool with it. But in reality I had something else cooking, Diana has never flown first class and as a special surprise for her I upgraded our seats to first class and would tell her at the airport. So for all the reasons I listed above and for Diana I got us upgraded to first.

I was so fucking excited to see her reaction I could barely hold it in. So we get to the airport and when the first class passengers are called, I looked at my girlfriend and told her “let’s go”. She said they didn’t call our cabin yet, and I told her to look closer at her boarding pass, she looks and is stunned. FIL just laughs and shakes his head, MIL is stunned but doesn’t look happy.

Long story short, we had a ball in first class, she loved it and thanked me again and again. She only said to tell her in advance next time so that she can dress more bougie. We get off the plane and MIL is angry at me. She said how could you leave FIL and her to rot in coach while we live it up in first. To be fair, FIL didn’t really care, he said he slept the whole way. He then told MIL that he’d have left us too if he had the money. MIL said we should all go first together or not at all, that it isn’t really fair or a good look to have two parties be in different classes like that. I said we were originally in business, she said there’s a world of difference between business and first class. She said I could have at least sprung for economy comfort or business class for everyone rather than be selfish.

I talked with Diana afterward and she said that while she enjoyed the surprise, she said that maybe I should have saved it for a private trip for the two of us rather than with her parents. I still don’t think it’s a big deal, but I’ve been wrong in the past. So AITA?

P.S: MIL is usually a nice person, I just think that this just set her off.