ONE time only I got to fly a first class flight, from Toronto to Peru via Sao Paulo.

On the way out of Toronto we took advantage of one of the perks; the Maple Leaf Lounge. Snazzy! There was a bar area with a huge fridge and counter that was stocked to the nines with food and booze. I thought I was in heaven!!!! It was all VIP, which was kind of weird to tell the truth! There was also free internet access, great, comfy furniture and all that jazz. It was fun while it lasted and more of a novelty than anything.

Have you ever been in an VIP airport lounge? Was it awesome or just ok?

I have been in Maple Leaf lounges numerous times and they definitely make the flight departure experience much more enjoyable. The free food and drinks are also great. However, I have been into a few which were so crowded they had to put the overflow into a different lounge. It definitely seems that such lounges are becoming more and more popular.

I used to get in as a perk with my credit card for which I paid a fairly hefty fee. So either way, you are usually ultimately paying for this perk one way or another.

It's definitely a nice way to start a trip, that's for sure I ate so much great food! I'm, pretty sure I took advantage of the situation quite well

My favorites are the Delta first class lounge at New York's JFK (massage chairs, and delicious food) and Charlotte's US Airways Lounge...free internet, food, drinks, etc.

Hm, I've never been in first class before. Did anyone take pictures? I'm curious.

I flew first class on Air Canada from Toronto to Vegas. It was amazing! I much prefer the Maple Leaf Lounge over waiting at the gate area with hundreds of people running back and forth, hustling and bustling, or listening to people argue with airport staff. It was nice to be in a quiet area with complimentary internet access and a nice cup of coffee. (Minus the part where someone actually got hammered because of the complimentary booze....that was quite the scene). The in-flight service was great too, although normally, I'm not one to pay extra for better service. We're customers and should get good service regardless, right?
Plus, for me, once i'm on a plane, I just kind of fall asleep or do my own thing, so I don't really need a flight attendant waiting on me. But whatever, I had to get down to Vegas asap and when I was booking my ticket with evaluateIt, there was a super good deal on the first class seats because they really needed an evaluation done for that flight on that day. Wasn't going to say no to a good hookup. But I definitely wouldn't/couldn't pay the normal price for a first class air ticket!