My daughter insists that a friend of hers was going to be denied access to first class on an airline because he was wearing jeans and was offered the options of sitting in the back or putting on a pair of pants the airline had (he had no change of clothes). I thought this was the stupedist thing I had ever heard, but she insisted that she was right. Is there a dress code for first class passengers?
No.
Do you hear the whoosh ?
There you go…
What a nasty answer.
Here’s one site that says those dress codes have been scrapped:
http://www.cruisecritic.com/travelersed/article.cfm?AID=444&category=13
It probably varies from airline to airline in any event, though.
Sheesh. Eggshells and all that. I just meant that I was a joke.
Sorry if the OP was offended.
If your friend was an airline employee, flying non-revenue (space available) there is a very good chance there indeed was a dress code for first class. Even though the dress codes for non-rev travel have relaxed over the last 20 years, it’s entirely possible that an employee flying non-rev wearing jeans and sneakers would be asked to change if he/she wanted to sit in first class.
First, I took no offense by Tarantula’s answer. I was it was just a joke, and that my gullible daughter had swallowed it hook, line and sinker. She was just so insistant that I thought I would double check. And the person who told the story was not an airline employee. And thank you for the cite.
I once got a free upgrade from business to 1st on Virgin while wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. The folks working check in seem to be more impressed by a customer’s attitude (no upgrades for jerks) than what he/she is wearing.
I once got upgraded to first class while wearing shorts and a T-shirt. I was already seated in coach and we were about to leave when the flight attendent asked me if I’d like to move, by name, like they were looking for me. I have no idea why I got such treatment. I didn’t have a heck of a lot of frequent flier miles then (and don’t have a fortune in them now), and I don’t think they were recompensating me for a cancelled flight (two other times I’d been upgraded for having had cancelled flights, but that was winter hence no shorts).
Sooo… no dress code on American anyway. But now I’m wondering why they upgraded me. 
I have a friend who has worked for various airlines and a couple times I flew on incredibly cheap tickets – the catch was I had to dress up a bit even for coach, and I had to go standby. But for forty bucks round trip, it was worth it. I only got a first class seat once, and unfortunately it was on a 35-minute hop. I would have much rather been up front for the three-hour flight preceding that one…
I took a first class flight from Las Vegas to Baltimore (which is like 4 hours) and I was wearing my normal flying clothes: ratty, faded army fatigues (which now always get me patted down at security), a t-shirt, and a dusty old hat. No one seemed to have a problem. That was on America West.
My nephew is a pilot on a commercial airline. My brother and his wife fly for free in first class and he is required to wear a suit, his wife a dress. The airlines have enough of a problem with profitability without harassing people about a dress code. I’ve never encountered the problem.
I’ve read that you’re more likely to be successful when requesting an upgrade if you are well-dressed.
3 weeks ago during my honeymoon to London, the flight attendant informed me that the television screen in the seatback in front of me was broken. I said it was no problem, that I would share my wife’s. She said she would make sure we got free drinks. Next thing we knew, she was back telling us our first class upgrades had come through. Me: Jeans, t-shirt. Her: Jeans - strappy sexy shirt. First Class to London from Philly: Amazing!
The flight attendant later told us that she moved us and not another person with a broken screen because we were so nice about it. There were at least 10 empty seats in first class.
Sanitation expert and a maintenance engineer, garbage man and janitor and you, my dear, you’re a Union Flight Attendant, my oh my, you ain’t nothin’ but a waitress in the sky. - The Replacements
I’m pretty sure that you’re more likely to be successful in anything you do if you are well-dressed. 
Oh, and (since I’m here) as the child of an airline employee, I’ll second the clarification that anyone traveling on a non-revenue pass probably has some restrictions on what they can wear, especially in first class. Once, my sister was wearing flip-flops and actually had to change into my dad’s man-sandals to fit the code.
My wife is an airline employee and I agree with the fact that employees are expected to dress better than the paying passengers can get by with. Five years ago the rule was that we could not wear items made of denim, because someone had worn torn jeans and naturally the easy answer was “no denim”.
As to riding first class free, I’m not so sure about that. After five years, we no longer have to pay $25 (in the US) for a round trip ticket, but if we want to upgrade to first class (when available) there is still a nominal charge.
At what point should you request an upgrade if one is available?
Zoe, you can request one just about any time. Since they’re at the discretion of the airline staff, they decide if and when to give them.
I occasionally fly non-rev on a companion pass on a major US airway (hint, hint). First class rules do not require suits for men or skirts for women, but do require what would be best described as business casual attire for adults and no jeans, shorts or sleeveless shirts for children. Nothing denim or fleece, no casual shoes, nothing sleeveless or skimpy for women.
I’ve seen people in first wearing just about everything. My last flight, there was a woman wearing a spaghetti strap t-shirt, shorts that barely covered her butt and plastic flip-flop shoes. She had big hair, was cracking gum, drank her limit of booze and talked loudly on the phone for about 45 minutes using all kinds of colorful language. What a misery.