A business class trip doesn’t have to bust your budget, but first you’ll need to find out who’s offering the best value for money and be flexible with your travel. In just a few simple steps, this is how it happens.
Plan Ahead, But Not Too Far
Skying high fares are almost guaranteed when you wait until the last minute, but that doesn’t mean booking super early is always the answer, particularly if it leaves you paying more than you need to. So, aim to start looking around three to six months in advance.
And airlines usually open up award seats and promotional fares at that sweet spot that hasn’t yet been sold. Install fare alerts on sites like Google Flights or Kayak, so you don’t have to waste time pulling up every site each day just to see if prices are down.
Be Flexible with Dates and Airports
Most business class fares will plummet by hundreds of dollars if you can shift your flights by a day or two. Flights are often cheaper midweek; Tuesdays and Wednesdays are particularly cheap because that’s when you won’t see much business travel.
Don’t forget to also check surrounding airports. That short domestic connection to a secondary hub may push you into the air again, but the money saved on your long haul business seat will more than make up for it.
Use Points, Miles, and Sweet Spots
If you are on any credit cards or frequent flyer programs you’ll want to learn to read “sweet spot” award charts – routes where you need fewer miles to fly that route than usual. For example, they earn with some alliances the same number of miles for a long flight as they do for a very short one.
A golden ticket on transferable currencies are currencies from cards like Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards which allow you to transfer points to partner airlines and snag these deals.
Mix and Match for Maximum Value
Booking round trip tickets on just one airline isn’t mandatory. There are times when one of the cheaper ways to go is to fly with one carrier to get to your destination and fly another one to return to your point of departure.
Use tools allowing you to build ‘multi-city’ or ‘open jaw’ itineraries – that flexibility can reveal some hidden bargains. Don’t forget ‘cash + miles’ offerings, where you’ll be paying some portion in cash and some in points. That’s a smart way to extend your miles and still score a lie flat seat.
Bonus Tips to Keep in Mind
- And every so often airlines or booking sites glitch, they’re termed error fares. These lightning fast offers require you to follow fare deal blogs (Secret Flying or The Flight Deal) or join deal groups on social media.
- Student and corporate discounts: If you qualify, these also usually apply to business class tickets, it’s always worth checking with school, your school or workplace if they have company codes that will save you money.
- Late summer, late winter: That’s when airlines offer end of the season sales and try to fill cabin space before the next wave of passengers arrive.
You don’t need to pay a premium price in order to recline into business class comfort, provided you get a bit more strategic with dates, have some good miles and aren’t too picky about which airline you get to see the world from.
