Most of us dream of flying business class. The extra legroom, comfy seats, fancy meals, and that little glass of welcome drink—it all feels like a different world. But then you check the price and ouch, it’s more than your entire trip budget.
Let’s focus on the good points. Business class is there for anybody who can be people on any income. You can easily look like a million bucks without wasting much money. If you’re going on a Christmas trip this year, now is the best opportunity to put these tricks into practice. Let’s make this easy to understand.
Look for Offers
You might think flights around Christmas are always expensive—and yes, they usually are. But airlines also run surprise business class sales during the year, including around the holiday season. These deals don’t last long, but they do happen.
Here’s what you can do:
- Start looking early: If you don’t have the latest flight search engines bookmarked then load them up. Set price alerts and let the alerts pop into your inbox when your favourite destinations drop. And since you’ll get a notification if the prices drop, where else are you going to get a flight?
- Use flight deal websites: Follow pages like Secret Flying or The Flight Deal on social media. They often post mistake fares or flash sales, sometimes even for business class.
- Check smaller airlines: Airlines you don’t normally fly with (like Turkish Airlines or Air India) sometimes offer business class at economy-like prices, especially during off-peak hours or longer routes.
If you’re planning to visit family this Christmas or escape to somewhere warm, start checking prices now. You might find a business class seat for less than you think.
Use Points, Credit Card Rewards & Upgrades
Maybe you’ve heard about travel credit cards before. Credit cards offer points every time you use them. Those points can get you flights that are either free or cost very little, including in business class. A few cards will give you a bonus large enough to pay for a business class ticket, simply for joining and making some purchases in the early period.
Here’s how to make it work:
- Make use of credit cards from Chase Sapphire Preferred and Amex Gold.
- The points will accumulate fast if you use it every day for buying groceries, gas and paying bills.
- Use transfer points to airlines airline programs and then use it for booking business class flights.
- Some airlines even let you bid for an upgrade from economy to business after you book your ticket. You set the price, and if they accept it, boom—you’re in business class.
Even if you’re flying economy for Christmas, you can ask at the airport about last-minute upgrade offers. Sometimes they cost less than a dinner out.
You don’t have to wait for flying business class to be something you can dream about. If you prepare a budget, collect miles and watch for discounts, you’ll enjoy good travel without spending too much. When you’re going away for Christmas, see if one of these tips might work for you. Maybe you’ll be enjoying champagne from the skies overhead.
