It’s not just the comfortable seats that make Emirates Business Class so appealing — but the relative ease of getting into them for a portion of the usual cost can make life a little more comfortable during your next trip to Dubai. So, let’s go through some simple, down to earth suggestions which work.
If you’re dreaming of lie flat beds, gourmet meals at 35,000 feet or the onboard signature lounge, here’s how you can make those dreams happen without breaking the bank.
Score those points like a pro
Owning miles and points is one of the smartest ways that you can get Emirates Business Class cheap. The simple gist is here.
- Join loyalty programs: Sign up for Emirates Skywards (it’s free) and any partner frequent flyer programs you can.
- Rack up credit-card bonuses: Seek cards offering abundant sign up miles or transferable points (if that’s what you want: Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards etc). In many cases, the welcome bonus will be more than enough for a one way business class ticket.
- Transfer or top up strategically: When you fall a little short on the miles side of things, you can always buy your way to where you want to be or transfer points in from other programs to make it happen; just be sure the math works out so that you are buying the mile cheaply.
Turn your everyday spending into an opportunity to earn more miles than you think, because you earned while living and not just traveling.
Keep your eyes peeled for deals
The key when it comes to cheap business and first class tickets is to use sales and promotions. This is how to keep up:
- Sign up for email alerts: They do flash sales and sometimes Emirates do and they send those out.
- Follow social-media insiders: And Twitter and Facebook have accounts that provide deal hunting, flagging mistake fares and limited time discounts as soon as they’re relatively stale.
- Use fare-tracking tools: For example Google Flights and Kayak websites and apps let you to set price alerts for certain routes. You’ll get instantly notified when prices dip.
Remember that these deals go fast. If there’s something you think looks good, you better be prepared to book right away.
Adjust and Save money
It can save hundreds off your ticket price. Easy tricks to try:
- Travel midweek or off-peak: Flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays or shoulder season time, will be much cheaper than on weekends and peak holiday weeks.
- Consider nearby airports: If you are near multiple airports compare the prices. Now and then a short drive or train ride will save you a bundle.
- Mix and match airlines: You don’t always have to fly Emirates both ways however. If you want to splash out on business class on an Emirates flight with connecting into another country on economy with a partner airline, this is possible.
You’ll get much better fares if you give a little and take a little from your schedule.
