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Flying in Business Class doesn’t have to break the bank. Deals and promotions may be far less common for Business than for Economy, but they’re out there if you know where to look.
With the right approach and tools, you can quickly learn how to get cheap Business Class tickets.
Why is Business Class more expensive?
Business Class is a significant step up from Economy and Premium Economy. It’s ideal for travellers who want to fly in extra comfort without paying the eye-watering prices of First Class.
While it varies from airline to airline, Business Class usually offers plenty of perks. Free airport lounge access, flowing champagne, room to stretch your legs and lie flat, and top-quality food – the allure is clear. You’ll arrive more rested and less stressed.
No matter if you’re flying internationally or domestically, it’s well worth making the effort to find those Business Class bargains to get cheap flights to anywhere.
– Katja Gaskell, travel blogger –
Top 5 tips and tools for scoring cheap Business Class tickets
Here are the top five tips and KAYAK tools for how to get cheap Business Class tickets and avoid paying sky-high prices.
1. Use your points and miles to get cheap Business Class tickets
If you’re serious about saving money when you fly, your first stop should be airline rewards programs – in particular branded airline credit cards. You can use the points and miles you accrue on your credit card spend as well as previous flights, hotel stays, and car hire to book business class seats.
Using your rewards is smart, because Business Class tickets can cost three or four times as much as Economy tickets, but they don’t cost triple or quadruple the miles. That makes an upgrade to Business Class the most cost-effective way to maximize the benefits of your rewards program.
Before you book, make sure you know all the partnerships and alliances for your chosen programmes. Points and miles are often transferable between cards and collaborating airlines meaning you can combine different sources to deliver one giant discount on your upgrade.
Let’s take United Airlines’ MileagePlus miles, for example. Part of the Star Alliance, you can use its miles with 35+ other airlines around the world including the likes of Lufthansa, Air Canada, and EVA Air. You can use your miles to book Business Class tickets directly or to upgrade your Economy or Premium Economy seats.
However, it’s almost always wiser to book your tickets directly rather than upgrading with air miles. Many airlines don’t allow upgrades with miles from Economy Class tickets, especially if you bought those tickets with miles in the first place. Airlines usually add a hefty surcharge to such upgrades.
2. Bid on a Business Class upgrade auction
There are many ways to score an upgrade to Business Class, but perhaps the most gamified is the airline auction. From Air New Zealand to Cathay Pacific, many airlines invite you to bid on a class upgrade – if you’ve bought an eligible ticket. It’s pretty simple: in the days or weeks leading up to your departure date, you’ll get an email from the airline inviting you to make an offer on a seat upgrade. Some airlines only let you bid for a single step up to the next class from your existing ticket, but a few like Etihad let you bid on any class, from business to first.
Auctions usually impose a minimum bid amount, so to give yourself a good chance try bidding at least 25% above that. If that’s above your budget, it’s always worth making an offer for what you’re willing to pay anyway. Some auctions have surprisingly few bidders and therefore low thresholds. Most of the time, you’ll be bidding cold hard cash for your upgrade, although a few carriers such as Qantas and Singapore Airlines let you bid with miles as well.
3. Use KAYAK tools to fly Business Class for less
There’s no magic formula for finding discount business class tickets, but KAYAK has tools to make your search easier. If you don’t feel like spending your spare time scouring airlines for business class deals (and who does?), set a Price Alert and we’ll do the work for you.
Just set your departure and arrival points, choose fixed or flexible flight dates, and make sure to change the dropdown to “Business’. You’ll get email alerts when the price drops, and access to our forecasting tool to see if we think the price is going to get cheaper or more expensive over the next 30 days.
4. Search smart and don’t be afraid to Explore
Another way to approach your search is to go by budget rather than destination. If the world truly is your oyster, then Explore is for you. Just set your criteria and budget, and browse our world map to see which city catches your eye. You can filter for Business Class tickets in the search results page once you’ve picked somewhere amazing.
5. Forget outdated advice and be flexible
Gone are the days of rolling up to check in dressed in your Sunday best with claims of it being your honeymoon in the hope of a celebratory upgrade. The best you can expect today at the counter is the offer of a discounted bump up in class. But that will likely be more expensive than using the tips and tools in this article. Nowadays, airline employees can’t offer cheap upgrades at their own discretion, so there’s no point in asking.
Instead, plan well and in advance, and embrace a little flexibility. Try to avoid flying on Fridays and Mondays, which are popular with business travelers. You’re more likely to find vacant Business Class seats on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The next time you search, add a few days’ window before and after your flight dates and you’ll cast a much bigger net over potential cheap Business Class fares.
How to plan ahead for a better chance at upgrades?
You won’t get an upgrade by asking at the check-in desk. Rather, plan in advance for the best chance of getting the cheapest upgrade. Bear in mind that there’s also a hierarchy to being upgraded. You’re more likely to get bumped up from Premium Economy than from Economy, and frequent fliers get priority.
Flight attendants can’t offer upgrades under normal circumstances, so make sure to request one between booking and boarding. A useful tip is to check with the gate agent to see if any cancellations have opened up an upgrade opportunity.
Check out some of our favourite Business Class flight routes
- Business class flights to Europe
- Business class flights to the US
- Business class flights to Canada
- Business class flights to South America
- Business class flights to New York
The post Fly in style: how to get cheap Business Class tickets appeared first on KAYAK Blog UK.
