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We would all love to sit in first class or business class when we fly, but in order to do this, you normally have to pay an arm and a leg. There is no doubting the experience, atmosphere, and amenities are better at the front of the plane, but do they justify the sky-high prices? Well, as it turns out, there are actually a few tips and tricks you can use to get cheaper business class plane tickets than you ever thought possible.
In this guide...
- Consider the Time/Day in Which You Travel
- Book Early and Search for Deals
- Last Minute Paid Upgrades
- Use a New/Lesser Known Airline or New/Less Used Route
- Volunteer to Get Bumped
- Stay Loyal to a Certain Airline to Take Advantage of Loyalty Programs
- Use an Airline Credit Card
- Purchase Points From an Airline
Consider the Time/Day in Which You Travel
One thing people might not consider when trying to fly business class cheaply is what day and time of the year they are flying. While coach cabins are generally full during the holidays, that is not when most business people are traveling.
Also, the last thing a business traveler wants to do is to be flying on their weekends, so Saturdays and Sundays are a great time to book if you want to potentially get some cheaper tickets.
Also, many business travelers will fly in the morning, so midday or evening flights could yield some good results as well. These are times when business class sections of planes might not be full, so you may be able to find discounted or cheap business class tickets.
Book Early and Search for Deals
If you are a subscriber to airline newsletters, there is a good chance that you’ll be among the first to know about upcoming deals or discounts on business class flights. Booking early will ensure that you are the one taking advantage of this deal, not others.
If you aren’t a subscriber, don’t worry, you can still find some great deals on business class flight tickets. There are a number of different sites, apps, and companies out there that make it easy to search for business class deals.
Some airlines might even use social media to advertise some deals, so make sure you are following or checking the accounts of your favorite airlines. While this may take some time and you may have to dig deep, the deals you find and the money you save will be worth it.
Last Minute Paid Upgrades
While buying early from special deals can yield you cheaper seats, just straight-up buying business class tickets can be pricey. However, good things come to those who wait, and one of the best ways to get a cheap business class ticket is to get a last minute paid upgrade.
If an airline hasn’t sold out its business class section when it is time to check-in, there is a chance they will offer them at a discount. Checking in early often can yield better results and of all the tips in this article, this is perhaps the easiest way to a seat in the business class section of the plane.
Use a New/Lesser Known Airline or New/Less Used Route
Find a cheap business class ticket or upgrade option on a common business route is next to impossible. Flights to/from places like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and other metropolitan destinations are normally in-demand and thus, are often booked up. Instead, try to secure a flight to a destination that isn’t quite as popular.
If this doesn’t work (or your destination is on an in-demand route) a good thing to try is to give a new or lesser known airline a try! There are a number of low-cost/no-frills carriers that will offer significantly cheaper business and first class tickets than most of mainstream and popular airlines.
Volunteer to Get Bumped
If you are a fairly flexible traveler and have some wiggle room, getting bumped is a great way to better your odds of getting an improved seat. Airlines will sometimes overbook flights and if you are one of the people to volunteer to take the next plane, you are often given some form of compensation for doing so.
Sometimes its airline credit or vouchers, but sometimes, they might offer a business class seat to you for your troubles. Even if they give you some credit, you could even put that towards upgrading your ticket to business class if you so choose as well.
Stay Loyal to a Certain Airline to Take Advantage of Loyalty Programs
While the loyalty programs offered by most airlines aren’t what they used to be in the past, they are better than nothing. While you may need to spend a lot to reap the benefits, eventually, you will have enough miles for a business class flight.
Plus, you are likely taking these same business trips whether you are a member of the program or not, so you may as well take advantage of the benefits offered. Make sure you know if and when your points expire, and be sure to use them before that date arrives, of course.
Use an Airline Credit Card
In addition to joining the loyalty program of an airline you love or frequently use, why not go all out and also get that airline’s co-branded card? Many offer hefty signup bonuses that can almost pay for a business class flight by themselves!
On top of that, you will also get points and/or miles with each purchase you make with the card, and these can add up quickly. Before you know it, you could have enough points for a complimentary business class flight!
While these cards (especially the elite or platinum versions) might come with a fee, if you travel regularly, the card will pay for itself with the rewards and points you accumulate.
Purchase Points From an Airline
While you might think the only way to accumulate points from an airline is to fly with them or use your points credit card, there are other ways.
Many airlines will directly sell points to customers and they often have promotional pricing, which means you can get points for much less money than usual. Of course, this isn’t always guaranteed to get you a cheaper flight, so make sure to crunch the numbers on the costs before you purchase thousands and thousands of points.
In conclusion, there are a few different ways you can get business class tickets without spending thousands of dollars. While many of these methods are not guaranteed to work all the time, they have been shown to work in the past for thousands of people. So instead of just biting the bullet and paying hundreds (or thousands) more for a business class ticket, as many people do, try these tips out first and you could save yourself tons of money in the process.
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