They say once you fly business class, you’ll never go back to economy. And why would you?
Chauffeur driven cars, priority check-in and boarding, baggage allowance, airport lounges — these are just some of the amenities you’ll experience before you even board your flight. There’s champagne, real beds, comfortable seats, gourmet food, noise-canceling headphones, Wi-Fi, even in-flight socks to keep your feet warm. They’ve literally thought of everything.
What if we told you you could enjoy all these luxuries without the hefty price tags. Yes, it’s true and not just these amenities that make business class worth the upgrade, you’ll also arrive at your destination feeling relaxed and looking refreshed.
Business-class is more affordable than ever and with these tips, you’ll be flying business class in no time.
Just Be Flexible
Keep your priorities in check and ask yourself what’s more important, your travel experience or getting to your destination? If you answered that your travel experience is more important than it pays to do your research and to be flexible with your travel dates. By simply being flexible with your travel dates, you’re opening yourself up to discounts and doing your research is key because business class sales vary across airlines. In addition to the discounts offered on airline sites, there are companies that can help you find the best prices on business class tickets.
Also, if you’re not too picky about the airline you want to fly on, each airline has different business class options. Some low-cost carriers to look into include ScootBiz and Jetstar Business. ScootBoz has an option for cheaper business class, which is essentially premium economy with amenities that include everything you need to feel pampered and comfortable like a 30kg baggage allowance, premium food and one alcoholic drink, an entertainment system that can be streamed to your personal device, and leather chairs that recline. Jetstar Business is a little less luxurious, but you’ll still get the leather sets that recline, pillows and blankets, and an iPad for all your entertainment needs.
Redeem Frequent Flyer Miles and Points
There’s nothing better than saving money on airline tickets, other than getting tickets, especially business class ones for free. Yes, we said free. Use your frequent flyer points that you’ve been racking up to upgrade your seat.
You can amass these points through credit cards, flying often, hotel stays, or car rental and these benefits can make business class more affordable.
Bid in Online Auctions
Did you know there are airlines that have auction systems for economy travelers? Passengers can bid online for low-cost upgrades to business or first class at a fraction of the original ticket price. Bidding online is super easy as well, all you have to do is sign up via email about a week before your flight and place a minimum bid with either cash or frequent flyer points. If your bid has won, you’ll find out between 12 to 24 hours before your flight. How exciting is that!
Just Wait Until They Go On Sale
Probably the best way to learn about business class sales is to sign up for airline newsletters. And why wouldn’t you, if you’re a frequent traveler? Deals offered include companion flies free, early-bird specials, and package tours. We get that you may not want to be bombarded with tons of emails, but don’t worry, you can still hear about all the deals by subscribing to the social media pages of airlines.
Kindness Goes a Long Way
Airports are notorious for having the rudest, most stressed-out people and if you work in an airline you know just how difficult dealing with unruly travelers can be. We always heard that killing someone with kindness is the best way to deal with challenging situations and this couldn’t be truer at airports. Surprisingly, dressing to impress can also help you upgrade from economy to business class.
It’s a well-known fact that airlines overbook flights because they assume that people won’t show up (yes, it happens to the best of us), so inevitable, some lucky people will get bumped up to business class. If you’re in doubt, it never hurts to ask nicely if there’s any extra room in business class. You never know, your day traveling business may come sooner than you thought and we like those odds.
