Business Class, while luxurious, can come with a heavy price tag, which not all of us may be able to afford. Forget trying to come up with excuses to blag an upgrade at check-in, that won’t work on most check-in staff these days. So how can you get a business class flight for less than the person sitting next to you? Read our guide on how to get cheaper business class flights.
Score a bargain in the sales
Airlines tend to run flight sales throughout the year, so this is the best time to score cheap business class flights. Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qatar and others normally offer their best prices in October/November for travel in the following Northern Summer (May to October). Cathay Pacific, Qantas, American Airlines and Delta also run some great flight sales in February/March if you miss the October/November specials. Other times of the year that are particularly popular for sales include Black Friday and Boxing Day. Worried you’ll miss out? If you want to be the first to know about flight sales, talk to your Sustainable Travel travel agent and be the first to know about Business Class Flight sales.
Travel hacking with air miles
Lots of travellers are discovering how to use travel hacking to score cheap (or even FREE) flights. The best way to do this is by signing up for airline loyalty schemes and earning points every time you fly. You can also sign up for air miles credit cards, which will enable you to collect points every time you spend on the card, whether that’s buying your weekly shop at the supermarket or paying for your haircut in the hair salon. It’s quite incredible how quickly the points can add up if you put all your spending on the card, so you can soon be on your way to scoring an upgrade or cheap business class flight. Popular credit cards here in New Zealand are the American Express Airpoints card, and the ANZ Airpoints Visa Platinum. While both have annual fees and a punishing APR if you dont pay your card in full every month, it can still be a value for money proposition. Once you have an account, think about getting an extra card for your spouse or partner, this way you can earn twice as many miles on the same account. Frequent flyer miles are usually much better value if you use them to upgrade to Business Class, as opposed to buying an Economy Class ticket with them.
Upgrade last minute
Airlines don’t like to lose money by flying with empty seats in the Business Class cabin, so they’ll sometimes offer you a cheap upgrade a few days before travel, or at the airport itself. Before your flight, go to the “Manage My Booking” page on their app or website and you may see the option to upgrade to business class for a reasonable amount. As an example, it is possible on Malaysian Airlines to "bid for an upgrade" a few days before you fly. They will let you know if you are successful the day before the flight or on the day of travel. If they have spare seats, bidding an amount of $700-$900 (per person per direction) might mean you end up with a lie-flat bed and excellent food and wine. Alternatively you can always ask at the airport to see if there are any cheap upgrades going, for example when checking in with China Southern Airlines who often do upgrades for around $1200nzd for the Auckland to Guangzhou leg.
Fly at less popular times
Business travellers tend to fly during the week, with Tuesday being the most popular day to fly, so you might find cheaper fares on the weekends. If you can be flexible with your dates and avoid busy holiday periods, then you’ll have more luck with finding a cheaper Business Class fare.
Volunteer to be bumped when a flight is overbooked
This happens in American more than anywhere else. Airlines there often overbook their flights by selling more tickets than the number of seats available on the plane. They do this because they are usually expecting no-shows, but of course sometimes everyone turns up and then they have a problem. When a flight is oversold the airline will often call for volunteers to be “bumped” off the flight. They may tempt and reward you with offers, such as a Business Class seat on the next available flight. If time is your friend, don't be afraid to offer to be bumped when you get to check-in in New York, and you might find yourself flying First Class in a few hours so that you have time to have another Manhattan in Manhattan.
Email info@sustainabletravel.co.nz for more information or to book your travel.
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