Flying Business Class is a luxury, that most of us have to pass up because of the steep price tag that most business class tickets carry. Wouldn't it be nice if we
could all have a flat bed seat on that 14 hour flight to Australia, China, or India? I bet the thought must have crossed everyone's mind at the check-in counter. Those luxurious
seats, the impeccable service, gourmet meals, double miles, and the works. It is actually possible to get cheap tickets in business class if you are a savvy traveler. All you
have to do is follow a couple of well known steps, and you may be able to fly business class for a lot less.
Most airlines let you book business class tickets a lot cheaper if you give them enough advance notice. It is difficult for most business travelers, but if you have a 30 - 60
day window prior to the actual date of travel, you may save 40% - 60% on the airfare.
Most airlines will not discount to their hub city, for example an airline that has their hub in Belgium may not offer the cheapest fare to Brussels, you could fly with another
airline that connects let's say in London, Paris, or Amsterdam to get a cheaper fare. This works better with flights to Africa, Asia, and Australia, as those flights are much
longer than flights to Europe.
Maintain loyalty with one airline/alliance: If you fly with one airline, or a group of airlines that work together in terms of mileage benefits over a period of time and accrue
miles, you will reach an elite status which means you get benefits like advance check-in facilities, your luggage allowance would be slightly higher than people who do not have
an elite status, and you may automatically get upgraded to business class if the airline has seats that are going empty in business class. For this to work, you would have to
purchase a fare that allows upgrades. You could ask your carrier, or travel agent for fares that allow upgrades.
Dress to Impress: I always recommend that you wear business casuals for your flight if you want to be considered. If you show up at the airport in a tee shirt, and shorts, you
are a lot less likely to get upgraded to business class, than if you were wearing khakis, shirt, and a semi-formal jacket. Airlines take you at face value, so if you look well
dressed, and you have a frequent flier account with the airline, or a partner the chances of you getting upgraded are a lot better.
Use a savvy travel agent: Most travel agents
Fly alternative routes to save thousands on business fares. Why fly to Heathrow, if you can get significantly lower fare to Stansted or Gatwick. Plus avoid major traffic by
taking flights to less crowded airports.
Double Up: Find a business associate or friend and work out your schedule to take advantage or business/first class buy one get one deal by American express Platinum cards.
Fare are higher for non-stop flights on busy routes in business class. But making one connection could save you upto 50% off the published business/First fare.
Most people want to save on
cheap flights to india in business class since it is such a long flight and most of the time flights have
inconvenient stops along the route.
