David
If you want to be able to get in early on business class travel deals it pays to be really flexible when booking. This means looking out for the best deals in any given month and noting when the various airlines have their business class sales, as these tend to happen at different times of the year. As with the best cruise deals, if you can also be flexible with your destination, so much the better. However, if you must travel between particular dates make sure you check out a range of providers to get the very best deal on discounted airfares.
Besides putting business class seats on sale, some airlines offer deals such as two seats for the price of one or other special fares in conjunction with package tours, such as a Mediterranean cruise. Increasingly, social media is being used to advertise certain deals so it’s best to make sure you are following the airlines you want to use for business class travel.
You may be surprised to discover that it’s possible to find business class seats for economy class fares on some airlines, for example when booking a 2018 luxury cruise. You will often get an increased baggage allowance, comfortable, reclining seats, excellent meal service and complimentary streamed entertainment to your device as part of the package. In fact, some smaller airlines offer very affordable business class deals that include comfortable seating with leg rests and even complimentary iPads.
One technique to secure an early business class travel booking is to enter an online auction. These are held for economy passengers who can make a bid to upgrade to business class, with the auction winners gaining promotion to the front of the plane. Although your win is not guaranteed, it is one of the most straightforward ways of obtaining cheaper business class tickets. In some cases, airlines set upper and lower limits on bids in order to ensure they are realistic.
Different airlines use different methods to decide on business class winners. For instance, some airlines select specific domestic and international flights and choose economy passengers who may want to participate, emailing them about a week before an eligible flight to offer them the chance to take part. Often passengers are allowed to use a mix of cash and frequent flyer points when making a bid. It can take several days for the outcome of the auction to be decided however you will usually know if you’ve been successful before the date of the flight itself.
Travelling business class often means you are a frequent flyer and earning points every time you travel, just as you can with some cruise deals. Remember that this means there will come a time when you have sufficient points to upgrade to business class, while just paying an economy fare. In some cases you will also earn points on in-flight purchases as well as on frequent flyer miles, so check the details of your airline loyalty programme to make sure you make the most of the benefits of your scheme. In particular, make good use of any branded credit cards as you may be able to exchange points you have accrued for free or cheap business class flights.
