We’re in the business of selling discounted business and first class flights and it’s no accident we happen to be very good at it. Our agents use their extensive knowledge of the flight industry to access market beating prices on your behalf. So here we have decided to let you in on a few essential tips that will help you understand how to navigate your way to a lower price on your next purchase.
Tip #1
Purchase in advance:
We’re not categorically claiming that no deals can be found when you leave it to the last minute when buying business class tickets for international flights, however, we are absolutely saying that purchasing in advance gives you far greater scope to find the lowest fare. We recommend beginning your search between 8 to 6 months in advance of your desired departure dates, this will ensure that all airlines have released their full seat availability. Airlines only release their tickets 11 months in advance and even then the prices are turbulent at best with many lower priced seats not becoming available until months later.
When selling their seats the airlines break each cabin up into blocks, business class and first class included, each block of seats is priced differently. A lot of our lowest priced business class seats are subject to availability meaning once they are sold we can no longer access our privately negotiated fares
When you leave it until the month before you want to fly, the airlines will have already started putting in place their advanced purchase restriction which include restricting those seats we have in our privately negotiated deals, even if they have availability, the lower priced seating in each cabin class is blocked, leaving only the higher priced seats available for purchase.
Tip #2
Be flexible:
No, we're not suggesting that being a Yoga guru will help you get the best priced business or first class flights (it may help you be more patient)!
We are suggesting that the more flexible you are with your plans the more options you are able to consider. When planning your trip consider the following elements:
- Your travel dates: There are times when your dates are rock solid although more often than not you can find a little elasticity in your dates, even if it is just on the departure date or the return date. You may suddenly find yourself looking at flights thousands cheaper instead of hundreds.
- Airports: This is applicable to departure and arrival airports. If you live in reasonable proximity to more than one airport and your destination has the option of multiple hubs, it is worthwhile asking your travel expert to send itinerary options for all of them. Different airports have different taxes which can make for lower prices, however, opting for alternative airports is most effective because it increases the chances of you finding better availability in lower priced business class seats.
If you happen to be departing from a location in the US that requires a connection within the US before you take the international flight, this widening of the search will allow your travel expert to consider many more connection hubs due to different departure times from these airports.
- Airlines: If possible try and be open to as many carriers as possible, giving yourself access to maximum availability.
TIP #3
Stops and Layovers:
You see it all the time when searching for flights, “Add a stop to find a lower price”, and it’s solid advice. Adding in a single stop will allow your travel expert to find more combinations of flights and pricing for your itineraries. Consider who you’re flying with when adding a stop and turn the layover into an unexpected bonus destination for 24hrs. Turkish Airlines fly to multiple global destinations and all routes pass through their global hub, Istanbul, where they have their business class lounge. Updated in 2019 it is one of the best in the world with exclusive services for those with a longer layover. Qatar Airways also offers an exceptional business class lounge and was voted best business class airline for 2022.
Consider the price of the market when weighing up these options, if the prices advertised are extremely high and taking a 24 hour layover with a reasonable hotel means a flight at more than 50% cheaper, then perhaps breaking the flight up is worth it?
Tip #4
Split Tickets:
A question often asked by clients looking for a cheaper business class ticket is
‘if I take economy class domestic flights but business class for the long haul, will it drop the price?’
In short, no. But, if we delve a little deeper into that idea then a lower price is possible.
To access lower prices using this approach we have to split the tickets!
This allows us to price the domestic flight separately from the international flight in business class. It also allows us to pair together airlines that don’t work together and in doing so gives us greater seat availability. Using this approach makes it likely you would have to collect your baggage at the connection and check into your following flight.
Tip #5
Points:
When you first speak to our travel expert, mention any points or miles you have saved up, sometimes it is possible to use them as payment towards your tickets. Your travel expert will let you know what’s possible and what kind of conversion rate is currently accessible. Using these miles and points is a good way of further reducing the cost of your business class tickets.
Summary:
- Purchase between 6 to 3 months in advance of departure
- Flexibility in your dates, airports and airlines
- Take some stops into consideration.
- Be willing to do a little leg work when splitting your tickets.
- Consider what points and miles you have available.
- Remember, when searching for low cost business class and first class travel, it’s all about the right seat availability.
Some extra advice:
Be wise and purchase some travel insurance from a validated, independent insurance provider. In today's climate having insurance protection on your flights is something we strongly advise our clients to do.