Creditrewardperks, multi-course meals, and priority boarding: business class has plenty of perks. But that luxury often comes with a hefty price tag, too. Business class tickets can cost thousands, if not tens of thousands, more than economy tickets. So how do travelers snag these premium seats on a budget?
Leverage frequent flyer miles. Earning and redeeming airline points is one of the best ways to score cheap business class flights. While it typically costs 2-3x more in miles to book a business class ticket than an economy fare, it’s still substantially cheaper than purchasing the seat outright.
Keep an eye out for flight sales. Many airlines run business and first class flight sales throughout the year, including on Black Friday, Boxing Day, and other holidays.
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Ask for an upgrade. Having higher airline status makes it more likely to get an airline-sponsored seat upgrade (as long as there are seats available).
In late 2020, Lauren Mendoza scored what many travelers dream of: a free business class upgrade from San Francisco to New York City on a United Airlines flight thanks to her Iberia Avios point balance. She simply politely asked the gate agent at check-in if there were any free upgrades, and she was successful.