Best source for business class flights

[foliedouce]

Who do people use to source best price business class long haul flights?

Until the pandemic I used to go direct to BA, but their prices seem to have gone silly recently.

I remember years ago using a broker who saved me a 4 figure sum if I booked 1 nights accommodation as then they could sell me a 'package price' flight.

I can't remember the name and was just wondered whether anyone has any recommendations?

Thanks

[Xenobian]

foliedouce said:

Who do people use to source best price business class long haul flights?

Until the pandemic I used to go direct to BA, but their prices seem to have gone silly recently.

I remember years ago using a broker who saved me a 4 figure sum if I booked 1 nights accommodation as then they could sell me a 'package price' flight.

I can't remember the name and was just wondered whether anyone has any recommendations?

Thanks

This is a very big question indeed. I have about 7 million flown miles logged (as a passenger) so have seen lots of different tricks come and go for getting good business and first class flights.

Where do you plan to fly to, which regions of the world?
Do you prefer BA loyalty or are you happy to use other carriers too?
Do you mind breaking the journey somewhere in order to take advantage of a deal, or do you prefer to fly non-stop?
Do you have any significant amount of airmiles with any alliance, or are you paying cash for tickets?

Some of these considerations would make it easier to give some advice which is more meaningful.

[Dr Jekyll]

Xenobian said:

This is a very big question indeed. I have about 7 million flown miles logged (as a passenger) so have seen lots of different tricks come and go for getting good business and first class flights.

Where do you plan to fly to, which regions of the world?
Do you prefer BA loyalty or are you happy to use other carriers too?
Do you mind breaking the journey somewhere in order to take advantage of a deal, or do you prefer to fly non-stop?
Do you have any significant amount of airmiles with any alliance, or are you paying cash for tickets?

Some of these considerations would make it easier to give some advice which is more meaningful.

That's probably more than some astronauts.

Can't really advise the OP about decent fares these days. Just say to ignore those about to take over this thread to say it's wrong to travel in business class and you should travel in as much pain as possible in order to have more to spend in the hotel.

[foliedouce]

Xenobian said:

This is a very big question indeed. I have about 7 million flown miles logged (as a passenger) so have seen lots of different tricks come and go for getting good business and first class flights.

Where do you plan to fly to, which regions of the world?
Do you prefer BA loyalty or are you happy to use other carriers too?
Do you mind breaking the journey somewhere in order to take advantage of a deal, or do you prefer to fly non-stop?
Do you have any significant amount of airmiles with any alliance, or are you paying cash for tickets?

Some of these considerations would make it easier to give some advice which is more meaningful.

Thanks

My preferred airline is BA, but I am pragmatic and happy to break up the flight and use other airlines as long as they have a flat bed.

For example, when going to HK, I've flown Emirates First Class via Dubai (stopping for a couple of nights to add to the holiday) as it was cheaper than BA Business.

This particular trip is Barbados, it's not until Dec but I want to get it locked down now,

BA are currently quoting £15k for 2 business class seats which I'm just not prepared to pay even though it is high season.

The only airmiles scheme I'm a member of is Avios and I have an Amex so in theory can use a companion voucher in conjunction with that.

[Dr Jekyll]

Have you checked fares from Amsterdam or Dublin via London?

[foliedouce]

Dr Jekyll said:

Have you checked fares from Amsterdam or Dublin via London?

No, I'm just looking at LHR at the moment, I will have a look but it seems like a hassle unless the connections are close together

I use skyscanner, are there any other tools you can recommend?

[Dr Jekyll]

I've used IATA Matrix in the past, though it's changed since I've last used it.


Certainly in the old days you could list a group of European cities as possible starting points, specify via LHR and a destination, and it would return a list of fares.

Found this
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/ita-matrix-tutorial...

[foliedouce]

Dr Jekyll said:

Have you checked fares from Amsterdam or Dublin via London?

Just checked, my jaw hit the floor, 1/3 of the price, that is crazy

[ecs]

I think Matrix has something to do with Google now - I use Google Flights to find fares as you can quickly change parameters and hopefully find a deal/sweet spot.

However, I think the cost of flying is through the roof right now so you might just have to pay!

[GT03ROB]

Direct with the airline is usually cheapest.

If you use BA holidays, they get access to lower fare buckets earlier, so can usually get you deals.

Also be aware that BA do not release the lower fare buckets this far out. There is a sweet spot that varies by destination when they make the lower fare buckets available. I would therefore wait.

[foliedouce]

GT03ROB said:

Direct with the airline is usually cheapest.

If you use BA holidays, they get access to lower fare buckets earlier, so can usually get you deals.

Also be aware that BA do not release the lower fare buckets this far out. There is a sweet spot that varies by destination when they make the lower fare buckets available. I would therefore wait.

That's interesting, when I checked before the BA their sale the flights were a reasonable price, then the BA sale started and they shot up and have stayed up

Any idea when they release the lower fares?

Thanks

[GT03ROB]

foliedouce said:

GT03ROB said:

Direct with the airline is usually cheapest.

If you use BA holidays, they get access to lower fare buckets earlier, so can usually get you deals.

Also be aware that BA do not release the lower fare buckets this far out. There is a sweet spot that varies by destination when they make the lower fare buckets available. I would therefore wait.

That's interesting, when I checked before the BA their sale the flights were a reasonable price, then the BA sale started and they shot up and have stayed up

Any idea when they release the lower fares?

Thanks

To be frank I’m not sure. I’ve done 4 returns into the Caribbean since November. Best prices were around 3k return, where pre-CV you were looking at 1800-2k. I booked first flights in May last year & didn’t see any improvement from then.

[foliedouce]

GT03ROB said:

To be frank I’m not sure. I’ve done 4 returns into the Caribbean since November. Best prices were around 3k return, where pre-CV you were looking at 1800-2k. I booked first flights in May last year & didn’t see any improvement from then.

Thanks, £3k would be a bargain right now!

[Xenobian]

Lots of great tips have already been given. KLM is definitely a better value option. Barbados is usually a more high cost route with BA (as a non-stop flight) compared to other routes. Especially around Christmas. St Lucia is considerably cheaper, and easy to fly between the two islands (although I accept you may not want the added fuss of that).

I try to avoid flying out of London airports in general where possible, the passenger taxes are among the highest in the world. Consider looking at Birmingham BHX if you are within a reasonable distance (quite possibly not much further than London for you). I'm seeing some returns to Barbados via AMS with KLM for 3,600 GBP totally for x2 for early December (not sure of your dates, but you get the picture).

For long haul (and ultra long haul) a great tip is often flying to a much lower value destination in Europe (most of Eastern Europe, sometimes Spain, or Greece) and then going from there with whichever airline (be it, Emirates, Qatar, whoever) and connecting in their hub. Even with a full fare biz ticket from the UK to [Eastern European transit point of choice] it is almost always considerably cheaper.

[Xenobian]

Dr Jekyll said:

That's probably more than some astronauts.

Can't really advise the OP about decent fares these days. Just say to ignore those about to take over this thread to say it's wrong to travel in business class and you should travel in as much pain as possible in order to have more to spend in the hotel.

I am sure it is! It would simply not be possible to fly that many miles exclusively in economy class... I would be in a hospital by now instead.

[Chucklehead]

Do what your broker did years ago and book a package. If you check Expedia you can book a flight and add a hotel or a car and it qualifies as a package. You could book either for just one day and it'd still qualify as a package, including the protections afforded by package holidays.

Many airlines have special rates for these types of deals and you can find them yourself. Not as easy to find of course, but if you have dates and destinations in mind it's not too hard. Not sure what availability of those rates is like these days, but it's your best chance.

[Mark V GTD]

Virgin Black Friday promo last November worked for me - LHR to Jamaica: £1,400 return (upper class)

[classicaholic]

I know its not relevant really but I just went to Barbados last week for £250 return from Manchester, Not great seats but not back breaking.

I get my business class upgrades usually with miles though but travel has been limited recently and a lot of my miles have expired, might be worth getting a BA credit card if they still do one and putting a lot on it, its worked well in the past.

[AF07]

I don’t know if this is normal or not but few days before departure emirates offered me a upgrade for £550 on an economy ticket (can’t remember if it was to business or first)

[Saleen836]

Mark V GTD said:

Virgin Black Friday promo last November worked for me - LHR to Jamaica: £1,400 return (upper class)

I would say that was more Covid related to attract customers and I doubt they will be that cheap again (I got LHR to Miami for £995 UC)