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How to find cheap business class flights — it’s a dream for every traveller. Who wouldn’t want extra legroom, a lie-flat seat, and a glass of champagne at 30,000 feet?
Like most travellers, I’ve spent years hunting for budget fares and flying economy… yet that slow stroll down the aisle past those dreamy business-class seats always makes you wish it were you — wide recliners, gourmet meals, passengers already sipping a drink before take-off. Not every airline parades their luxury like this, but when they do, it’s hard not to daydream about being up there someday.
Maybe that day has finally arrived. Whether you’re upgrading for the first time or a seasoned business-class flyer hunting smarter deals, I’ve got you covered. Here are my top tips for scoring affordable business-class tickets — and if you’re still in economy for now, savour every moment until your upgrade comes!
How to Find Cheap Business Class Flights: 13 Top Tips!
Looking for cheap business class flights takes a lot of research: start with a more generalised search (e.g. the whole month and multiple destinations) and then start to narrow your search (e.g. exact dates and a specific destination).
Be Flexible with Your Travel Destinations and Dates
If you’re hunting for those ‘golden ticket’ cheap business-class flights, flexibility is key! Instead of fixating on one specific destination, keep your options open. Even jotting down a shortlist of a few countries you’d love to visit can make a huge difference. Once you start checking flight comparison websites, you can narrow it down based on the best deals available.
Travel in the Off-Peak Season for Cheaper Business Class Flights
If you want to find cheap business-class flights, avoid school holidays like the plague! Airlines aren’t clueless – they know exactly when major festivals, events, and school holidays take place in your destination. And, of course, they crank up the prices accordingly.
Instead, try to fly outside of these peak periods – you’ll have a much better chance of finding a bargain! Off-peak seasons are typically when the weather isn’t at its best. For example, flying to Thailand during the monsoon season (July to October) is far cheaper than booking a trip in December.
Here’s a quick guide to off-peak seasons around the world — these are the months when I’ve found some of my cheapest flights:
- Europe: November to March
- Asia: June to October
- Oceania: June to August
- Africa: October to March
- North America: November to April
- South America: March to May and September to November
Opt for Short-Haul Flights When Possible
Most people dream of flying business class on a long-haul trip – and honestly, who wouldn’t? Imagine stretching out with a glass of champagne and enjoying delicious food for 17 hours on a flight to Australia. Sounds like pure luxury!
But with high demand comes sky-high prices. Long-haul business-class tickets can be eye-wateringly expensive, so if you’re keen to experience the upgrade to business-class without breaking the bank, consider trying it on a short-haul flight first.
It’s a much cheaper way to get a taste of the experience. For example, I just did a quick Google Flight search flying business-class from Edinburgh to Venice, and it came out at £422, while a flight to Sydney in business-class sits at a staggering £3,815!
Use Flight Comparison Websites to Find the Best Deals
No matter whether you’re booking economy, business, or first-class flights, a flight comparison website should always be your first stop. They do all the hard work for you – scanning Online Travel Agents (OTAs) to find the best prices for your chosen route.
Now, I’d usually always recommend Skyscanner for this. But when it comes to finding business-class seats, I’ve found it to be a bit clunky. It forces you to select an exact destination and travel dates, making it less useful for flexible, deal-hunting travellers.
For business-class flights, I recommend Google Flights instead. It’s much more flexible – you can simply select your departure airport and business class, without needing to enter specific dates or destinations. It then generates a map showing various destinations and their lowest business-class fares, which is super handy if you’re open to exploring different locations.
That being said, Google Flights does have its downsides. It only allows you to search for flights up to six months in advance and limits return trips to a maximum of two weeks. So, if you’re planning a longer getaway, you’ll need to do a bit of extra research to piece everything together. But for scoping out business-class deals and comparing destinations, it’s a fantastic tool.
Avoid Flying on Popular Business Days
When choosing your travel dates, try to avoid flying on Fridays and Mondays – these are peak days for business travellers, meaning business-class seats are in higher demand (and price!). Instead, aim for midweek flights, where you’re more likely to find vacant seats and, in turn, better deals on business class.
Include Stopovers to Reduce Ticket Costs
Direct flights are obviously more convenient – and as a result, usually more expensive and popular. If you’re hunting for cheaper business-class tickets, consider flights with long layovers. They’re not always a bad thing!
In fact, I once had a long stopover in Warsaw on my way to Jordan, which gave me enough time to leave the airport and explore the city. Honestly, the worst kind of layover is around five to eight hours – just long enough to be exhausting but not quite enough time to head out and explore properly.
Book Direct with the Airline for Better Prices
Once you’ve pinpointed your travel destination and dates using a flight comparison website, take the next step and head directly to the airline’s website to see if you can score a better deal. Booking directly with the airline can offer some additional perks, like better customer service and the flexibility to make flight changes or cancellations with ease.
Another bonus? Many airlines have loyalty programs. If you frequently fly with a particular carrier (like Emirates), make sure to sign up for their loyalty program (Emirates Skywards). Not only can you earn miles and points, but you’ll also gain access to exclusive benefits like being able to bid to upgrade – more on all of this later!
Top airlines to consider booking directly with:
- Qatar Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Emirates
- Air France
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Swiss International Air Lines
- Etihad
- British Airways
- ANA All Nippon Airways
- Turkish Airlines
Set Price Alerts to Catch Drops in Fares
Once you’ve decided on your destination and travel dates, resist the urge to book immediately – and definitely don’t obsessively check the route every day to see if prices drop (this is actually one of the worst things you can do!).
Instead, take the hassle out of the process by setting up a price alert, so you’ll be notified when fares hit their lowest point without having to constantly check it yourself.
Here’s how to do it:
- Google Flights: Select your preferred route (e.g. Edinburgh to Madrid) and dates, then when you hit search, a list of departing flights will appear with a button above saying ‘Track flights’ – click this to receive email updates whenever the price changes. Another great tool on this same page is the ‘Price Graph’ Google Flights feature, which will display a graph showing the cheapest times to fly throughout the year.
- Skyscanner: You can also set up price alerts on Skyscanner by entering your destination and dates, then clicking ‘Create Price Alert’ in the top left corner. On mobile, however, you will need to select specific flights before setting up alerts. You’ll also need to log in to receive notifications.
Top Tip: For the best results, set up price alerts for multiple routes you’re interested in (e.g., Paris, Sydney, Sri Lanka, and Bali). This ties back to an earlier tip – being flexible with destinations and dates gives you the best shot at finding a bargain. Yes, setting multiple alerts takes a bit more time, but it significantly increases your chances of snagging an amazing deal on business-class seats!
Shop the Airline Sales for Exclusive Deals
Airlines occasionally run sales — most often around Black Friday, Christmas, and in January. But they can pop up anytime, so it’s always worth keeping an eye out. While these sales can be a good chance to snag a cheaper business-class ticket, I wouldn’t rely on them as the only way to find a deal.
Why? Because flights often hit their lowest prices when demand is low — not during major sale periods, when everyone is hunting for bargains. That being said, it’s still worth checking airline sales, as you might stumble across a surprisingly good deal.
According to Jack’s Flight Club, some of the airlines known for offering the best sales include:
- Air New Zealand
- British Airways
- Etihad Airways
- Japan Airlines
- Singapore Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- Qatar Airways
So, when airline sales do pop up, these should be your first stop!
Buy Your Tickets in Advance for Lower Fares
The best deals on business-class flights are usually found weeks – or even months– in advance. As a general rule of thumb, business-class domestic flights tend to be cheapest when booked at least three weeks ahead, while business-class international flights are best booked at least seven weeks in advance. In some cases, the lowest fares can pop up anywhere from four to twelve months before departure.
So, if you’re hoping to bag a cheap business-class seat just a week or two before takeoff, chances are slim! Planning ahead is key.
Use Miles and Points to Save on Business Class
Just a heads-up: Before I dive into this next point, the info below is based on my own experience and research, but I’m not a financial or miles-and-points expert. If you’re considering getting a travel credit card or making any big financial decisions, it’s always best to do your own research and check with a professional. In the meantime, I’d recommend reading this beginner’s guide to travelling on miles and points!
This is probably the most important tip on the list. If you’re not using miles and points yet, it’s time to start.
From my experience, US travellers have more opportunities and higher welcome bonuses than those in the UK — but that doesn’t mean UK travellers can’t benefit too.
One of the easiest ways to earn points is with a travel credit card, ideally one with a strong sign-up bonus (e.g., spend £1,000 in three months to earn 5,000 Avios). Use it for everyday spending, pay it off monthly, and watch your points grow.
I do this myself — and found this Money Saving Expert guide on airline cards super helpful when choosing one. Just watch out for high annual fees; only go for a premium card if you’ll spend enough to offset the cost.
Once you’ve built up points, you can use them to book or upgrade flights — sometimes just paying the taxes and carrier fees. Some airlines even offer last-minute upgrades for points.
If you earn British Airways Avios, you can also transfer them to Iberia, Aer Lingus, Qatar, or Finnair. And you can even convert them to Nectar points for hotels.
Bid to Upgrade for a Cheaper Business Class Experience
If you’ve tried all the hacks above and still haven’t found a cheap business-class flight, don’t worry – there’s still hope!
Many airlines offer an upgrade auction, which means that if you’ve booked an economy or premium economy ticket, you could still manage to get a last-minute upgrade to business class.
A few days or weeks before departure, airlines often send an email inviting passengers to bid on available business-class seats. It works like a standard auction – the higher your bid, the better your chances of securing the seat. Even if you win the bid, you might end up paying less than what a business-class flight cost when you first checked!
Some airlines only allow bidding for the next class up from your existing ticket, while others let you bid on any class – whether it’s premium economy, business, or even first class.
If you’re a member of an airline’s loyalty program, you may have the option to use points for an upgrade, whereas non-members would need to bid with cash. Loyalty members can also sometimes get priority access to upgrades, giving you an even better shot at success. This is yet another reason to sign up for those frequent flyer programs!
Check out which airlines let you bid on seat upgrades – Etihad Airways, ANA, Cathay Pacific, and Singapore Airlines, to name a few.
BONUS: Chance Your Luck
Now, multiple sources say this tactic doesn’t work, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a shot, right? It’s a bit cheeky, but I live by the motto: ‘If you don’t ask, you don’t get.’
So, if you’ve been unable to find a cheap business-class flight and find yourself stuck in economy, why not try your luck at the airport? Arrive early, and when checking in, simply ask if there are any business or first-class seats available – and if so, whether you could get an upgrade. While it’s almost impossible to get those seats for free, airlines might offer an upgrade for a small fee.
I always give it a go, especially for long-haul flights, but I’ve never had any luck. My gran, however, has – so maybe it was more common back in the day. Still, there’s no harm in asking!
UPDATE: In July 2025, I asked for an upgrade on my London to New York flight – and ended up with a free upgrade to premium economy… both ways! I’m pretty sure being a member of the British Airways Avios program played a big part in making it happen.
Top Tip: If you’ve tried every trick in the book and still haven’t managed to bag yourself a cheap business-class seat, there’s still a way to add a touch of luxury to your trip – by booking yourself into a fancy airport lounge. Sure, it’s not quite the same as flying business class, but at least you can enjoy a few hours of comfort, good food, and maybe even some champagne before your flight!
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Kirsty x
