Flying business or first class doesn’t always mean you have to pay eye-watering prices. Sometimes, a free upgrade can be down to luck, but there are plenty of other ways to find cheap business and first-class flights, which could save you money on your holiday.
The good news is that you can cut the cost with the best travel credit cards and by checking the best time to book flights.
You may also be able to offset costs elsewhere – either by securing the right travel insurance or by taking advantage of reward programmes like Avios points, the British Airways tier points system, and Virgin Flying Club.
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How much do business and first class flights cost?
The price of business and first class flights can vary a great deal depending on the time of year you fly, your destination and the airport you fly from.
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To give you a rough idea, we researched how much it would cost for a return flight with British Airways (BA). These prices are correct as of 6 February and are likely to change.
- First class from London to New York in March 2026: £2,400
- Business class from London to New York in March 2026: £2,000
- First class from London to Dubai in June 2026: £2,000
- Business class from London to Dubai in June 2026: £1,200
There can also be a large discrepancy in the cost of flights, depending on the airline.
For example, we looked at return flights from London to Dubai with Emirates in June 2026. Business class flights were priced at around £1,700, while a first-class return flight would cost £4,200.
The huge price difference can be down to the airlines' offerings as well as the kind of demand it’s receiving for bookings.
The quality of the offerings varies greatly. Qatar Airways was voted the best business class flight at the 2025 Skytrax Airline Awards. Virgin Atlantic came in 10th place, Emirates in 11th and British Airways ranked 18th.
Which is the cheapest business class airline?
There’s a big price difference across airlines and routes when you fly business class. But it’s not quite like comparing like for like because the standard of the business class cabins differ too.
One trick is to take advantage of a so-called ‘unbundled’ ticket offered by some airlines. It’s a business class ticket, but strips out some of the frills such as advance seat selection, chauffeur service and airport lounge access, so you can pick and choose which perks matter to you.
With this ticket, you still get to turn left when you board the plane and sit in a business class seat.
Emirates offers this – it’s called the “Special” business class fare. You’ll still get gourmet cuisine, spacious beds, entertainment and an onboard cocktail lounge.
A quick search for Emirates business class fares from London to Dubai for March 2026 showed that Special prices were £1,631, while its Flex Plus ticket with the most perks cost £2,962 – £1,331 more.
How to find cheap business and first class flights
Here's our guide on how to find cheaper business and first class flights.
Use air miles
One of the most popular ways of upgrading your flight for less is using air miles. You can collect air miles with various credit cards and use them to cut the cost of your flight, or upgrade to business or first class for ‘free’.
Popular reward schemes for collecting air miles include Virgin Atlantic’s Flying Club and BA’s Avios points.
You can collect Avios in various ways, including via certain rewards credit cards. For example, some American Express credit cards offer Avios points as a reward when you use the card for your spending. You could earn a companion voucher with the British Airways American Express credit card. This lets you boost the power of Avios points when purchasing reward flights with the airline.
We look at the best cards for travel abroad in a separate guide.
When is the best time to fly first or business class?
According to Investopedia, the best time to fly first class is midweek (Tuesday or Wednesday) and Saturdays on some airlines, while Sundays, Fridays and Mondays can be expensive. Investopedia also recommends booking first class flights at least seven days in advance. Some experts suggest at least three weeks ahead.
Travel website Kayak suggests June is the cheapest month to fly business class, while January and February are the most expensive.
If you’re after a particular time of the day, Investopedia suggests flying early in the morning or late at night. This is because many flyers don’t like being inconvenienced by travelling to the airport at odd hours of the day, so you might be able to bag a bargain price.
Early morning flights also tend to mean cleaner planes. Again, this depends on where you are departing from, so it’s worth comparing different flight times.
If there’s a certain airline you prefer, such as British Airways, you could check their dedicated business class pages to view the cheapest time of year to fly.
Where are you departing from?
The airport you fly from could cut the cost of your business- or first-class fare. Skyscanner suggests that mixing and matching your airlines and airports could seriously cut costs, so it’s worth looking into it.
You can compare flight costs using comparison sites such as Expedia, Kayak and Skyscanner.
Watch out for discounts
To keep on top of special deals and sales, sign up for airline newsletters or follow them on social media. These could help you take advantage of tips and offers to cut costs on business- and first-class fares.
It’s also an idea to sign up for flight comparison and deal sites that do the hard work for you, such as Jack’s Flight Club and TripsInsider.
Consider asking for upgrades at the airport
You may get lucky with a free upgrade or a hard-to-resist bargain price on an upgrade on the day. Even though it’s down to luck, as the saying goes, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.
There are a couple of tips to increase your chances – be polite and friendly with the staff and ideally dress well.
You can ask when you check in – best to do so early – to see if there are seats in business or first class going spare. If you’re flying on a special occasion, for example a special birthday or anniversary, don’t forget to mention it when you check-in.
