Getting a free upgrade to business or first class is down to luck, but there are other tricks to finding cheap business-class flights, which could save you money on your holiday.
According to the travel site Kayak, an average first-class return flight could cost you around £6,500, and an average business-class flight costs around £2,600. The good news is that you can cut the cost with the best travel credit cards for air miles and by checking the best time to book flights.
How much do business and first-class flights cost?
While Kayak gives a general figure, the price of business- and first-class flights can vary a great deal depending on when you fly, your destination and the airport you fly from.
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To give you a rough idea, we used Skyscanner to see how much it would cost for a return flight with British Airways (BA). These prices are correct as of 28 August and will change.
- First class from London to New York in January – £3,224
- Business class from London to New York in January – £2,692
- First class from London to Dubai in March – £3,710
- Business class from London to Dubai in March – £2,048
There can also be a large discrepancy in the cost of flights, depending on the airline.
For example, if you flew to Dubai with Emirates on the same dates, a business-class flight would cost £2,831 (almost £800 more than with BA) and a first-class return flight would cost £7,342 (around £3,500 more than BA).
The huge price difference is down to the airlines' offerings. According to NerdWallet, Emirates offers a better in-flight experience than British Airways. The Emirates first-class cabin consists of Mercedes-Benz-inspired suites and its business-class cabin has access to the on-flight bar. Plus, Emirates has been voted the third-best airline in the world by travellers, according to the Skytrax Awards – just behind Singapore Airlines and Qatar. So, the airline you fly with can make a huge difference to the price.
Here's 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 credit cards for collecting air miles include American Express (Amex) and Virgin Money (where you collect Virgin Points). With British Airways, you earn Avios points. Here are some to consider:
Barclaycard Avios Plus Credit Card
When you spend £10,000 within a year on this credit card, you can get a free cabin upgrade voucher which can be used when you book a flight using Avios points. But, the voucher only upgrades you by one cabin class, and first class is not eligible. So, if you book in the economy cabin, you get a free upgrade to premium economy and those who book premium economy get an upgrade to business class. Here’s how the credit card works and its other perks.
- Get 1.5 Avios points for every £1 spent
- Access to more than 1,000 airport lounges
- Spend £3,000 in your first three months and get 25,000 bonus points
- 80.1% APR
- £20 monthly fee
Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card
This Virgin credit card also offers a free cabin upgrade when you spend £10,000 in a year. You can upgrade by one cabin type, available to all tiers. This means you can upgrade to business and first class.
- 1.5 Virgin Points for every £1 spent or three points for every £1 spent with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays
- Get 18,000 bonus points when you use your credit card within your first 90 days (no minimum spend)
- 0% on balance transfers and purchases for the first six months
- £160 annual fee
There’s also a host of Amex credit cards, but which is best to use? It all comes down to what rewards you want from your credit card and whether you’re willing to pay an annual fee. The difference with Amex is you’re not limited to one airline – you can use your points with 17 of its partner airlines. This includes Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and Singapore Airlines.
When’s the best time to fly first class?
Kayak says the best month to fly is April, costing 14% less on average – otherwise known as ‘low season’. You should avoid flying in high season, which is October, when flights are 18% more expensive on average. Also, peak months such as July and December can be pricey. According to Forbes, flying mid-week also helps cut costs (Tuesday to Thursday) as that’s when airlines will make fares cheaper.
Where are you departing from?
The airport you fly from could cut the cost of your business- or first-class fare. We looked at business-class flights to Los Angeles (LA) with British Airways from different UK airports to see the price difference.
| Departing airport | Stops | Return cost |
|---|---|---|
| London Heathrow | Direct | £2,772 |
| London Gatwick | 1 stop at New York JFK | £2,474 |
| Manchester | 1 stop at London Heathrow | £2,804 |
| Edinburgh | 1 stop at London Heathrow | £2,801 |
| Dublin | Direct | £3,639 |
The easiest way to compare flight costs is to use comparison sites such as Expedia, Kayak and Skyscanner.
Look at the cheapest time to fly
According to trip.com, flying before 9am could make your tickets up to 15% cheaper. Early morning flights also mean cleaner planes. But, this again depends on where you are departing from, so it’s worth comparing different flight times to see when business- or first-class flights are cheaper.
Keep up to date with airlines
To keep abreast 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.
Free upgrades at check-in – if you don’t ask, you don’t get…
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 very polite with the staff and dress well. Plus, it’s better to check in early or at the last minute to see if there are seats in business or first-class going spare. And, 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!
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