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We would all love to travel a little more comfortably, especially when it comes to transatlantic or long-haul flights.
But getting a good price for an airline ticket is already a headache – let alone business class, which is almost impossible to get tickets at an affordable price.
In general, it is possible to see that the prices of a business class ticket can cost anywhere from two to 10 times more than the cost of an economy class ticket. However, there is a trick that can give you the opportunity to travel in business class without spending a fortune, if you’re lucky. This is a method that I regularly use on my travels.
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Something you should keep in mind is that this method does not work all the time, since it depends on the availability of business class seats when you check in 24 hours before your flight.
If you want to play it safe and travel in business class, I recommend buying from the beginning, even if you pay more, so you will secure your space. The flexibility you have as a traveler is a determining factor so that you can take advantage of this technique.
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How do I do it?
► The first step is to buy your flight tickets in economy class, looking for the cheapest possible rate.
► Then, you have to wait until you receive the email to check in. It’s important that you do this as soon as you receive the notice, as this is the time when the airline is most likely to have more business-class seats available.
► American Airlines, United, Iberia, British Airways and KLM, among others, will offer you the option of upgrading to business class if they have spaces available. For example, on a 2022 trip from Puerto Rico to Spain, I was able to upgrade for $324 dollars one way; and as recently as last month for $469 each way.
This business class flight can cost between $2,500 to $6,700 round trip. By using this technique and paying the lowest price for the economy ticket, plus separate upgrades at check-in, I spent no more than $1,500 total for my business class flight. A savings of over 60% of what a ticket in this category would originally cost me.
I have used this technique on flights from Mexico to Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico to Chicago, and Puerto Rico to Europe. As a result, I have saved a lot of money, while having a pleasant and comfortable trip. So if you have the flexibility as a traveler, write down this technique that could allow you to upgrade to business class for a fraction of what it would originally cost you.
Wilson “Wil” Santiago Burgos is the founder of Mochileando.com, one of the largest travel platforms in Puerto Rico and the Latin American market in the U.S.
