Looking for cheaper long haul business class flights

Dave_Z

mystic_trev wrote: »

I used EVA Air Premium Economy a few years ago and wasn't very impressed, I also thought the seats were uncomfortable. I'm off to Brisbane tomorrow flying Emirates Business class. Got a good deal through Trailfinders.

But our PE (Elite class) is often cheaper than other carriers on the LHR-BKK route (BA/TG/QF), which i presume was your routing. It's the same seat as the BA World Traveller Plus. I had to come all the way back from TPE in Elite and it wasn't so bad, even as 6'3" guy. I hope you're on the A380 for your EK flights. The biz class on that aircraft is amazing. Best i've flown.

Back on topic, there is no real method to getting cheap biz class. As has been mentioned above you can mess around going to an outstation or fly a rubbish carrier where the price is probably relative to the product/service. The Air Asia X premium seat, for example, is useless. My airline (Eva) uses the same seat and when i had to fly to Taipei i arrived just as tired and uncomfortable as if i were sitting in the back. You just can't sleep in angled lie-flat seats as you always slide down. But at least you get lounge access, decent baggage allowance, fast track through security/customs and great onboard service, food & drink. None of which you'd get on Air Asia X.

Just keep an eye out for offers and/or try to build miles and status with an airline FF scheme. I flew biz on Emirates to Kuala Lumpur for £1100 return last year. Not only did i get a great deal on a flight with biz class outbound and economy return, but they were doing some ridiculous bonus miles deals on their FF program, so by the time i got to KL i earned enough miles to upgrade my return flights. The miles were all earned from booking bonuses from Emirates.com and the outbound flights themselves. Now, you'd struggle to get those flights for double the price and the mileage deals are nowhere near as good either.

Also, BA have a sale on which finishes tonight. Not that great, but i booked 2 Club World seats to Denver in December for £2k each and they were over £3k each before the sale. I've also got a BA Amex and that booking will help me on my way to a free companion ticket, so when i get that i'll be able to book 2 Club World seats to NY (for example) for about £500. So that'd be £4500 for 2 trips to the States in biz for 2 people. Not that bad really.

Bob_the_Saver

http://www.airasia.com/gb/en/myflights/premiumseat.html

Have a look at their prices - worth a look