You are going for first class flight deals maybe when you’re off on a business trip and the boss is paying the bill or you need extra comfort for some older relative. It could be when you’re celebrating a special occasion and flying first class will make it even more special. It could be any reason because you know you’ll pay and pay big for the superior comfort, service, roomy seats and free food.
Always Know When to Book
The best time for booking is at least seven days in advance. Most of the business travelers with last-minute trips are not able to do this and airlines love this because itineraries booked between these seven days before departure window adds up to 40% premium to the fare. If you can book before a week, you can save a lot more.
Knowing When to Fly
Both American and Delta airlines had slightly lower first-class domestic fares for Wednesday’s and Saturday’s, and American also gave a cheaper first class on Tuesdays. United’s first class fare difference was not according to travel days.
Days to avoid: The most costly days to fly on both American and Delta are Friday and Sunday. Monday is also very expensive on Delta.
Look for First Class Discounts When Booking Coach Fares
This does sound preposterous but some airlines actually offer first-class at a discount in between the coach booking process. It is many times cheaper than searching directly for first-class cabin fares. At airport kiosks, some also allow cheaper upgrades.
Look for Upgrades
Many passengers prefer to upgrade to first class from elite status. Visit the airline kiosk at the airport to see what’s available even if your boarding pass is on your phone.
Travel Agents
Give a thought to learning about the advanced search techniques or using professionals like travel agents or other booking tools have access to discounted first class fares.
These fares could be cheaper than regular first class found online though not as cheap as in past years as the deals have faded due to massive merger consolidation of the last decade and the following loss of competition.
While these fares may not always be easily visible to the average flyer, a motivated shopper or a travel professional can find them when they are available by directing online queries to business/first class.
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