Flying in Business Class doesn’t have to break the bank. Deals and promotions may be far less common for Business Class than for Economy, but they’re out there if you know where to look. With the right approach and tools, you can quickly learn how to get cheap Business class tickets.
What is Business Class?
Originally oriented to meet the needs of those who travel frequently for work, Business Class offers a significant step up from the Economy and Premium Economy Classes.
Business Class usually comes with plenty of perks. Airport lounge access, free-flowing champagne, room to stretch your legs and lie flat and top-quality food – it’s easy to see the appeal. So it’s perfect for travelers who want to fly more comfortably without paying the eye-watering prices of First Class.
A lot of people think you fly in Business Class for the luxury and prestige, but the real advantages are more subtle: bigger seats; getting on and off the plane first, always having space, and better customer service.
Lily Cichanowicz, travel writer
When to get cheap Business Class flights?
Before we delve into details on how to get cheap Business Class tickets, it can be helpful to know the best times of year to book.
Based on KAYAK data, August looks like the cheapest month to buy Business Class. There’s also a slight dip in ticket prices in July and April, so be sure to set those Flight Alerts accordingly! The most expensive? February, but only by a tiny margin.
These monthly fluctuations vary from average Business Class flight fares of around $4,156 for international and $1,305 for domestic. Next, we’ll share how to score Business Class tickets for below-average prices.
Data insights are based on the analysis of searches made on KAYAK.com and associated brands, between 2025-01-01 and 2025-07-24 for traveling between 2025-01-01 and 2025-12-31
How to get cheap Business Class tickets
Instead of paying out of pocket, you can often score Business Class seats based on miles and status with that airline, along with points programs offered by many credit card providers.
Here are my top tips and KAYAK tools to help you fly in luxury without sky-high prices.
1. Use your reward points and miles to get cheap Business Class tickets
Credit card rewards programs explained
If you’re serious about saving money when you fly, start by maximizing airline rewards programs, especially tied to airline-branded or travel credit cards. You can use the points and miles you earn when you sign up, and from everyday spending, hotel stays, previous flights, and car rentals to book Business Class seats at a steep discount.
Using your rewards is smart because Business Class tickets can cost three or four times as much as Economy tickets, but don’t cost triple or quadruple the miles. That makes an upgrade the most cost-effective way to maximize your rewards program.
Duncan Madden, travel writer
Before you book, make sure you’re familiar with all the partnerships and alliances for your chosen rewards programs. And the best credit card for scoring airline miles in my experience? American Express, hands down. Their Membership Rewards program offers lots of opportunities to earn points from everyday purchases. Just make sure you devote your points to airline rewards specifically.
My tip for maximizing those airline rewards points is to stay informed about current deals and offers available on your credit card. Sign up for email updates on which restaurants or other payments are currently up for rewards. At one point, I was even able to score extra airline points by using an associated credit card to pay my monthly electricity bill.
How to use credit card points to book Business Class
Points and miles are often transferable between cards and collaborating airlines, meaning you can combine rewards from different sources to make one giant discount on your upgrade.
Let’s take United Airlines’ MileagePlus miles, for example. Part of the Star Alliance, you can use its miles with 35+ other airlines around the world including the likes of Lufthansa, Air Canada and EVA Air. You can then apply your miles to book Business Class tickets directly or to upgrade your Economy or Premium Economy seats to Business Class.
While upgrading with miles is often a poor deal, there can be exceptions if you know how and when to ask. If you have status with that airline, you can try calling the preferred customer service number right after booking a coach ticket and use your points to upgrade.
Just ask if Business Class is full. The more seats left, the fewer miles they’ll charge you. Sometimes they’re looking to book up the flight and you might get lucky and score a good deal this way.
2. Bid on a Business Class upgrade auction
There are many ways to score an upgrade to Business Class, but perhaps the most gamified is the airline auction. From Air New Zealand to Cathay Pacific, many airlines invite you to bid on a class upgrade – if you’ve bought an eligible ticket.
It’s pretty simple: in the days or weeks leading up to your departure date, you’ll get an email from the airline inviting you to make an offer on a seat upgrade. Some airlines only let you bid for a single step up to the next class from your existing ticket, but a few like Etihad let you bid on any class, from Business to First.
Auctions usually impose a minimum bid amount. So, to give yourself a good chance try bidding at least 25% above that minimum amount. If that’s above your budget, it’s always worth making an offer for what you’re willing to pay anyway. Some auctions have surprisingly few bidders and as a result, low thresholds.
Most of the time, you’ll be bidding cold hard cash for your upgrade, although a few carriers such as Qantas and Singapore Airlines let you bid with miles as well.
3. Use KAYAK tools to fly Business Class for less
There’s no magic formula for figuring out how to get cheap Business Class tickets, but KAYAK has tools to make your search easier. If you don’t feel like spending your spare time scouring airlines for Business Class deals (and who does?), select Business Class under the Cabin filter and set a Price Alert. KAYAK will do the rest for you.
Just set your departure and arrival points, choose fixed dates, or use the Flexible Dates tool and make sure to change the dropdown section to ‘Business’ to scope out the best prices for these fares. You’ll get email alerts when the price drops, as well as access to our forecasting tool to see if we think the price is going to get cheaper or more expensive over the next 30 days.
4. Mix cabin classes for longer-haul flights
If you're using miles or points, look for award tickets that let you book mixed cabins. Some loyalty programs (e.g. United MileagePlus) even let you manually select which legs to upgrade. Just make sure to double-check how the miles are priced, as some programs charge based on the highest cabin class across the itinerary, while others price each segment individually. (It’s also worth noting that prices can vary widely based on cabin class and itinerary.)
5. Forget outdated advice and be flexible
Gone are the days of rolling up to check in dressed in your Sunday best with claims of it being your honeymoon in the hope of a celebratory upgrade. The best you can expect at the counter today is the offer of a discounted bump up in class. But even that will likely be more expensive than using the tips and tools in this article. Nowadays, airline employees can’t offer cheap upgrades at their own discretion, so there’s no point in asking.
Plan well and in advance, and embrace a little flexibility. Try to avoid flying on Fridays and Mondays, which are popular with business travelers. You’re more likely to find vacant Business Class seats on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The next time you search, add a few days’ window before and after your flight dates and you’ll cast a much bigger net over potential cheap Business Class fares.
It used to be that if there was an open seat in first or Business Class and you were friendly with the flight attendants, you could subtly get an upgrade. But they’ve changed how they reward these, and it’s now done based upon status and whoever checks in first. So my final tip on how to get cheap Business Class tickets is to always check in as early as you’re able. I recommend setting an alarm in your phone and beating those mass emails announcing that check-in is open.
Lily Cichanowicz, travel writer
FAQs
It is generally not the easiest task to get upgraded to Business Class for free, but you have better chances if you are flying frequently with a specific airline and you join their frequent fly program and earn miles. You are increasing your chances for a free upgrade as well when your credit card company partners with specific airlines that earns you bonus points with specific purchases. Always check if your credit card company offers such partnerships.
Yes, this is true. Airlines do not like very much to have aircrafts that are not full, so the closer to the departing day you close your Business Class ticket, the better the chances to get yourself a good deal.
Actually it is the other way around. Even though both are in the luxury realm, First Class takes it a step further. It provides better seats, a more private experience with better meals and is not easy to upgrade with miles.
Very different to Economy! Seats are more like personal pods that lie flat (or close to it) with far more room to stretch out. Often set in pairs, they have privacy partitions and better amenities – bigger screens, high-quality noise- canceling headphones, a table, proper blankets, slippers and even nightwear. Beware though – not all Business Class cabins are the same. Modern amenities have dramatically improved meaning older planes may not offer anywhere near the same level of comfort as new models.
Some of our favorite cheap Business Class flight routes
- Business Class flights to Europe
- Business Class flights to San Francisco
- Business Class flights to Miami
- Business Class flights to Los Angeles
- Business Class flights to New York
This blog post was originally published on June 16, 2023, and updated on August 6, 2025.
