8 Things To Consider When Choosing A Business Class Flight | The Flashpacker

Although a frequent flyer, I am not that keen on flying. However, I do like flying business class.

From fast-track security to exploring the lounge to relaxing in a flatbed seat, sipping a glass of champagne, I love the whole experience. Now, for any flight over six hours, it’s business class for me.

However, not all business-class products are equal and you need to do your homework to get the best bang for your hard-earned bucks. To help you on your way, here’s an essential guide to choosing a business class flight.

What You Should Consider When Choosing a Business Class Flight

The price of a business class ticket buys you a lot of perks.

You get a dedicated check-in desk, fast-track security, priority boarding, extra baggage allowance and priority baggage handling where these services are supported. If you are a member of a frequent flyer scheme you will earn more miles and tier points.

But whilst there may be differences in how well airlines operate these services, they are not usually a deal-breaker when choosing which airline to book with.  What differentiates the products are as follows:

• Seat comfort
• Cabin configuration
• Onboard service
• Business lounge
• Availability of a chauffeur service

Let’s first look at these differentiating factors for the product itself before moving on to consider convenience, cost and loyalty schemes.

The Business Class Seat

There are business class seats and then there are business class seats. What do I mean by this? Well, business-class seats can come in various shapes and sizes, from fully lie-flat seats, the older cradle-style business seats down to economy seats with extra legroom.

For maximum comfort and the best chance of forty winks, it goes without saying that you should look for fully lie-flat seats.

Since their introduction by British Airways (BA) in the early 2000s, these seats have become the new norm for business class travel. However, all carriers do not provide them and you need to do your homework to identify which products to avoid.

Over the last year or so, some airlines have upped their game and introduced suites into their business class cabins, the type of seat usually found in first class.

I have been lucky enough to travel on Qatar Airway’s QSuite, which is being rolled out across their fleet. Other carriers that offer suits include Delta, Japan Airlines, Korean Air and Oman Air.

Business class is the new first class!

Qatar Airways QSuite

So where do you go to avoid passing over your hard-earned cash in return for a duff seat? Luckily, there are quite a few resources out there to help you. Here are my go-to sources of information:

• Seat Guru – a treasure trove of information about airlines and seats.
• Airline Quality by Skytrax – the Trip Advisor for airlines. Provides a rating system for seats and more.

Cabin Configuration

This is another important aspect for me. There are two factors to consider: cabin density and aisle access. One of the advantages of business class travel is a quieter cabin, so the fewer people the better.

But do you really want to clamber over your neighbour’s legs to reach the aisle? Well, with some airlines that is still the case.

To check out cabin configurations visit Seat Guru which provides seat maps for just about any aircraft you can think of.

The ideal business class cabin configuration is 1-2-1, giving every passenger direct aisle access. American Airlines, Iberia, Emirates and Qatar, to name but a few, offer this on many of their aircraft. Some airlines go further and offer a 1-1-1 configuration (e.g. Cathay Pacific and Virgin Atlantic).

Historically, with its 2-4-2 configuration across much of its fleet BA doesn’t cover itself with glory. However, the UK carrier is investing £400 million to give its long-haul business class cabins a long-overdue upgrade, providing direct aisle access for all passengers.

You should also consider if the airline charges for seat reservation.

Although many airlines allow business class passengers to choose their seat at the time of booking free of charge (e.g. Qatar, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic), some do not. BA should hang its head in shame, charging over £60 for this privilege on long-haul flights (unless you are a Silver Executive Club member or above).

Onboard Service

What comes to mind when you think of onboard service? For me, it’s the following:

• Customer service
• Eating & drinking
• Entertainment system
• Amenity kits
• Bedding

These elements vary widely between airlines. Whilst they might be secondary deciding factors, they are unlikely to be deal-breakers. For a sense of what you could be getting, check out the reviews on Airline Quality.

Qatar Airways Business Class Amenity Kit

The Business Lounge

The ability to take advantage of the relative sanctuary of the lounge is a perk of business class travel. A few good resources for lounge reviews are Airline Quality, The Points Guy and, particularly for the UK-based traveller, Turning Left for Less.

Al Mourjan Lounge, Doha Airport

Broadly speaking, the best lounges are at the airline’s home airport or at one of its major hubs. A few airlines offer complimentary spa treatments (e.g. BA, Virgin Atlantic).

However, access to a lounge is not guaranteed and there are some airports that will not have a business lounge (e.g. London City). Check availability on the airline’s website.

Chauffeur Service

A number of airlines offer business class ticket holders a free limousine transfer. Unfortunately, many of these airlines exclude those travelling on promotional fares and the service may be restricted to certain routes. The most inclusive is Emirates, with few restrictions and a generous mileage allowance.

Convenience

Think about what matters to you.

Do you want a non-stop flight? Or would you prefer to break up your journey, even if this just means the opportunity to stretch your legs?

Whichever of these options appeals to you, what you don’t want is a torturously long flight duration or a complicated itinerary.

Try to avoid flying with different operators who do not belong to the same route network as you take the risk of missed connections.

Cost

This may come as a surprise but cost is not the most important factor when choosing a business class flight.  I’m not saying that price is not a consideration, but you shouldn’t automatically plump for the cheapest fare.

With the exception of sales times, it is a case of you pay for what you get. My view is that it is worth spending a few extra dollars for a better business class product or a more convenient schedule.

Loyalty Programs

Lastly, consider which airline loyalty programs you belong to. Flying with that airline, or a partner airline, will earn you destination miles and tier (status) points. 

Every flier should sign up for at least one frequent flyer scheme. It’s not that often you get something for nothing, so it’s a no-brainer! 

Which one will depend largely on where you are based and your flying habits. For example; I am based in the UK and, for me, the best program is British Airways’ Executive Club which is part of the One World Alliance.

Is it Worth Flying Business Class?

By squeezing in more seats, many airlines are shrinking the existing limited legroom in their economy cabins. Therefore, now is as good a time as any to consider flying business class.

In most circumstances, shorter flights aren’t worth the extra pounds for more legroom and a glass or two of fizz. However, on long-haul flights, they are worth every last penny.

Finally, turning left on entering the aircraft is no longer the preserve of the business traveller, those with stacks of frequent flyer points or the very well-off. With a bit of research and by taking advantage of flight sales, a business class fare may not cost as much as you might think.

And we all deserve a little bit of affordable luxury travel, don’t we?