Business Class — what is it and is it worth it?

What is Business Class?

Business Class is a type of cabin class. The Business Class cabin is considered one of the more premium cabin classes, with an exceptional, personalised service. The Business Class cabin has a number of complimentary services and amenities, such as high-quality food and drink, larger and more comfortable seating, a personal workspace, travel kits and more. What’s included with a Business Class ticket differs from airline to airline, with some more extravagant than others.

As well as the premium services that Business Class passengers receive in-flight, there’s also a range of benefits for passengers on the ground too. For example, many airlines offer fast-track check-in, boarding and disembarkation to its Business Class passengers, as well as access to exclusive Business Class lounges.

As the name states, originally, the Business Class cabin was created for business travellers that needed the space, comfort and privacy to work during their travels. However, in recent years, the Business Class cabin has taken a shift and offers a level of service that is more similar to First Class.

What’s the difference between Business Class and First Class?

Business Class has traditionally been the cabin class between Economy Class (the lowest tier of cabin class) and First Class (the highest tier of cabin class). However, today, many airlines don’t offer a First Class cabin and as a result, the Business Class cabin has adopted many of the services, benefits and amenities that can be found in First Class.

If an airline offers Business Class and First Class, you can expect the Business Class cabin to be a slightly lesser version of that airline’s First Class cabin. However, if the airline doesn’t offer First Class and offers only Business Class, you can be confident that the Business Class cabin is the airline’s highest-standard cabin class with the most complete level of service.

Is Business Class expensive?

In general, Business Class is quite a bit more expensive than Economy Class. However, there’s a big difference between the level of service and you get what you pay for. Some airlines will offer a more affordable Business Class ticket, however, this might mean that the service isn’t as luxurious as what you might find on other airlines. So, it’s important to check exactly what is included in each airline’s Business Class cabin before purchasing a Business Class ticket.

Is Business Class worth it?

This completely depends on your reason for travel and your budget.

Business Class is fantastic if you need to be well-rested when you arrive. Business Class seats are always much more comfortable than those in Economy and many airlines offer seats that transform into fully-flat beds, so you can actually lie down and sleep during the flight.

Business Class is also great if you’re travelling for a special occasion, such as a honeymoon, wedding or a significant birthday. This is because the services in Business Class are so much better than in Economy Class. Flight attendants are much more attentive, food is of higher quality and there’s a lot more space, comfort and privacy. Not to mention all of the additional perks that you receive both on the ground and in-flight when travelling Business Class.

Another great reason to travel Business Class is if you’re actually travelling for business. As mentioned earlier, the original idea behind the Business Class cabin was to give space and privacy to passengers travelling for business so that that they could still get on with work in the hours that they’re travelling. Business Class seats often come equipped with work-desks and reading lamps, plus most airlines offer free WiFi on flights to Business Class passengers, which means you can keep connected with emails and your colleagues.

It’s all about weighing up what you want from the flight, seeing what’s included in your Business Class ticket and evaluating whether the cost of the ticket is worth it for you.

To help you out, below, we’ve created a table that shows what’s included within Business Class on some of the most popular airlines and how the price compares to Economy.