Business Class Flights

[Browneyes]

Hi all my dad passed away last year and I need to get to England to visit my mum. 

I’ve taken out a loan and having made the journey back to the uk twice in Economy, I’ve decided to fly Business Class as we did when we first migrated, it was amazing!

We migrated to South Australia 14 years ago and used a company who specialised in Business Class flights but I don’t remember who they were. 

I’ve Googled but there’s so many dodgy people out there, that I’m worried about using someone I don’t know.

Please can anyone who’s had experience with a company who provides this service, let me know.

Thanks heaps.

[rammygirl]

Just book them with the airline or agent. Some airline premium economy are pretty good and a lot cheaper. They have leg rests and more recline etc. you just need to get googling. Surely an agent would cost more than going direct anyway. 

[Dimmo]

Since covid all flights but particularly Business class flights have become expensive. £5K is now the norm for a business return on a decent airline, the days of £3K have long gone.

[bonanza]

Start collecting airline points and look for credit cards with sign up bonuses as well as points on expenditure  use to pay for airline tickets and hopefully you'll amass enough to get your next but one flight in business class free or at a discount.... meanwhile or this trip I'd bite the bullet and opt for a Middle East airline like Qatar Airways in economy. They are much better in economy than many others and imho Premium Economy is not worth paying for. Another option that may be worth exploring (I use this route) is to fly on a cheapie airline to a holiday destination that is popular with Europeans then get biz flights via middle east. I sometimes fly from oslo to bali with Qatar Airways in biz class and then do a cheap and painful flight from DPS to Perth on Jetstar. Saves a lot of cash plus you get a holiday in Bali

[Eera]

There are people like Flatbeds and I Only Travel First Class around but from what I can gather they do the cheap flights by buying up airline points and using those to subsidise the ticket which is against the T&C of many loyalty programs - there's a consensus online that it may go through fine but the airlines may strip the ticket off the purchaser if they figure it out.

 

[rammygirl]

8 hours ago, bonanza said:

Start collecting airline points and look for credit cards with sign up bonuses as well as points on expenditure  use to pay for airline tickets and hopefully you'll amass enough to get your next but one flight in business class free or at a discount.... meanwhile or this trip I'd bite the bullet and opt for a Middle East airline like Qatar Airways in economy. They are much better in economy than many others and imho Premium Economy is not worth paying for. Another option that may be worth exploring (I use this route) is to fly on a cheapie airline to a holiday destination that is popular with Europeans then get biz flights via middle east. I sometimes fly from oslo to bali with Qatar Airways in biz class and then do a cheap and painful flight from DPS to Perth on Jetstar. Saves a lot of cash plus you get a holiday in Bali

Premium economy seats vary a lot worth checking. I agree some are not worth the extra but others really are. It even varies depending on the aircraft. 

[Nemesis]

2 minutes ago, rammygirl said:

Premium economy seats vary a lot worth checking. I agree some are not worth the extra but others really are. It even varies depending on the aircraft. 

I flew Qantas Premium several times to the UK and back to Aus, also on my final flight home. Having done Business (on points) a couple of times, I would say there is little difference. 

In the OPs shoes, I'd fly to Perth, then do the non stop flight to Heathrow, in Premium.

[Ausvisitor]

My view (and it's only my view not a judgement) is that unless you are a multi millionaire, someone else is paying or you have chronic medical issues there really is no point to paying business class. (I personally wouldn't fly Biz if the only way I could afford it was to take out a loan, but the OP is an adult and they can make their own decisions, I certainly can't claim to have always made great decisions in my past, and I'm sure I'll make some terrible ones again in my remaining years on the planet )

I've flown more miles than I care to remember, a huge proportion of them in Biz or First and honestly once you strip out the glitz (and honestly who wants 6 glasses of champagne just pay for one decent one in the airport)and the feeling of importance the only real tangible difference is some comfort, but economy isn't awful and given the cost differential is about $7,000 between economy and biz at the moment is 40 hours of a bit more comfort worth 4-6 weeks of after tax income.

Only you can decide, but whenever the ticket is coming out of my wallet it's economy every time, and if I travel for work I don't travel unless it's in business. (I often have loads of points but I use them to pay for tickets for family to visit us rather than my own tickets)

Edited July 26 by Ausvisitor

[MARYROSE02]

Good on you for flying business class.  I'm glad I did it and I wish my late parents had spent some of my inheritance doing the same.  It takes so much of the stress away.  Room to stretch out and sleep,  doesn't matter if you have aisle or window.

You don't need a specialist business class agent. I was trying to think of an internet agent without leaving this post - Webjet? Flight Centre?

[Nemesis]

4 hours ago, MARYROSE02 said:

Good on you for flying business class.  I'm glad I did it and I wish my late parents had spent some of my inheritance doing the same.  It takes so much of the stress away.  Room to stretch out and sleep,  doesn't matter if you have aisle or window.

You don't need a specialist business class agent. I was trying to think of an internet agent without leaving this post - Webjet? Flight Centre?

I always book direct with the airline - mainly because if there are any issues the airline can sort them out. If you book through an agent you are at their mercy and that makes any resolution longer and more complex.