Tag Archives for business class.
Iberia is offering 50% off award bookings if you ticket by February 10 and travel between February 1 and April 15. This works for all cabins including business class as long as you’re traveling on Iberia. That means business class between the US and Spain from just 17,000 miles each way.
When you fly domestically in “first class” you get a bigger seat usually it’s two seats next to each other versus three in coach. You get something that passes for a meal, free drinks, and a checked baggage allowance. You get early boarding so you aren’t forced to get check your carry on bag when overhead bins fill up. But as a general matter there’s not a whole lot that’s special about the experience.
Many Americans are surprised – shocked even – at what passes for business class in Europe, though. And the remarkable thing is that over the past five or six years it’s generally gotten worse.
United made a splash introducing its new business class product two and a half years ago.
Boeing 787-9s though operate United’s longest haul flights, so it’s appalling they have the airline’s old business class product — the same old seats running San Franciso – Newark fly San Francisco – Singapore. They were delivered with old seats, and to date United had not even announced a plan to ever put new seats in them.
A bird was discovered in business class twelve hours into flight SQ322 from Singapore to London on January 7th. The bird continued to fly around and when the plane touched down it was “handed over to animal quarantine authorities.”
Naturally when the Mynah arrived at London Heathrow it declared, “boy are my arms tired.”
News and notes from around the interweb: Looks like all your can jet private flight app company JetSmarter is imploding. In the beginning they offered amazing deals (and burned tremendous cash). I only ever used them when they gave free trial memberships to customers with elite status and big mileage balances. The LAX Tom Bradley Terminal finally has PreCheck Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on flying coach: When speaking to the Royal Aircraft Association back in 2002, Prince Philip commented on the British royal family’s air travel conditions. “If you travel as much as we do, you appreciate the improvements in aircraft design of less noise and more comfort,” he said, “provided you don’t travel in something called economy class, which sounds ghastly.” Pan Am 103: Robert Mueller’s 30 year search for justice bet you…
My own take on world’s second best business class is Star Alliance member EVA Air based in Taipei. They should be on everyone’s radar because they also frequently have very good award availability from their US gateways and offer good connectivity into Asia.
Already they offer great seats — reverse herringbone that’s similar to what Cathay Pacific has — but they take things a step beyond with pajamas, pre-order meals, great champagne, and quality amenity kits. And their service is top notch.
When American ended Chicago – China service they freed up Boeing 787 aircraft and seemingly didn’t know what to do with them. They’re flying 787s now to Cancun and Anchorage.
Then they freed up even more 787-8 flying time. Since they removed business class seats from 787-8 aircraft, with the new configuration featuring only 20 seats up front, the plane no longer works for premium markets.
This week’s amazing Cathay Pacific business and first class fare deal is being honored. Following right on after that Air New Zealand offered business class between Chicago and Sydney for under $1500 roundtrip.
If you booked this and your ticket is still intact it appears the deal will be honored. Congratulations!
Just since Monday we’ve seen the amazing Cathay Pacific business and first class fare deal get honored and we’ve seen business class between Chicago and Sydney for under $1500 roundtrip. Now it looks like there’s another special fare deal out there.
There’s an Alitalia business class offer starting at $538 roundtrip between Barcelona and New York JFK — and possibly also Los Angeles and Chicago.
Right on the heels of one of the best airfare deals we’ve seen in a long time being honored, you can fly Chicago – Sydney roundtrip in business class from $1492. This is on Air New Zealand (fly Chicago – Auckland non-stop on their 787 and on to Sydney) or fly United through Los Angeles or San Francisco.
At this price you can definitely get yourself to and from Chicago for the journey.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
