Business Class Flash Fares Are B-A-A-A-A-A-C-K

Flash Fare Fest For Revenge Travelers. Here’s How to Make Yours Sweet.

NOTE: FCF spotted this trend prior to the conflict escalation in Ukraine. While many travel bookings to Europe are in a wait-and-hold to see what happens there, I’m hopeful that the pattern I describe below will continue. From my perspective, this could make a difference in how you plan to use cash or miles for 2022, so that’s why I didn’t cut this special report from this month’s lineup.

People are back to traveling nowadays. Hotels are filling up. Countries such as Austria, Italy, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland are lifting restrictions, seemingly in concert. How does this affect the premium air travel industry? I’m glad you asked.

Did You Go When the Going Was Hot?

If you were a mileage or point traveler, up until a few months ago, it wasn't very hard to find low-cost award flights. For many travelers, it was the best of times, whether you’d heard about it or not.

That said, it wasn’t like during April 2020 when airlines were discount pricing just to fill up seats in their planes on long-distance routes. Sure, I know plenty of people that didn’t stop traveling, but overall they were in the minority.

 The World Has Changed

And now? People are traveling like crazy again. Some call it Revenge Travel. Airline employees who get paid to figure out elaborate pricing schemes have their jobs back, and they’re feverishly doing what they always did: constantly testing new fares to fill unsold seats. It was only two years ago that there were an estimated million fare changes a day.

What Does All This Mean for You?

So what to do in this new travel atmosphere? You have to be ready to pounce when the moment strikes. It all starts with knowledge of strategies and available deals.

You don’t have to look any farther than Nairobi, Kenya, a safari launchpad city. A round-trip flight can be had for $1,696 in Business Class. That’s amazing. Premium Economy traditionally goes for $1,600-$2,200. That means you can upgrade from economy to Business Class for about $695, or upgrade from Premium Economy to Business Class for just $95.

SAMPLES OF RECENT FLASH FARES FCF FOUND

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Your Flash Fare To-Do List

So the first thing you want to do, given these fares come from FCF out of nowhere and don't last long, is find out if they're for you. And more importantly, if they could be for you, once you think about them.

What does that mean? Talk to your travel companions (unless you fly alone) and get a sense of where they’re willing to go. Also try to get an idea of what regions work and which airlines serve those regions. Then you have to get a sense of how flexible your companions are. For example, if they want to go to Geneva, and there’s a great deal to Paris, know that it’s only a 3 ½ -hour train ride or a short connecting flight of 1 hour and 15 minutes to get there.

VARIOUS COMPLIMENTARY Fare Strategies

If You’re NOT Flexible: 11 Ways to Save on Premium Flights

Horses for Courses (and Cabins). How Returning in a Different Class Can Make for a Much Better Value

How to Choose Between a Flash Fare and a Mileage Deal

How to Lock in Amazing Premium Flash Fares Long Enough to Decide If They’re Right for You