You can fly around high Business Class fares if you know what routes to a given destination offer bargains and which airlines have shorter advance-booking requirements.
For example, Swiss’ lowest Business Class ticket from San Francisco to Zurich non-stop is a 50-day advance purchase fare ($3,539). Miss it and the tab rises to $5,418—and you still have to book 30-days in advance. However, fly British Airways to Zurich via London and the cost is $3,339 a savings of $2,821 (52%). In the same vein, a 90-day advance purchase Business Class ticket from SFO to Beijing on Delta could cost you $4,610. Fly via Seoul and you save $1,400: SFO-Seoul on Delta is $2,828; a separate Business Class ticket to Beijing starts at $400.
If you’re pressed for time, this strategy won’t work. But if you’re a leisure traveler it can result in substantial savings; and if you‘re an elite needing to rack up miles to keep your status, it can be the basis of a lucrative mileage run, as some routes offer lots of EQMs.
Here are some routes with low Business Class fares (taxes and fees are not included), some of which can be upgraded to First Class. Keep them in mind when you have to make a connection. Break the fare within the U.S. by going via low-fare gateway airports such as JFK and LAX, or work it in reverse by going to low-fare destination airports such as Madrid, Sao Paulo, and Seoul.
Three Lowest European Destinations from the East and West Coast on Major Airlines. Minimum and maximum stay requirements on most routes are the same: a Saturday-night and a 12-month max. Among the exceptions are NYC to London (either a Saturday night or three-day minimum, and a 30-day maximum), and a one month max stay on Finnair flights.
Upgrade to First Class to Europe:
American, British Airways, and United allow upgrades to First Class on discounted Business Class fares.
Special Routes with Unusually Low Business Class Fares to Europe
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- American requires 50,000 miles round-trip plus a surcharge of $1,100. Miles can be transferred from Starwood and Diners Club, or buy up to 40,000 miles from AA, which still saves money as a First Class fare can easily be $15,000, as it is from SFO to Paris ($15,679).
- BA requires 50,000 miles round-trip and imposes no surcharge for the upgrade. Miles can be transferred from Amex Rewards, Starwood, and Diners Club or purchased from BA (19,000-mile annual limit).
- United requires 40,000 miles round-trip and imposes a $1,000 surcharge. You can purchase the miles from United (60,000-mile annual limit). Don’t bother transferring miles from Starwood, as the exchange rate is 2-1.
[aside headline="Airline codes" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]AA= American Airlines, AC= Air Canada, AF= Air France, AY=Finnair, AZ= Alitalia, CO= Continental, DL= Delta, KL= KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, LA= Lan Airlines, LH= Lufthansa, MX= Mexicana, OZ= Asiana, SN= Brussels, SK= Scandinavian, UA=United, US= US Airways, and BA=British Airways[/aside]
Three Lowest Asian Destinations from the East and West Coasts on Major Airlines. Stay requirements for this region are all over the place and range from none to ten-days minimum stay, and one to 12-months maximum stay.
Special Routes with Unusually Low Business Class Fares to Asia
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Three Lowest Deep South American Destinations from the East and West Coasts on Major Airlines. Minimum and maximum stay requirements on most routes are the same: seven-days and 12-months respectively. Delta allows a max stay of 45-days on NYC to São Paulo and LAX to Santiago, and United allows a max stay of 30-days on NYC to São Paulo.
Special Routes with Unusually Low Business Class Fares to South America
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Here is a rundown of the Lowest Business Class routes by destinations to Asia, Europe, and South America regardless of airline
Three Lowest European Destinations from the U.S.
- Chicago to Barcelona non-stop in Business Class is $1,150 on Pakistan Airlines: No advance purchase, no minimum stay, six month maximum stay. Service on Wednesday and Saturday only.
- Boston and New York to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, and Paris is $1,544 on Icelandair: No advance purchase, no minimum or maximum stay. Flights connect via Reykjavik.
- New York to London non-stop in Business Class is $1,750 ($2,500 in First Class) on Kuwait Airlines: No advance purchase, no minimum or maximum stay.
Three Lowest Asian Destinations from the U.S.
- Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle to Manila in Business Class is $1,630 on Hawaiian Airlines via Honolulu: Nine-day advance purchase, no minimum or maximum stay. Free stopover permitted in each direction in Honolulu. Base miles and EQMs can be earned on Continental and Delta airlines. For more information see links: Continental OnePass Delta SkyMiles
- Los Angeles and San Francisco to Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, and Taipei in Business Class is $2,598 on Philippine Airlines via Manila: No advance purchase, three-day minimum stay, six-month maximum stay.
- Newark and Houston to Tokyo is $2,875 on Air Canada: Seven-day advance purchase, minimum Sunday night stay, six-month maximum stay. Air Canada is a member of the Star Alliance, same as Continental, United, and US Airways, so base miles and EQMs can be earned on these airlines. Flights from Newark connect in Toronto, and those from Houston in Calgary and Vancouver. From both Vancouver and Toronto to Tokyo, Air Canada offers its new international Business Class (Executive First) seat, which reclines 180 degrees and is 21 inches wide.
Three Lowest South American Destinations from U.S.
- Los Angeles to Buenos Aires in Business Class is $1,149 on Copa Airlines via Panama City: No advance purchase, no min or max stay. Copa’s mileage program is Continental’s OnePass, and the fare earns 150% base miles and EQMs. For more information: OnePass Program
- Miami to Santiago in Business Class is $1,239 on Avianca Airlines via Bogota. No advance purchase, two-day min stay, no max stay. Base miles and EQMs can be earned on Delta’s SkyMiles program. For more information: Delta SkyMiles
- Los Angeles to Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo is $1,710 on Copa Airlines via Panama City. No advance purchase, no minimum or maximum stay, and a free stopover is allowed in Panama City.