Carp Diem: Five Ways to Seize the Day with Lie-Flat Seats Across the Pond
Do you fish in the same old travel holes? Most people do. They go to the same places, at the same times of year, because that’s the comfortable option. They use the same airline over and over to earn those award and elite miles. It’s easy. Convenient. Humans like the warmth of familiarity. Forget that the prices may be higher. It’s what we did last time, and last time was alright. Yes?
Yes and no.
Fishing in the same old travel holes can mean you’re hanging out in overfished holes. Traveling on the same old travel dates to the same destinations, and flying airlines that might earn you elite status and award miles, can also increase your fare way over the value of those award and elite miles. That’s especially true compared to great fares like a ~$2,000 Business Class ticket to Europe.
So where are the fishing holes that the crusty, wise old fishermen know about? The ones where premium tickets to Europe don’t cost you $3,500 to $5,500? The ones that don’t take your eye out with a yanked hook or clunk you on the head with a swinging sinker?
We’ve mapped them all out here—the deeply-discounted published fares you can reel in if you know where to fish (plus one additional strategy on a deal that can cost as little as $1,250 if you’re careful). Sure, you might need to be a bit more flexible to get to the fishing holes (but not necessarily), however the catches can be amazing. And I don’t think you’ll be throwing any back.
Here are FCF’s five fab fishing holes for the next time you travel to Europe, so you can hook a Business Class ticket in the $2,000 range.
Today FCF Stands for Fresh Caught Fish
Fishing Hole #1:
Secret Low-cost Travel Windows
Airlines have shifted away from their older practice of pricing seats as high as they possibly can. Now they’re pricing them more strategically to sell all their seats. (FCF calls them tactical fares.) In doing so, airlines change traveler behavior by enticing you to book flights when they want you to (intended to funnel you to lesser-sold flights), so all their seats get sold.
A Savings of $2,300?!
What’s the Story, John Dory?
Los Angeles to Paris non-stop in Business Class on Air France or Delta for travel in August, for example, runs just $2,189. Compare this to the June fare of $4,489. That’s a difference of $2,300 (51%). That’s extraordinary for just a 42-day gap.
See Los Angeles-Paris Business Class Pricing, Six Weeks Apart:
Or, New York to Milan non-stop in Business Class, for travel in August, which costs $2,095 (compared to the June fare of $4,197), a difference of $2,102 (50%).
Takeaway: By keeping your desired destination, but changing your travel dates, you can save as much as 51%.
Below are a few recent FCF reports about secret travel windows:
- The Best Month to Book Business Class Flights to Europe
- Business Class Fares to Europe Less than Premium Economy
- Seasonal Business and First Class Fares Are Back
Fishing Hole #2:
Secret Low-cost Destinations
In the airlines’ quest to offload Business Class seats, airlines will sell some destinations—for year-round travel—much cheaper than other destinations. Often the airlines have no discernible reason as to why certain cities fly onto the low-fare radar (other than to funnel you to lesser-sold flights), but for you it means airlines are changing your behavior by enticing you to book destinations they want you to book, so all the seats get sold. These cities can be both non-stop or with connections, and they are often on a flash-sale basis.
FCF has written many exclusive reports about tactical low-cost destinations over the last year, below are a few recent ones:
- Greece’s Sparkling Island Jewels Shine Bright in Business Class
- From Russia with Love: Moscow & St. Petersburg
- Bologna is No Load of Baloney for Low Business Class Fares.
A $3,500 Savings
(and Not a Red Herring)
Here are some other examples.
New York to Edinburgh non-stop in Business Class on Delta for travel June 9 to 23 costs $5,441. Compare that to traveling New York to Dublin (an hour ten minutes flight time away) instead of Edinburgh, on Delta, for just $2,490, a difference of $2,951 (54%). Or to Frankfurt from New York on Singapore Airlines for $2,108, a difference of $3,313 (61%).
Takeaway: By keeping your travel dates, but changing your destination, you can save as much as 65%.
Fishing Hole #3:
Low-Cost Airlines
Instead of only focusing on major airlines for travel to Europe, consider smaller, low-cost airlines. These airlines often have Business Class fare deals when your preferred carrier might not, though they may require a connection, depending on the route. Think of airlines such as:
- Aer Lingus (oneworld)
- La Compagnie
- LOT (Star Alliance)
- TAP (Star Alliance)
Several of these carriers belong to a major alliance so you can earn award and elite mileage credit. Plus, they also offer lie-flat Business Class seats.
Low-Cost Airlines Business Class Seat Information
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Some examples:
- Chicago-Barcelona non-stop in Business Class on American June 18 to July 3 costs $4,639, compared to traveling on Aer Lingus (connecting via Dublin) for $2,971, yielding a savings of $1,668 (36%)–while flying on the same alliance.
- Newark-Berlin round-trip non-stop on United for travel June 4 to 18 costs $4,508, compared to traveling LOT (connecting via Warsaw) for $2,682. Fly LOT for a ticket that’s $1,826 (or 40%) cheaper–while flying on the same alliance.
- Washington, DC-Barcelona on United, non-stop, for travel May 21 to June 3 is $5,372, compared to traveling on TAP (connecting via Lisbon) for $3,268. Flying TAP gives you a savings of $2,104 (39%)–while flying on the same alliance.
- Newark-Paris on United non-stop for travel November 3 to 17 sets you back $2,790, compared to traveling on La Compagnie (also non-stop) for $1,620, a savings of $1,170 / 42%. (From time to time, La Compagnie even has fares as low as $999 round-trip.)
Takeaway: By keeping your travel dates, destination, and often your preferred alliance, but by flying a low-cost airline, you can save as much as 42%.
Fishing Hole #4:
Mixed-Cabin Bookings
When you can’t find Business Class fares in the $2,000 range, and that’s the max you want to pay, and you’re not flexible with dates, destinations, or airlines, consider mixed-cabin bookings – flying Business Class one way and Premium Economy the other.
Example: The Business Class fare on United from Newark to Paris is $2,790 round-trip for travel October 20 to November 3. Compare that to buying a mixed-class ticket at $1,877; flying to Paris in Business Class on the overnight night flight while returning in Premium Economy on the day flight, saving $913 (33%).
Takeaway: By keeping your travel dates, destination, and airline, but by changing your travel class one-way, you can save as much as 33%.
Fishing Hole #5:
Buy Miles and Book on Iberia
Most of the fishing holes in this special report get you deeply discounted fares paying in cash. But this last hole? It’s a little off-course, but can be filled with five-star catches of the day.
Selling miles is big business for airlines and buying miles for a trip is the overlooked option. This means buying miles when they’re on sale is a pond swimming with possibilities.
Consider an airline with low mileage award rates, such as Iberia, which charges as little as 68,000 miles round-trip in Business Class from Boston and New York to Madrid. You can buy these miles when they’re on sale for ~$1,045. Award taxes are ~$205. Making the total ~$1,250!
It’s much cheaper than paying a published fare: The lowest Business Class fare, by comparison, is $2,094 on the New York-Madrid route, a savings of $844 (40%).
Details on the Iberia deal here.
If the Fish Stinks, You’re Probably Fishing in the Wrong Hole
There are times, of course, when your route, date and airline are all locked in. Say you’re traveling from New York to Madrid between March 9 and 23 and you want to fly United. Your Business Class fare will be $5,093. But just change the airline (for example to American or Delta) and your fare drops to $2,843; change your travel date to August and your fare drops to $2,094. Pay what you want.
Bottom line: If you’re locked in, you’ll be very popular–with the airlines. They love people like you. Because you’re flying right into their hands, their timings, and their prices.
The UPGRADE MINDSET
Instead, keep a list of travel dates or months that could work for you, a broad bucket list of destinations, and don’t be married to one airline. Keep FCF’s five fab fishing holes in mind the next time a trip to Europe surfaces so you can hook a Business Class ticket for just about $2,000, or less.
“There’s a fine line between fishing, and standing on the shore looking like an idiot.”
~ Steven Wright