It can be smart for many to use when Business Class fares are very high and you’re out of upgrade options.
There’s a theory that says that all we really need to know about life we learned in kindergarten. One of those childhood lessons could well be learned on the playground seesaw, where you take turns pushing up off the ground and coming back down again. In the process, you learn that both sides of the fulcrum are needed to make it work.
Let’s apply that lesson to travel to Europe. There may be times when you can’t—or perhaps shouldn’t—fly Business Class both ways because fares are very high or you have no upgrade options. In that case you should consider flying Business Class one way and Premium Economy the other. We call this the Mixed-Cabin Seesaw Strategy.
But how do you know which class is right for each flight? Your decision should be based on how you’re going to use your seat each way. Sleep, movies, work, or nap—they will help you decide which cabin to book for each direction.
Take flights to Europe. Since the departure is usually overnight, you’ll want to sleep so you can arrive well rested to take full advantage of your trip. That’s what Business Class is for: lots of space and comfort to facilitate a good night’s sleep. Let’s call that one side—in this case, one seat—of the seesaw.
On the return, usually a late-morning or afternoon departure, you want a seat that gives you some of the same amenities, space, entertainment, comfort, food and beverage as Business Class, but not to the same degree. That’s what Premium Economy is for. Let’s call that the other seat of the seesaw.
Why pay more for a benefit you don’t need or might not even use?
USING THE SEESAW STRATEGY TO MILAN AND LONDON
Sample Savings #1: The lowest average Business Class fare on American from New York to Milan is $3,201 round-trip for travel Oct. 1 to Oct. 15. Compare that to buying a mixed-class ticket at $2,249; flying to Milan in Business Class while returning in Premium Economy. Savings: $952.
See american.com screenshot…
New York-Milan Business Class on the departure and returning in Premium Economy.
Sample Savings #2: You get the same dividend from San Francisco to London. The lowest average Business Class fare on United is $3,729 round-trip for travel Sept. 25 to Oct. 9, whereas a mixed-class ticket costs $2,115. The SFO flight departs at 12:25 p.m., so you’ll want that Business Class bed, and arrives in London at 6:55 a.m. The return flight departs London at 10:25 a.m. and arrives in SFO at 1:40 p.m. A nap may be on your flight plan but not a night’s sleep. (Actually, you don’t want to sleep too long on the flight or you’ll be up all night at home.) The fare difference: $1,614.
See united.com screenshot…
San Francisco-London Business Class on the departure
and returning in Premium Economy.
HOW TO SEARCH AND BOOK
Any travel agent or airline reservationist can price this for you. However, only some airline sites offer this search option, among them American, Air France, British Airways, United, and SWISS. Or you could use Kayak.com, as it lets you search different classes on one round-trip ticket by using the multi-city search option. That way you can select a different class of service as needed.
By using the Mixed-Cabin Seesaw Strategy you end up with big savings while maximizing the individual value of two different seats. That’s a win-win.