How to Find Cheap Business Class Flights Without Credit Card Points (2024)

Are you dreaming of sipping champagne and enjoying extra legroom on your next flight but feeling discouraged by the sky-high prices of business class tickets?

While some people rely on credit card points to upgrade to business class, not everyone wants to accumulate credit card debt or has the necessary credit score to apply for a premium credit card.

Fortunately, there are still ways to find cheap business class airfares without relying on credit card points.

In this post, I’ll show you how to score cheap business class airfares like a pro, without having to churn credit card points by comparing the best flight deal tools, apps, websites and services.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase I may make a small commission. I only share information about things I know, love and trust!

Use FareDrop Flight Deal App

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FareDrop is the latest tool in flight deals subscription services.

It’s an app (or desktop version) that sends flight deals straight to your phone (or email) based on your travel goals.

You can expect to see deals of up to 80% off flight prices.

On average, people are saving $450 on each flight.

Why I Love It

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As a Canadian, this is the only flight alert app that works for finding international business class fares from Canadian airports!

For my American friends, don’t worry – there are HUNDREDS of business class airfares for cheap from your nearest airport in the USA.

You can choose up to 10 departure airports.

So if you can drive to or fly out of a connecting airport, you have a TON of options for finding cheap flight deals.

It’s highly personalized and you only select the type of deals you’re interested in.

You don’t get a bunch of irrelevant spam.

How it Works

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It scours the internet for discounted fares and sends alerts to its subscribers when they find a deal that matches their preferences.

All flight deals are hand-checked by a team of real people, so it won’t produce unreasonable flight schedules.

Is it Free?

Your membership is free for finding deals on domestic economy flights.

But FareDrop also offers a premium subscription that finds you crazy discounts on business class fares for international flights.

With the 30-day (no questions asked) refund policy, there’s really no risk in signing up for the Global Pro Plan.

Try it out and get notified on the lowest prices business and first class airfares.

Ready to land some epic flight deals?

1. Create your free account here

2. Set your preferences

3. Book away, my friend!

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FareDrop vs Scott’s Cheap Flights

You might be more familiar with the long-running service called Scott’s Cheap Flights, which is now called Going.

It’s a website that specializes in finding and sharing flight deals with its members.

The website’s team monitors flight prices from various airlines and travel websites, and then alerts subscribers to any discounted fares that may be of interest to them.

Here’s a comparison of FareDrop and Scott’s Cheap Flights:

Features

Both FareDrop and Scott’s Cheap Flights offer similar features.

They both specialize in finding and sharing flight deals with their members, and they both monitor prices from various airlines and travel websites.

Both services send subscribers alerts when they find a deal that matches their preferences.

Pricing

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FareDrop offers a free subscription for domestic flights and two different pricing plans: the Global Plan is $49 and the Global Pro Plan is $99 (which is required for finding business class airfares), each billed annually.

Scott’s Cheap Flights offers a free membership that provides limited access to deals, as well as a paid premium membership that costs $49 per year, and an elite membership at a cost of $199 per year.

Both services offer a money-back guarantee if members don’t save more than the cost of their subscription in the first year.

Which One is Better for You?

Overall, FareDrop is the better option, because it’s $100 cheaper, and it works from both US and Canadian airports!

Scott’s Cheap Flights only works from airports within the USA and there are particularly good deals flying from New York, Los Angeles or Houston.

Google Flights + Flight Aggregators (free)

Google Flights is the second most powerful tool for finding the cheapest dates to fly.

Using the Google Flights method is free, but it does take a lot more work.

Here’s how to use google flights to find cheap business class fares for international and domestic fights.

Step 1: Google Flights

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Start with the explorer tool.

It’s convenient for spotting the cheapest destinations.

Set your departing airport, travel dates, price limit and explore the best fares.

If your dates are flexible, Google will automatically find the cheapest fares for the date range that you input.

You can also search ‘anywhere’ and it will find you the cheapest places to fly via business class.

Flight Fare Comparisons

Once you’ve found your flight, you can usually find the same flight cheaper on any of the major flight aggregators: Kayak, Momondo or Skyscanner.

Use Travel Arrow Chrome extension (free), and you can convert your Google Flight search into these 3 search engines with one click.

More Tips for Finding Cheap Business Class Flights

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As someone who has traveled extensively, I have learned a few tricks to find cheap business class flights.

Here are some tips that have worked for me:

Find the Cheapest Days of the Week to Fly

Booking at the right time can save you a lot of money.

Booking business class seats as far in advance will yield the cheapest deals.

Airlines know that business travelers have a tendency to book last minute, and therefore prices will be high.

By booking 4 or more months out, this will give you the best price and you might even find a flash sale.

Corporate and business travelers are more likely to fly out on a Monday or Tuesday and fly home on a Friday.

Look for deals that fly out mid-week, on weekends and on public holidays for more opportunities to find cheap business class flights.

Looking for Mistake Fares

Sometimes airlines make mistakes when pricing flights, resulting in extremely cheap business class tickets.

These fares are known as mistake fares, and they can be an excellent opportunity to book a cheap business class flight.

However, they are rare, and you need to act quickly to take advantage of them.

Occasionally, airlines may post incorrect fares for business class flights.

These are known as “error fares” and can offer significant discounts.

To find these deals, you can use websites such as Secret Flying or The Flight Deal.

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How to Find Cheap Business Class Flights Without Credit Card Points (2024)

FAQs

How to get the cheapest business class flights? ›

7 Ways to Get Cheaper Business Class Flights
  1. Use a specialist Business Class agent. ...
  2. Upgrade last minute. ...
  3. Look for pricing mistakes! ...
  4. Fly at less popular times. ...
  5. Travel hacking with air miles. ...
  6. Volunteer to be bumped when a flight is overbooked. ...
  7. Score a bargain in the sales.
Apr 12, 2024

How to score business class seats cheaply? ›

Here are five tips, including a few Skyscanner tools, for snagging a luxury seat at a bargain price.
  1. Redeem miles and points for business class travel. ...
  2. Stalk business class sale fares. ...
  3. Play the business class upgrade game. ...
  4. Search your favorite airline. ...
  5. Set Price Alerts to find deals without effort.
Jan 10, 2024

How to get a free business class flight? ›

1. Achieve elite travel status. Elite status is far and away the best route to securing free seat upgrades. Many airlines will provide complimentary upgrade certificates after you've reached a specific level of status, as well as proactively upgrade you during other flights for which you are eligible.

Which airlines offers cheapest business class tickets? ›

Airlines with the least expensive business class
  • Avianca.
  • British Airways.
  • Emirates Icelandair.
  • JetBlue.
  • Jetstar Airways (a subsidiary of Qantas)
  • Norwegian Air (which claims status as the world's best low-cost carrier for long-haul flights)
  • TAP Portugal.
  • Turkish Airlines.
Feb 19, 2024

What is the cheapest day of the week to fly business class? ›

It's always a good idea to research prices for your specific destination and compare them across different weekdays to find the best deals. So, if you're looking to save money on your next business class flight, consider booking your ticket for a Tuesday or Thursday departure.

Can travel agents get cheaper business class flights? ›

Airlines have a lot of seats that they like to sell through business class consolidators. Therefore, business class consolidators are capable of providing discounted fares to travel agents, which help them have excellent profit possibilities on corporate business travel also.

How much to bid for business class seats? ›

Use ExpertFlyer or a similar tool to see how many premium class seats are still available on your flight. Follow this equation for a bid price: Calculate the regular cost of a business class seat. Subtract what you paid for the economy fare, and aim for around 20% to 40% of the remaining price.

How much should I bid for business class? ›

Travel blogger Bethaney Davies of Flashpacker Family offered these general guidelines to International Business Times: "Calculate the regular cost of a business class seat, then subtract what you paid for the economy fare and aim for around 20% to 40% of that price.” She offers an example.

How do I find out how many business class seats are left? ›

Usually the best way to do that is by using the airline's own app to manage your booking. Using the seat map checker is the fastest way to keep an eye on what seats are available.

When should I ask for a free business class upgrade? ›

"You should ask prior to door closure, but don't be surprised if they don't move you until after you're in the air if they're going to grant your request." Fogwell added that you're more likely to score a (paid) upgrade to an economy-plus seat than you are to first or business class.

How to get bumped up to first-class? ›

Upgrade Your Air Travel: 10 Tips to Score a First-Class Seat
  1. Join airline loyalty programs.
  2. Volunteer to be bumped.
  3. Use offers from your credit cards.
  4. Book flights during off-peak times.
  5. Check for available upgrades online.
  6. Consider late flight offers.
  7. Arrive early for check-in.
  8. Bid for an upgrade.
Apr 8, 2023

How do I ask for a free upgrade? ›

If the flight is oversold, consider telling the agent that you are willing to give up your seat if they need someone to upgrade. Make it clear that you would be happy to volunteer and ask whether you can be upgraded for a future flight.

Do business class seats get cheaper closer to departure? ›

Often times, as it gets closer to the departure date, if there are several unsold business class seats on a flight, the airline might offer an upgrade for purchase at a reduced rate. You may get an email in advance or you might see the option when you check in online.

Is it cheaper to book business class last-minute? ›

Buying a last-minute business class ticket could break your budget. But that doesn't mean you can't find last-minute business class deals that fit your budget. Airfare search tools, in-app upgrade offers, and premium airfare deal services could help you land a last-minute business class ticket for a low price.

How to get free business class upgrade? ›

How To Upgrade To Business Class For Free
  1. Get With the Program. If you are a regular traveller and you fly a lot, it's worth sticking to one airline and joining their frequent flyer program. ...
  2. Get A Branded Credit Card. ...
  3. Know Your Aircraft. ...
  4. Arrive Early. ...
  5. Volunteer To Sit This One Out. ...
  6. Ask For It. ...
  7. Fly Midweek or Redeye. ...
  8. Go Solo.

Is upgrading to business class cheaper at the airport? ›

It depends on the airline you're flying with, but it is generally cheaper to upgrade to business class at the airport than it is to book a business class ticket from the outset. To upgrade at the airport, you will need to ask about availability and then pay the difference in fare.

Is it cheaper to upgrade to business class in the plane? ›

Realistically, it's a gamble and getting upgraded to business class at the airport is pretty rare. If luxury and extra legroom is really important to you, book it in advance. However, if you're perfectly willing to fly economy class, and willing to roll the dice, a last-minute upgrade can be the cheapest option.

How much should a business class ticket cost? ›

On international flights, business class is the option above economy class, and there's quite a difference. Since there are far fewer passengers in business class, you get much more attentive service and more perks. You also pay quite a bit more, with business-class airfare often costing $3,000 to $5,000 per flight.

When to book business class flights? ›

Book far in advance or last-minute**. ** In general, booking 4-6 months in advance typically gives you the lowest business class rates. However, if you need to book a last-minute flight, Economy seats will likely be selling at a premium, while business class seats may not be much more expensive comparably. Be flexible.

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