[Closed] Would you travel business class for a long haul one off flight?

only if someone else is paying.

Yes, you will probably get picked up or dropped off, arrive much fresher and maybe even enjoy it. Which route?

if your name is "Lord" Brian Paddick the answer is yes - even if the purpose of the £9K return flight from New York (paid for by us) is to come back to the House of Lords to say just short of 500 words in a speech and then leave immediately.

Not unless you are worth millions. A good friend of mine always travels long haul business, spends about £20k pa on it, he retired at 40 and is worth £10m FWIW. I used to be BA Gold and flew business everywhere for work, its a great way to travel. Its is not worth £3-5k of my money imo.

It is a lot better but it is a lot more expensive, too. It does turn a long flight into quite a nice experience but the money saved would pretty much pay for another holiday. I'd say overall its not worth it and you'd be better off spending the money on doing something nice when you get to where you are going but it depends how much spare money you have and how much you hate being in cattle class.

only if someone else is paying!

and emirates economy isn't too bad.

Yes. If you can afford it, imho, it's money well spent.

How much would it be?

Emirates Economy is as good as Business in some other airlines.

Yes, I always travel in C class but my employer pays as they reckon I need to arrive in good shape for all those negotiations and meetings.... ha ha.

I fly business on long-haul 2-3 times per year. It is great but I wouldn't pay for it myself. However, I would (and have) pay for the upgrade to Premium Economy over Economy on a long-haul.

The extra pitch does make a difference, but the main reason is that you will be in a smaller, quieter cabin compared to Economy. The relative tranquility is worth paying for.

Emirates Economy is as good as Business in some other airlines.

Not when I flew from Dubai to Sydney a few years ago it wasn't. It was a truly awful 15 hours. That A380 plane has probably (hopefully) improved matters though. If (when) we travel to Oz again I would cost it around going business class or probably go for 2 stopovers en route. We did that coming back last time, Singapore & Dubai. I don't envy those who fly that far on a weekly basis.

Also, if you like to gamble, you can pay for a class upgrade at check-in at a fraction of the cost compared to pre-booking. This only works if there any upgrade seats left, of course!

mrsheen - Member
I've been looking at Emirates business class and get 10% off from my bank. Is it worth it?

I wouldn't pay it - I got bumped from Econ to First coming home from Oz as they'd cancelled my return route whilst I was out there - Syd to Osaka, Osaka to Tokyo (shortest flight ever and done in a crammed 747) lay-over in a hotel and finally Tokyo - Heathrow.

It was okay I guess, seats were lovely but this was before you could make a sort of bed of them, as much beer as you wanted and a bigger TV, but it would have been thousands of pounds more than I paid and I'll put up with a slighter smaller seat for a couple of grand - it's only a couple of hours.

Just looked at Emirates to get a rough idea.

Heathrow to Perth Australia return.

Cattle class - £1k
Business - £5k
First - £6.7k

Private jet £120k each way. 😯

May as well go first surely ?

No. Premium economy is a good idea if you're paying. Business is lovely, but multo expensivo.

Then again, it's your money and if you can afford it, fly comfy!

On our last transfer Atlantic flight in economy we vowed never again.
Got ourselves a virgin credit card and now travel in Upper. It makes holidays even more nicerer.

yes if you've got the dosh.

no if you don't.

I fly a lot of domestic flights and build up points which I try and save to upgrade us on family holidays. I love showing up in a business class seat with my family including twin toddlers, the look of fear in the business class seats is frankly priceless!

Depends how much more than cattle class it is, last couple of times I've done it (with BA), it's only been a few hundred more, so factoring in the extra luggage allowance that means you don't have to pay additional baggage charges for a bike (or 2), plus all the stuff you get at the airport (lounge with free food and drink, fast track security etc) and if it's an airline with fold flat chairs, meaning you can get a half decent sleep, it's kind of a no brainer. Not sure I'd pay more than £5-600 for it though.

Not a chance would I pay to upgrade from business to first though. Unless my first name was 'Sheik'

May as well go first surely ?

For LHR/DUB/PER look at Bus/Prem Ec for the 2nd leg. the 7hr one is OK really just pick a good seat - even paying to choose a good seat is worth it.

Last one was NZ, Businss out but thats only the Leather armchair not the beg recliners or lay flat. The nice bit was the service as I was the only one in the little section it was 1 to 1. Also the lounges make a big difference long haul somewhere to have a shower, eat for free and chill out really help.

+1 on the lounges. To me, airports are the 8th circle of Hell, whereas the lounge is nice and quiet, and I don't get wound up by the general population...

For all those who say it's not worth it how tall, or more importantly how long are your legs?

And once you're over 6' and/or +34" inside leg, the answer is 'yes'.

I use to fly regularly with work, usually at least one long-haul a month along with a couple of weekly UK/European flights. Originally all were business class and then the UK/European flights were mostly moved to single-class planes.

I've also gone first class a few times, for me it wasn't worth the cost - but the best long-haul has to be anything with a sleep-bed, often I'd fly out (eastwards) to be in work first thing Monday morning, having just arrived on an overnight plane.

And have just booked our holidays for next month, only Athens but its a +3 hour flight and we've 3 hours to kill in LHR T5 each way, so flying Club Class 🙂

Definitely worth doing for an overnight flight if you can get a fold flat bed, and its a decent length flight.

b r - Member
For all those who say it's not worth it how tall, or more importantly how long are your legs?

6'5" and 35" inside leg. I wouldn't fly long-haul in Economy. But I happily do so within Europe. The extra pitch on a Premium Economy seat on BA was just fine for a long flight.

I used to fly a lot for work (3 weeks a month, a return flight a week). Business class makes a big difference when you're with a lie-flat carrier (are there any that don't now?).

If we're going a long way (+6 hours) I try to get Prem Econ as a minimum, but I'm a big unit - being cramped in econ for that length of time plays havoc with my back.

Our honeymoon was RTW on Air NZ business class, which was frankly awesome. Been back to NZ since - couldn't afford the business class on the way out, but paid for it on the way back. Got bumped up to business on the way out too, which was nice :).

+1 for lounges, if travelling a lot, get a credit card that gives a free Priority Pass.

Any decent credit cards in particular which offer flier miles or whatever they're called?

Thanks for all your responses too.

I just did the airline sponsored one, pick their FF program and see. Though you need to put decent cash through it to get anywhere - I did all my spending through it as much on the AmEx as possible as that was double.
Take a look at what you need, I can only upgrade on mine when I hit a certain status level (which you need to fly a lot to do) and then only on Flexi Fares and only on the airline who holds the account.

Like anything to earn good miles you really need to be flying a lot, the status credits are worth a lot more and get you in the nicer end of the plane etc.

It's amazing how much easier it is with board when you like, priority check in etc. but then again I fly a lot for work.
Most CC lounge programs will get you into a basic one but for hub airports expect it to be rammed and non existent in some airports.

I rarely fly so it sounds like my plan of doing majority of purchases on such credit cards might not be worthwhile?

Emirates Economy is as good as Business in some other airlines.

Not when I flew from Dubai to Sydney a few years ago it wasn't.

I think he was referring to Aeroflot or some of those African airlines that are so exclusive they don't fly in Europe.

Emirates ain't all that, not much of an improvement on BA to be honest. They didn't lose our luggage but on the flipside we did have to transfer in shitehole Dubai.

Try Abu Dhabi ethiad cattle class...

Interesting above re transfers. If going to Australia or NZ, I'd always choose to transfer via Singapore or Hong Kong. The airport of the former, Changi, is a modern wonder.

Emirates economy class is no better or worse than most other airlines economy. If you're flying to Dubai then you can easily rough it in economy on a daytime flight. If further and your own money then I'd probably rough it anyway, but if I were wealthier than I am and could afford business then I'd pay it. If you book early enough you can probably get a business class ticket for about £2000 - £2500, that's roughly what I pay when travelling out to Singapore/Vietnam/Indonesia with Emirates if I book early enough. I did Sydney return with Emirates for £3k recently so I think that is not rediculous money even though I couldn't afford it myself. It is a great door to door service and the economy travellers in the back have to be subsidised somehow.

I fly Emirates to Dubai once a year or so and Business class is lovely. If travelling with the family I would probably save the cash and fly budget (and upgrade accommodation at the destination with the saving!).

If you fly business, make sure to take pretentious photos of yourself wearing crappy shoes

If you can afford it yes. My wife and two children flew back from Barbados last summer in business. When they touched down at Gatwick my youngest (aged 6) shouted 'I didn't sleep all night!' Apparently most likely no one else did either! Oops.

😆

(That was in First, though! 😉 )

The old Upper was better than the new Upper. Sorry you can't see my shoes!
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Prefer a reverse herringbone, Zippy. Sorry. Such as Cathay's rather nice seat in the 777.

[img] [/img]

More space, more privacy, and you can actually see what's outside.

Such as..
Sunset on the approach to Changi.
[img] :large[/img]

If the plane is an A380 and you can get a bulk head seat with extra legroom i wouldn't bother with business. If it is a smaller plane and you can't get a seat with extra legroom i would definitely consider it.

On the way to Hong Kong (via Dubai) i got extra legroom seats in economy for both flights. On the way back i only got it for one flight and it was horrible.

Only time I had enough dough to fly business class I wasted it on a flight back to the UK from Athens.. The flight was only a couple of hours and I slept the whole way through..

To be fair I'd been living rough in Greece for a few months and needed to juxtapose my dusty, stinky brand of sun baked insanity.. Eyebrows were raised at my smell and appearance and I was questioned a number of times in the lounge as I awaited the flight

Those pics are no comparison to Emirates A380 business class coz they way way better IMO ... miles ahead.

Interesting above re transfers. If going to Australia or NZ, I'd always choose to transfer via Singapore or Hong Kong. The airport of the former, Changi, is a modern wonder.

Who flys direct to HK, Cathay? We ended up transferring in Dubai, never again. Flown to and from Changi in a former life, fantatsic place for a pair of (almost) Weegie cadets to grab a pack of Tiger from the off licence and sit on a bench watching the world go by. Resolved since that any long hauls eastwards will transfer via there in future.

Agree that Emirates business class is good but still got the transfer which is a deal breaker for me.

Who flys direct to HK

I use BA or Cathay. Last Australia trip was Qantas via Changi. Nice transfer, enough time for a shower, etc.

As someone who used to commute from NZ to London (!) I spent a lot of time in business seats. Def Air NZ were incredible service, good seats but having seen flashys reverse herringbone that would be appealing. Emirates a380 biz was nice but I didn't like the layout that much, bar was quite cool though. Virgin upper was pretty good as well if only for the lounge! I used to go via LA, new lounge will help and in biz you are fast tracked through security - door open to g and t was about 10 mins mostly.
I have and would pay for a business flight from my own cash if I was time bound or u wanted a special start to a holiday. Saying that I have loss of unused airmiles on NZ, virgin and Emirates.
Premium economy is a good call, again air NZ premium is like business service in lesser seats, virgins is more economy service in a nicer seat.

Paid for the premium on BA last time because they allowed me to fly with my bike bag. At 6.6 tall I also thought it might give me more room. After enduring a night of someone squashing my legs with their effin' seat on anti social incline (yes I did ask nicely if they would refrain) decided i'd go back to getting a bulk head seat. I sleep on the plane and would rather spend any money I save travelling economy on other things.

Premium Economy seems a tricky one, like I said above on the trip over to LA it was rammed and I had the front row of economy to myself instead. Much more comfortable.

It depends if it is just UK to Dubai (only ~6 hours) or a connection further afield, whether it is a day or night flight and whether you need to be fresh when you arrive.

Whether or not it is value for money for you is very personal and depends if this is a 'one in a lifetime'. The perks of extra baggage, fast lane past queues, lounges, better food / drinks and better service are all very nice but only really add a few 100 in value (compared with eating in an airport restaurant beforehand, paying for baggage etc.) For me, the benefit I would and have paid for is the lie-flat bed - it makes a huge difference on night flights or where you are changing numerous time zones. I would choose to travel longer / further in order to get a cheap business class seat flights >10 hours (west coast USA, Asia, Australasia) over a more direct route in economy, because sleeping well can stop the jet lag and basically gives you an extra day / few days not feeling groggy. But of course, what you consider 'cheap' business class depends on what you can afford.

I rarely fly

Wouldnt matter, always take sleeping tabs on long haul flights, sit by the window so no one disturbs me and just tell the person next to me and flight attendant not to wake me up till we arrive.. i despise airports and flying..Id rather drive a very fast car to my destination.

IME the best seat, and the one I use to book on long-haul night flights was 64A. Upstairs, backward facing, window and hidden from view.

Once I was in my seat and we were taxi-ing I'd have it dropped down and asleep - having already had dinner/drinks in the lounge and instructed the stewardess to not wake me until breakfast 🙂

Br, 62A/K are my preference. Easier to get out and all that extra space from the exit row.

Any flight over 4 hours then I would pay the extra for premium.

I travelled back and forth from Singapore in Economy on the 380 with Singapore once every 6 weeks in the 2yrs I lived out there, 14 hours and not bad at all.

I often use my BA air miles to upgrade to business on European shorthaul but thats only when reward flights are sold out in economy. I wouldn't pay the upgrade price.

We often book premium economy if the upgrade is not too pricey and we pick it for the leg where we will sleep.

Agreed on the original Upper Class, I used to go to NY once every 3 weeks and it was my preferred choice. Latest is ok but not the clear class leader it was.