How to Book Cheap Business Travel
Low business travel costs are essential to saving both money and ensuring employees can travel comfortably to reach their destinations.
There are various strategies you can employ in order to secure economical business travel arrangements, including being open-minded about dates and upgrades and purchasing package deals.
1. Be flexible with your travel dates
Un flexible approach is key when it comes to saving big on business class airfare, and KAYAK makes this easier by showing just how much money can be saved by altering arrival and departure dates a bit.
Avoiding holidays or peak summer seasons can significantly lower airfare prices; for instance, flying to Hawaii during August costs significantly more than waiting a week before or after.
As many travelers travel on weekends and airlines raise prices accordingly, booking during the middle of the week may help you find cheaper business class airfare. Also consider traveling before or after major holidays when airfare tends to be at its lowest point; flexible booking policies from many airlines allow users to change their itinerary post-booking at reduced fees (typically 10% less than original fare).
2. Look for last-minute upgrades
Some airlines provide discounted upgrades at the last-minute if there are seats open in business class, which could help save you money when booking your next flight.
Register with services that monitor business class fares to stay informed of discounts when they arise, including price alerts on unscheduled destinations or dates that don’t suit your travel plans. Fare alerts provide another useful method of being the first to know of deals when they pop up – sign up now to stay up-to-date!
Try asking at the gate for a complimentary upgrade; though this won’t always work. Instances of weather delays or cancellations sometimes create opportunities for those willing to give up their seat for one that costs more. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid flying at peak times such as Monday morning flights, Thursday and Friday flights as these could create opportunities.
3. Book a package deal
When booking business travel, being flexible with dates is key to saving money on flights. Airlines tend to charge higher fares during the week than weekends when there are fewer passengers traveling – this makes booking flights on weekends preferable if possible! You could also use credit card rewards points as upgrades – an effective way to reduce travel costs!
4. Consider alternative airports
Due to record ticket prices and economic concerns, business travelers are seeking ways to cut expenses. They’re exploring alternative airports, shortening travel days by adding hotel stays or choosing lesser-known airlines without regard to loyalty status. Furthermore, some are even consolidating meetings into single trips while tightening corporate travel policies, which may backfire later.
One way to save money when travelling on business is by flying on weekends instead of weekdays when prices increase due to higher demand from business travelers and lower them to encourage weekend travel. Another strategy is looking at alternative airlines like Cathay Pacific or ANA; these may offer better flight times or availability than major US carriers and could help you secure cheap business class tickets. You could even earn miles and points through business credit card rewards programs which can later be redeemed for discounted tickets!
