We're Flying First Class
We're Flying First Class...
Flying first class is a luxury, and is just as glamorous as Fergie made it out to be. However, what some people might not know is that everyone can, in fact, afford to fly first class in their lifetime! And at Nashville Luxury Travel, we want you to know how.
We promise we aren’t out of our minds. We know how incredibly expensive a plane ticket for seat 1A can be, but we also know that fold-flat seats, top-shelf cocktails, and arriving to your destination well rested and fed sounds much better than starting your vacation sleep-deprived and irritable. So pop the champagne, because flying first class might be more possible than you think!
Top 10 Tips for Flying First Class:
BOOK WITH NLT
Agencies like NLT that have a preferred relationship with consolidators that can access deals that blow away published fares. The consolidator won't work with the public, so you have to use a travel agency to get these deals.
“I love using my valued consolidator partners!” says Leslie Horn. “Most of the time, using these partners allows me to help save money for my clients flying in any class!”
Additionally, travel agencies have contracted or special relationships with airline companies, giving us access to all kinds of fares, published and unpublished, so we can make sure to find the best rates.
MILES
Save your miles! You wouldn’t believe the deals you can find in first-class with your miles. Even if you’re not an avid traveler, it is still possible to rack up enough miles over time. And once you purchase that first class seat, depending on the carrier, you can get triple the points to transfer into even more miles!
GET READY TO SWIPE AWAY
Consider a travel credit card with a generous sign-up bonus. You might get a first class seat just for signing up!
HUNT SPECIAL OFFERS
You can do this on your own, or let a travel agent do it for you. “Hunting for the best airfare will sometimes take an hour to an hour and a half, but it’s like a puzzle or a game for us,” says Jennifer Martin. “Not only does a travel agent want to get you to your travel destination in style, but we want to save you money while doing so. This way, you can spend your money the way you’d rather spend it, which is during your trip, not on the way there.”
VOLUNTEER FOR IT
Did you know that some airline companies will oversell flights on purpose? This is because most of the time, you can bet on someone missing their flight. The problem with this method is that airlines can’t guarantee it. When these planes are too full, they’ll ask for volunteers to agree to get bumped to the next flight. That’s when you tell them you’d be happy to catch the next flight… in a first class seat, that is!
JUST ASK
If your luck is just right, you can ask for an upgrade and get it. Of course, make sure to dress the part, speak confidently, and just ask the frontline employees of your airline if there’s any possibility to upgrade to first class! It’s not as crazy as it sounds!
ARRIVE EARLY… OR LATE!
Flights are sometimes so underbooked that airlines provide discounted first class tickets or even free upgrades to their customers. Arrive early and that customer might just be you! Or, if you’re done with these intricate schemes for winning first class tickets and you’re feeling lucky, show up late! Consider that this tactic will only work at busy times when flights are overbooked. Don’t reserve your seat and be late for the plane. If the day is yours, you might get a free upgrade and be able to sit up front, just so the plane can get moving! Schedule your time carefully though! If you arrive after the check-in is over, you’ll most likely miss the entire trip.
PLAN IN ADVANCE
“Frequently, when I’m planning big trips for clients far in advance, I’m able to get advanced rates for tickets that are hundreds of dollars cheaper than what they find online,” says Jen. “These tickets are complete with cancel for any reason insurance, which is saying something, because a regular change fee is $450 on average.”
UPGRADE AT CHECK IN
When you’re checking in at the airport, ask for the cost of an upgrade to first class. If there are seats available, airlines will often offer them at a discounted rate! Or, if you don’t mind the gamble, ask the gate attendant what they’re charging for the upgrade at the gate. This might even be cheaper than the reduced rate at the front of the airport!
FLY WHEN BUSINESS TRAVELERS ARE NOT
Business travelers fly all week long. The last thing they want to spend their weekends doing is flying! This is why you don’t see as many people flying business/first on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and this is why you should fly at those times, when more seats are up for grabs!
