When Business Class is Cheaper than Economy Class
Mar 24, 2018, 8:18 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LHR/ATH
Programs: Amex Platinum, LH SEN (Gold), BA Bronze
Posts: 4,489
When Business Class is Cheaper than Economy Class
Hi guys, had to do a last minute LHR-ATH return around one of the busiest periods of the year (now, UK easter next weekend and GR easter the weekend after)
BA wanted around 700 GBP Aegean around 450 GBP both basic economy, no suitcases! Ryanair forget it, no seats available (they do not overbook flights)
Lufthansa wanted 350 GBP return via Munich so a no brainer here. What is funny though, is that Lufthansa's Business Fares in this case was cheaper than their Economy fare so I have booked a return business for that price, so will have 2 suitcases included and lounge access naturally, with their Business Saver inflexible fare.
Is it ever the case where BA is cheaper in Business Class than Economy class? Because I have never seen it when I was researching flights to book with BA.
BA wanted around 700 GBP Aegean around 450 GBP both basic economy, no suitcases! Ryanair forget it, no seats available (they do not overbook flights)
Lufthansa wanted 350 GBP return via Munich so a no brainer here. What is funny though, is that Lufthansa's Business Fares in this case was cheaper than their Economy fare so I have booked a return business for that price, so will have 2 suitcases included and lounge access naturally, with their Business Saver inflexible fare.
Is it ever the case where BA is cheaper in Business Class than Economy class? Because I have never seen it when I was researching flights to book with BA.
Mar 24, 2018, 8:28 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Falkirk, Scotland,VS Red, BA Gold, HH Diamond,UK Amex Plat
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Hi guys, had to do a last minute LHR-ATH return around one of the busiest periods of the year (now, UK easter next weekend and GR easter the weekend after)
BA wanted around 700 GBP Aegean around 450 GBP both basic economy, no suitcases! Ryanair forget it, no seats available (they do not overbook flights)
Lufthansa wanted 350 GBP return via Munich so a no brainer here. What is funny though, is that Lufthansa's Business Fares in this case was cheaper than their Economy fare so I have booked a return business for that price, so will have 2 suitcases included and lounge access naturally, with their Business Saver inflexible fare.
Is it ever the case where BA is cheaper in Business Class than Economy class? Because I have never seen it when I was researching flights to book with BA.
BA wanted around 700 GBP Aegean around 450 GBP both basic economy, no suitcases! Ryanair forget it, no seats available (they do not overbook flights)
Lufthansa wanted 350 GBP return via Munich so a no brainer here. What is funny though, is that Lufthansa's Business Fares in this case was cheaper than their Economy fare so I have booked a return business for that price, so will have 2 suitcases included and lounge access naturally, with their Business Saver inflexible fare.
Is it ever the case where BA is cheaper in Business Class than Economy class? Because I have never seen it when I was researching flights to book with BA.
Hi,
It is not common but it does occasionally come up that Business is cheaper than Y ( and on longer routes that F is cheaper than J)
Regards
TBS
Mar 24, 2018, 8:43 am
#3
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Posts: 63,821
The specific case where CE is cheaper than ET relates to the Saturday night rule and late bookings - these are on sale until the sales bucket is used up, which may not happen on business routes on a Saturday morning (for example). Whereas the ET fares may well be bumped up sky high on the basis that anyone booking at this late stage is a "must go" passenger running out of options. For those in the know: despite the high fares in ET, Avios availability may well be good, so if you are travelling at the last minute it is definitely worth a look at redemption space.
I have put this image up before as an example, with the date of travel the next day or something similar.
I have put this image up before as an example, with the date of travel the next day or something similar.
Mar 24, 2018, 9:21 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
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Posts: 12,046
I have had CE cheaper than ET a few times recently - once on NCL<>BCN booked as flights only when it was about GBP 50 cheaper, but only on one of the legs. To have it only the other leg too was an extra GBP 100 or so, which I accepted. The latest trip, also NCL<>BCN but this time booked with the hotel I am sitting in now, was exactly GBP 2 cheaper in CE. This second incidence was not because the flights were cheaper but because CE gives a higher discount on flight + hotel packages. 
For avoidance of doubt all flights originated or terminated at LHR, not LGW.
For avoidance of doubt all flights originated or terminated at LHR, not LGW.
Mar 24, 2018, 11:18 am
#12
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
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I was going to say that I have certainly seen that on the times when I do compare.
For some reason, sometimes when you go back from looking at one lot of fares to put another date in, you cannot get it to do Business - it shows Economy and then of course one can compare. I cannot say that it happens often but it certainly happens in Europe. Whether this happens on Long Haul or not, I cannot tell. Thank you for telling us about LH's fares, I did not know about them. I vowed years ago never to fly Lufthansa again, so I doubt that they would be used by me.
For some reason, sometimes when you go back from looking at one lot of fares to put another date in, you cannot get it to do Business - it shows Economy and then of course one can compare. I cannot say that it happens often but it certainly happens in Europe. Whether this happens on Long Haul or not, I cannot tell. Thank you for telling us about LH's fares, I did not know about them. I vowed years ago never to fly Lufthansa again, so I doubt that they would be used by me.
Mar 25, 2018, 1:21 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: SYD
Programs: BAEC GGL, HH D, QFF, EB
Posts: 404
It's not always the last minute fares either. Last year had a couple of bookings like this. The one that stood out for me was the classic LHR-HEL-TLL fare that booked more than 6 months ahead for the Christmas markets was only £10 more for business than economy.