Hi Everyone,

First time poster, long time lurker - sorry, I'm not even sure if this thread is in the right sub forum. I have to go to Europe this summer for a cousin's (who is really more like a sister) wedding. I live in Canada.

I've only flown twice before. The first time, I was in economy and I had a massive panic attack from claustrophobia (I am really claustrophobic).

The second time, my father was nice enough to buy me a business/first class ticket, and I found that it, combined with some medication, was tolerable.

I've searched the forums, but I haven't come across many threads on getting business class tickets cheaply. Does anyone have any suggestions? My eyes bawked when I saw first class to Europe can be as much as $3000 ONE WAY.

I really appreciate it. Also, I salute all you savers out there! Because of you, I'm a proud Platinum Elite member at Marriott (all through car trips and train travel!).

Thanks!

Welcome to FT.

This forum is for deals found, not sought - mods have been notified.

As to your Q - it's tough - probably best way is get/churn credit cards and look for extremely limited award availability in premium cabins to Europe. Sometimes there are deals in Premium cabins - monitor that thread in MR Deals.

Happy travels!

best way is points and miles if you dont want to use money.

just because you have claustrophobia they are not going to give you first class.

imagine that being the case; everyone will have claustrophobia.

Folks may be able to help more w/ more details - departure, arrival city, dates.

Back to Turkish - here's a Comfort Class (on the long haul, TATL) routing from NYC to MUC : 2,442.20 USD ai for a week in early July.

Departure :New York-Munich
New York-İstanbulTK0012
Airline/Aircraft / Boeing 777-300ER
Departure John F Kennedy Airport
23:55/ 03 Jul 2014/ Thu
Arrival Ataturk Airport
16:45 / 04 Jul 2014 / Fri
Cabin/Fare/Class Comfort / Promo / A
Baggage Allowed 2 Pieces Max

İstanbul-MunichTK1637
Airline/Aircraft / Boeing 737-800
Departure Ataturk Airport
19:40/ 04 Jul 2014/ Fri
Arrival Munich Airport
21:30 / 04 Jul 2014 / Fri
Cabin/Fare/Class Economy / Flexible / Y
Baggage Allowed 2 Pieces Max

Return :Munich-New York
Munich-İstanbulTK1638
Airline/Aircraft / Boeing 737-800
Departure Munich Airport
07:30/ 10 Jul 2014 / Thu
Arrival Ataturk Airport
11:05 / 10 Jul 2014 / Thu
Cabin/Fare/Class Economy / Flexible / Y
Baggage Allowed 2 Pieces Max

İstanbul-New YorkTK0001
Airline/Aircraft / Boeing 777-300ER
Departure Ataturk Airport
13:15/ 10 Jul 2014 / Thu
Arrival John F Kennedy Airport
16:50 / 10 Jul 2014 / Thu
Cabin/Fare/Class Comfort / Promo / A
Baggage Allowed 2 Pieces Max

I would look at business class rather than first, most airlines will operate a business class product TATL but fewer operate first in addition.

You have a few options:
- Cash ticket up front in business or first. Guaranteed seat/class/date.
- Wait for a published sale in business or first.
- Hope for a mistake fare at a large discount, low probability
- Book an award ticket with miles will be cheaper depending on availability, to earn the miles you can either open credit cards, fly to earn, buy the miles, etc
- Upgrade from a lower class with miles/cash, depends on the airline you are flying whether you can do this, whether it is guaranteed or not and how it is done

Another thing to keep in mind is that unless you can get a direct flight, you will likely have at least one connecting flight.

European shorthaul airlines business class is generally the same seating as economy, but with a middle seat blocked, a curtain divider and slightly better service.

where in canada are you starting from and where in europe do you need to go to? also what are the approx dates?
Also you are asking about first class, Its worthwhile to note that some airlines business classes are better than a lower airlines first class. So research about the product will be key.

I would recommend talking to your doctor about Xanax or a similar type of medication.

As this isn't a Mileage Run Deal I'll relocate it to the Information desk forum instead.

tcook052
Mileage Run Forum Moderator

In order for us to help we need to know details.
Also meds are a very good idea. !st/business class can get pretty pricey on a transatlantic (tatl) flight so be as flexible as possible.
Yes they are hard to find at a reasonable price if they were'nt we would all fly bussiness class. Good luck

maybe useless as I dont know where you are going from or to, BUT
Business class for approx $2300 USD from YUL to europe

Montreal (YUL) to Milan (MXP) - Sun, Jun 29
Air Canada Montreal (YUL) to Zurich (ZRH) - Sun, Jun 29
Air Canada 6820 Dep: 4:55PM Arr: 6:15AM 7h 20m Airbus A330 Business (Z)
OPERATED BY SWISS Layover in ZRH Mon, Jun 30 1h 5m

SWISS Zurich (ZRH) to Milan (MXP) - Mon, Jun 30
SWISS 1612 Dep: 7:20AM Arr: 8:15AM 0h 55m Avro RJ100 Business (Z)
OPERATED BY SWISS EUROPEAN AIR LINES

Milan (MXP) to Montreal (YUL) - Thu, Jul 10
Air Canada Milan (MXP) to Toronto (YYZ) - Thu, Jul 10
Air Canada 843 Dep: 12:20PM Arr: 3:40PM 9h 20m Boeing 767 Business (Z)
Layover in YYZ 1h 20m

Air Canada Toronto (YYZ) to Montreal (YUL) - Thu, Jul 10
Air Canada 420 Dep: 5:00PM Arr: 6:15PM 1h 15m Embraer RJ-190 Business (Z)

Cost per passenger (including taxes & fees) $2,237.30

Hey everyone,

Thanks so much for the suggestions. To address one person's post, I don't expect airlines to give me a cheap ticket just because I have claustrophobia....I just wanted suggestions on ways to upgrade, or ways to search/when to buy tickets to pay the lowest fare possible. I did take ativan last time, and it helped (not sure about Xanax).

I would be leaving out of Toronto, but could drive to Detroit, and need to fly to Munich, but (I've never been to Europe), I suppose I could land anywhere? They have very high speed trains, so I assume I could get anywhere in about 4 hours. Leaving in August.

General tips/search strategies/thoughts very welcome, and thanks.

Oh, also, because I'm a noob, what's the difference between business and first class? I thought they were synonymous.

Depends on the airline and route. Where an airline has both business and first, first is a higher class.

Some US airlines sell the highest cabin as first domestically, but for international flights sell the same cabin as business.
Some airlines do not operate a first cabin, or do not operate them on all aircraft.

Some airlines business class seating/service is better than another airlines first class.

You cannot 'get anywhere' in Europe on high speed trains in about 4 hours. Some countries including Germany have high speed rail and some high speed rail links exist between countries, but don't blindly assume you can get between two quickly by rail.

As I said previously, some business fares may involve a connection to a shorthaul aircraft.

they are often synonymous for "domestic" flights, but for international, there's a big difference in the soft product (you'll get better champagne, caviar on most airlines, more meal courses, and better ground service/lounge). The hard product varies from incrementally better to dramatically better (in terms of seat space, comfort and type), but in general, you can expect lie-flat beds in either class of service across the pond.

For your purposes, business class ought to be good enough.

What is a "reasonable" amount of money for you to spend to get there in business class? and how many miles do you have and in which programs?

Size and service.

On name brand carriers, that still offer business and international first, the seat - or suite - is bigger, check in is better, food, etc. is better and prices much higher (and generally not worth it to the mostly frugal FT folks).

In general, international Business class is much better than domestic F. There's also Premium Economy on say British Air, which is a different class of service than Economy. TK's Comfort Class has roughly 2X the volume of space as compared to their (or any other) economy class.

The seat size or various carreirs can be found on Seat Guru. The service is best inferred from reading various threads.