With my business travel going through the roof (gold -> platinum) I've decided to go with it rather than fight it. I've tried with variable success taking my wife with me and extending my business trips.

The problem is I often get business class seating through work and I can afford only to buy a coach ticket but this could easily lead to marital strife as you might imagine.

So, question... what is the best strategy for getting a business class international companion ticket? Help!

Welcome to FT Flyzer!!

I have a saying, "Happy wife, Happy life" seems you value a happy life as well.

I used to be in the same position. Seeing as you are now the elite flyer, use some of those miles that you have and upgrade the coach fare of your spouse. Your spouse will earn miles as it was a purchased ticket, so eventually she will be able to contribute to upgrading herself as well.

At first, we also took turns. I would usually fly biz to the destination since I needed to be "fresh" and she would take my biz seat on the way home.

There are also credit cards that offer buy a biz class ticket and get one free.

[This message has been edited by Sweet Willie (edited 12-08-2001).]

The answer is simple.

Take your girlfriend instead and tell her that she must sit in coach so as to avoid suspicion.

ROFL!

A great solution!

My company always seems to book fully refundable business class tikets for me. When I can't get an upgrade for my fiance when she comes along, I trade in the business class ticket and use it towards two coach tickets. Most of the time, the difference becomes a credit back to me. A few times, I had to pay a little more.

And no, my company does not mind. Our travel policy is for any flight over 4 hours (which is most transcons and transpacs), we are allowed to fly in Business Class.

CS

Well if you can't upgrade your wife to BF. I would just sit at the back and let her enjoy BF. That way your wife will be happier!

Get an AmEx Platinum card. They have 2 for 1 business class deals with quite a few int'l airlines.

http://www10.americanexpress.com/sif...41,2731,00.asp

How about doing a few pleasure mileage runs and going from Plt to EXP? (This assumes you are flying AA) You'll get 8 initial VIPOWs on making EXP and 8 more in the following year. (see the AA thread for more VIPOW information) You can fly business on the company and use the upgrades for your wife on cheap coach fares. You'll both get miles and you'll love the EXP benefits.

You also could also use miles to upgrade her.

[This message has been edited by drtravels (edited 12-09-2001).]

Definitely get top elite status and use the upgrade provisions. Air Canada, United, Lufthansa and American all have workable deals that will get you flying much more cheaply than full business.

If you run out of upgrade certificates, you can sit in the back while your wife rides up front!

I wouldn't recommend ChinaShark's strategy of trading for cheaper tix, even with the company's OK, someday this will hit the fan as being wrong. A few years back professional baseball umpires in the US were found guilty of doing the same thing. I took my wife with me two weeks ago on a business trip to GIG (Rio). Once you spoil your wife with Business Class overseas, there is no turning back to coach! For this AA trip, I used VIPOW for me, ff award business class for her, but in the past have used AA FC miles award, US companion upgrade cert to Europe (paid coach) and DL miles award for her. My heavy use of award mileage for her is primarily influenced by her infrequent flying and no doubling mileage earning ability.

Outoftown's advice is very well-taken. When you cash in your business class ticket for a less-expensive class of service, the IRS taxes the difference between business class and coach class fares. Just ask the sports officials who paid heavy fines in Federal Court and lost their jobs. Actually, they were NBA referees.

You might try the AMEX platinum 2 for 1. Certainly the mileage accumulation and upgrade is legal. I think the trade one B in and buy two Y has serious tax concequences. The company writes off the B price, and you convert 1/2 to a non- employee. Does not sound good to me.

After that, they are going to start counting days of work and days of play and your business trips are not tax deductable. Last time I looked, over 1/2 of days away, including travel time, and weekends must be work days. Non-employees expenses must be pro-rated, and excluded.(even difference between a single room and a double room)

You do not want the IRS to look this, so find out how to stay very clean.

To elaborate on trading the business ticket for the two coach tickets: you have two different questions. First, does your company allow you to trade tickets and keep the difference? (I gather that it does.)

Second, are you declaring the income? (That's where the NBA referees fouled out.) If you exchange a $3000 business ticket, paid for by your employer, for two $1500 coach tickets, and if the second coach ticket is for your wife for a non-business purpose (i.e., personal use), then you need to report that $1500 as income, and pay tax on it. The NBA didn't mind if the referees exchanged expensive tickets for cheap tickets and pocketed the difference, but the IRS objected when the refs didn't pay tax on the cash they pocketed.