How to Create Business Class in Economy

We all know how big the price difference is between international Economy and Business Class is. On transatlantic routes, Business Class often sells for four to five times the price of economy! However, in a few steps (and with a bit of luck), you can create (almost) international Business Class in Economy Class!

1. Reserve an empty row of seats, and create a suite.

This step will likely be the hardest out of all of them, because of how full planes are nowadays. However, there are still some strategies that can help you sit next to the few empty seats on planes and be able to lie flat.

The main strategy can be seen in this article on onemileatatime. Basically, you take the aisle or window near the back of Economy (or preferably extra legroom economy if you have free access to it). If you are traveling with someone and it is a three-seat section, you take the seats on either side of the window seat.

If the plane is partially empty, chances are you will have a flat bed to yourself, which is arguably the most important aspect of flying in Business Class.

How can you create a suite in Economy Class? Well, this writer from The Points Guy figured out how! Basically, in a window row, you use one of the extra blankets and place it between the row and the aisle, making you enclosed. It makes sense on the picture in the above post.

2. Bring your own travel pillow, blanket and other amenities.

While Business Class bedding and amenities are getting better and better, for the most part, all Economy passengers can realistically expect is a flimsy pillow and a thin blanket. Many people have caught on and have started bringing travel pillows, which can be a life saver on longer flights. You should also bring a nice blanket and amenities such as toothbrushes and toothpaste if you can.

3. Bring your own noise cancelling headphones and (optionally) inflight entertainment

On long flights, business class passengers are often given noise cancelling headphones while cattle class passengers are at most given cheap headsets, but are usually either given cheap earbuds or nothing at all! If you travel a lot, investing in a quality pair of noise cancelling headphones (such as Bose) could be worth it.

Many airlines today have an extensive library of inflight entertainment, even in Economy, and in that case, there is no reason to be weighed down by extra devices. That is why I am making this category optional. However, if you are on an airline that does not offer inflight entertainment, this could also be a life saver.

4. Bring your own food.

This one is extremely important. The quality of food that you bring from home or from an airport restaurant is most likely even better than the food in Business Class, and obviously leaps and bounds tastier and healthier than the sodium-saturated food in Economy. And as an added bonus, you can see the jealous faces of other passengers staring at you. 😉

So there you have it. If you think about it, with these four tips, you basically have Business Class besides a slightly less comfortable seat+bed. And over many flights, you would be paying far less than you would be paying for Business.

So give this a shot, and thank me later. 😃

[Featured image from Wikimedia Commons (NahidSultan)]