Business Class: numbers or psychology?

[Goldenage61]

I’m starting to think that the points-flights game is part “numerical” and part “psychological”.

For the newbie like me, it’s a really large part “psychological” – the way you approach the ‘game’.

I’ve been hoarding my Qantas points for years. The (very welcome) responses to my first post were ‘don’t hoard, go out and use them’, to achieve certainty to get business class, and then let the future take care of itself.

I guess this is pricing psychology that I’m about to talk about.

When you have a lifetime habit of buying economy seats on sale, the thought of paying the price tag for business class seems incredibly expensive. It seems wasteful.

But there are people on this forum who don’t seem to blink at a one-way airfare for $3,000 to $5,000. That’s $12,000-$20,000 for a return airfare, which is a lot of five-star hotel nights. And $20,000 over 15 years is $300,000. Nice house deposits for my kids.

(The middle ground is using points to achieve the above – but let’s leave that to the side for this exercise.)

The truth is that my wife and I could probably afford to pay business class for the next 10 to 15 years that we expect to travel, during retirement. Not easily. Not without batting an eyelid. But we could do it and not be on poverty row. And so could a lot of other people I know (like my rich in-laws that don’t).

So, my questions are: How do you think about this? What are the flaws in my thinking… from your perspective (no offence taken)?

 

[StayGoldPonyboy]

Life is short.

Don't count on necessarily having 10-15 healthy years.

Sorry to be a Debbie downer but I know of too many people now who have had little/no chance to travel in their shortened retirement due to ill health.

If you can afford it, do it as often as you can afford.

 

[Cynicor]

Yeah; in my job I’m often telling people “big news” and they usually don’t expect it. Lots of plans to “do it later” up in the air after that.

Also, the kids can buy their own house. Spend your money and not yourself, or by that logic everyone shouldn’t spend anything extra and should just hand it downwards perpetually

 

[luckypierre]

When you have a lifetime habit of buying economy seats on sale, the thought of paying the price tag for business class seems incredibly expensive. It seems wasteful.

This probably reflects your (I'm guessing & mine ) generation and the way you were raised, not wasting money and certainly not spending money that you didn't have.

The truth is that my wife and I could probably afford to pay business class for the next 10 to 15 years that we expect to travel, during retirement. Not easily. Not without batting an eyelid. But we could do it and not be on poverty row.

You've worked hard for your money and if your able, you certainly should fly J. Nothing stop you from researching and shopping around to get the best deal for your $$$, certainly eases the "psychological pain", if you get a fair deal.

 

[JohnM]

I’m starting to think that the points-flights game is part “numerical” and part “psychological”.

For the newbie like me, it’s a really large part “psychological” – the way you approach the ‘game’.

I’ve been hoarding my Qantas points for years. The (very welcome) responses to my first post were ‘don’t hoard, go out and use them’, to achieve certainty to get business class, and then let the future take care of itself.

I guess this is pricing psychology that I’m about to talk about.

When you have a lifetime habit of buying economy seats on sale, the thought of paying the price tag for business class seems incredibly expensive. It seems wasteful.

But there are people on this forum who don’t seem to blink at a one-way airfare for $3,000 to $5,000. That’s $12,000-$20,000 for a return airfare, which is a lot of five-star hotel nights. And $20,000 over 15 years is $300,000. Nice house deposits for my kids.

(The middle ground is using points to achieve the above – but let’s leave that to the side for this exercise.)

The truth is that my wife and I could probably afford to pay business class for the next 10 to 15 years that we expect to travel, during retirement. Not easily. Not without batting an eyelid. But we could do it and not be on poverty row. And so could a lot of other people I know (like my rich in-laws that don’t).

So, my questions are: How do you think about this? What are the flaws in my thinking… from your perspective (no offence taken)?

I think that you may find as you get older that travelling in whY long haul is increasingly a PITA and you will likely become more inclined to cough up for J.

 

[StayGoldPonyboy]

And
If you buy business class tix on sale, then you are saving money=good thing.

This is how I have so many pairs of Italian shoes.

 

[drron]

Well in my career I saw many people who saved up for their grand retirement trip but who were no longer with us or so disabled that they couldn’t.
So we began travelling J well before my retirement. Finally truely retiring just over two years ago we had a long talk with our son and his wife. They told us to go and spend their inheritance. So we are doing so.

 

[JohnM]

Well in my career I saw many people who saved up for their grand retirement trip but who were no longer with us or so disabled that they couldn’t.
So we began travelling J well before my retirement. Finally truely retiring just over two years ago we had a long talk with our son and his wife. They told us to go and spend their inheritance. So we are doing so.

I didn't ask permission - but my two sons have looonnng known...

 

[cgichard]

With increasing age and decreasing mobility, a lie-flat seat on a long-haul flight becomes a necessity rather than an indulgence.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I’m starting to think that the points-flights game is part “numerical” and part “psychological”.

For the newbie like me, it’s a really large part “psychological” – the way you approach the ‘game’.

I’ve been hoarding my Qantas points for years. The (very welcome) responses to my first post were ‘don’t hoard, go out and use them’, to achieve certainty to get business class, and then let the future take care of itself.

I guess this is pricing psychology that I’m about to talk about.

When you have a lifetime habit of buying economy seats on sale, the thought of paying the price tag for business class seems incredibly expensive. It seems wasteful.

But there are people on this forum who don’t seem to blink at a one-way airfare for $3,000 to $5,000. That’s $12,000-$20,000 for a return airfare, which is a lot of five-star hotel nights. And $20,000 over 15 years is $300,000. Nice house deposits for my kids.

(The middle ground is using points to achieve the above – but let’s leave that to the side for this exercise.)

The truth is that my wife and I could probably afford to pay business class for the next 10 to 15 years that we expect to travel, during retirement. Not easily. Not without batting an eyelid. But we could do it and not be on poverty row. And so could a lot of other people I know (like my rich in-laws that don’t).

So, my questions are: How do you think about this? What are the flaws in my thinking… from your perspective (no offence taken)?

Remember the old saying “if you don’t travel first class, your children will.”

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I’m starting to think that the points-flights game is part “numerical” and part “psychological”.

For the newbie like me, it’s a really large part “psychological” – the way you approach the ‘game’.

I’ve been hoarding my Qantas points for years. The (very welcome) responses to my first post were ‘don’t hoard, go out and use them’, to achieve certainty to get business class, and then let the future take care of itself.

I guess this is pricing psychology that I’m about to talk about.

When you have a lifetime habit of buying economy seats on sale, the thought of paying the price tag for business class seems incredibly expensive. It seems wasteful.

But there are people on this forum who don’t seem to blink at a one-way airfare for $3,000 to $5,000. That’s $12,000-$20,000 for a return airfare, which is a lot of five-star hotel nights. And $20,000 over 15 years is $300,000. Nice house deposits for my kids.

(The middle ground is using points to achieve the above – but let’s leave that to the side for this exercise.)

The truth is that my wife and I could probably afford to pay business class for the next 10 to 15 years that we expect to travel, during retirement. Not easily. Not without batting an eyelid. But we could do it and not be on poverty row. And so could a lot of other people I know (like my rich in-laws that don’t).

So, my questions are: How do you think about this? What are the flaws in my thinking… from your perspective (no offence taken)?

There’s two parts to this.

The first part is the ‘best use’ of your current points stash. The second part is ‘the future’.

If I recall correctly you were initially considering your points stash for upgrades. That wasn’t going to happen! Without status, trying to use points for an upgrade is unlikely.

The options to maximise your current points are therefore (a) use points to book business class directly, or (b) use points to say fly to somewhere in asia, then buy business class with cash from asia to europe (it doesn’t really work for the USA).

Using option (b) means 150k points per person to fly business class from Australia to Asia (return), followed by AUD3000 per person cash fare in business from asia to Europe (again return).

Part 2 is once you’ve used up your current stash of points. There are lots of options. You can swap out business class on points to Asia for buying a cheap economy class fare on Jetstar, or Air Asia. Then buy your cash business class fare again from asia to europe for $3000

Or you can buy miles through someone like Air Canada’s Aeroplan program. That costs you $4400 return business class per person Australia to Europe, or $3200 per person return business class australia to the Usa. You need to join Air Canada’s frequent flyer program (free) and keep an eye out on AFF for Air Canada’s miles sales (where they offer a 100% bonus when you buy miles).

If that’s stretching the budget, you can consider some trips at lower cost, but maximising comfort. Qantas for example offers a ‘comfort seat’ option. You must make your booking through the call centre, but if the economy fare is say $1500 to Los Angeles, you’d buy two of these and a third ‘comfort seat’ which they sell to you minus any taxes, fees or fuel surcharges, coming in at $980. So three seats for $4000. But what this gives you is heaps of space on board. A empty middle seat! Lots of leg and shoulder room. AND you earn full qantas points for the spare seat (adding to your points totals for next time!)

Similar pricing for anywhere in asia or europe.

So there are lots of options to mix and match and you can be comfortably flying to the USA or Europe for well under $10k, business class, for two passengers! Even cheaper for the options to still fly economy, but maximise comfort options easily available.

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

Yeah; in my job I’m often telling people “big news” and they usually don’t expect it. Lots of plans to “do it later” up in the air after that.

Also, the kids can buy their own house. Spend your money and not yourself, or by that logic everyone shouldn’t spend anything extra and should just hand it downwards perpetually

If they leave Australia for somewhere else with a reasonable real estate market, sure.

 

[bashworth]

I didn't pay for Business Class for myself until our 40th Wedding Aniversary in 2017 when we did a Round the World Trip in Business.

Since then we have tended to pay for a premium cabin for long haul but still go economy for shorter trips.

As far as using point are concerned we tend to look at paying cash for my tickets to get status for me which means its easier for me to book a ticket for my wife on points.

As other have said you don't know long you have got so just think "we are here for a good time not a long time.

 

[RooFlyer]

I think that you may find as you get older that travelling in whY long haul is increasingly a PITA and you will likely become more inclined to cough up for J.

PITA and the joints, the tendons, the mental processes not to mention lounge access

 

[Cynicor]

If they leave Australia for somewhere else with a reasonable real estate market, sure.

I’m young and all my friends are having hassles buying houses, so I understand. But still, the market is screwed and I doubt you not flying business will help that much.

 

[Forg]

So there are lots of options to mix and match and you can be comfortably flying to the USA or Europe for well under $10k, business class, for two passengers! Even cheaper for the options to still fly economy, but maximise comfort options easily available.

Just adding to these good suggestions … Y is nowhere near as bad during a daylight flight, when the fact you can’t sleep isn’t such a problem & the chances of someone reclining in your face (hence thwarting your ability to read or use the IFE) are lower … and some airlines have daytime flights to & from Asia. So doing that might be helpful if doing a mix-and-match.

 

[Human]

My sneaking suspicion is that the majority of people who fly paid business class pre-retirement, do so because someone else is paying for it — usually their employer, or sometimes another family member.

I pay for short-haul business class (less than $400 per flight) once or twice a year, mainly to go towards maintaining my Platinum status. Anything long-haul I’ll use points for.

I suppose that may change when I retire … I guess we’ll wait and see!

 

[Cynicor]

My sneaking suspicion is that the majority of people who fly paid business class pre-retirement, do so because someone else is paying for it — usually their employer, or sometimes another family member.

I pay for short-haul business class (less than $400 per flight) once or twice a year, mainly to go towards maintaining my Platinum status. Anything long-haul I’ll use points for.

I suppose that may change when I retire … I guess we’ll wait and see!

Not sure about that. There are a lot of high income people out there with limited time off. When they travel it’s prioritising the experience, not worrying about 20-30k of flights

 

[Human]

Not sure about that. There are a lot of high income people out there with limited time off. When they travel it’s prioritising the experience, not worrying about 20-30k of flights

I suppose the question is … in the average business class cabin, how many people are travelling for leisure and how many are travelling for work? I do agree that more leisure travellers are paying for business class than pre-COVID.

 

[SOPOOR]

I wouldnt ever pay for anything above economy, unless i became filthy rich

Yes economy is uncomfortable, but you still get fed, you can drink, you have a tv or byo laptop, when i was a kid, laptops werent mainstream and if i recall there was one tv for the entire cabin and i remember being so bored it was torture, plus i dont sleep much on planes

Maybe when im older and it becomes a physical issue, then ill change my stance

I just remind myself business is 3-6 times the cost of economy.
I would much rather go to 3 holidays in economy vs 1 holiday in business

No brainer for me