The world’s cheapest business class flight?

[Mattg]

I’m about to fly on Uzbekistan Airways from SKD to TAS. It’s a 55-minute domestic flight.

The business class fare was USD50.20, which is around AUD73 at the current exchange rate (it was slightly less when I booked). That’s not the co-payment on an award booking or the cost to upgrade from economy - that was the standard, full ticket price!

Does anyone know of a cheaper business class ticket anywhere in the world?

I’m not counting staff travel, award tickets, upgrades etc. - but a fare that’s available to any member of the public.

 

[Quickstatus]

What aircraft do they operate

 

[AIRwin]

What aircraft do they operate

A320?

 

[Gold Member]

How do you define business class? recliner seats or flat beds/suites?

The humble Marketing team at Qantas will tell you that Jetstar offers “Business class” for the pathetic recliner offering, but charged at exorbitant prices.

If comparing recliner seats marketed as Business, I just flew a Scoot “Business” DPS-SIN for $160 AUD. The quoted flight time is 2h35m.

 

[Quickstatus]

A320

That's pretty good

The humble Marketing team at Qantas will tell you that Jetstar

Still better than Eurobusiness.

 

[samh004]

I'm sure I've travelled BA Euro Business back in the past where one direction of a return can be very low in J. Not as low as that, but not much more than double that. I'm not going to try and find receipts, but I know I thought it was a steal at the time, even if BA "dom J" can be a bit lacklustre.

 

[Quickstatus]

I'm sure I've travelled BA Euro Business

My last Eurobusiness fare LHR-CPH on BA was cheaper than the Y fare for the same flight at AUD $184 per hour



Still no match for @Mattg 's HY

 

[Quickstatus]

How do you define business class?

It the aircraft was an Ilyushin then all bets are off, but an A320/321/330/767/787 is pretty good. HY seem to have proper J unlke EuroJ

Josh Cahill did an A320 J HY review - no angry Babushkas

 

[Townsend]

I’m about to fly on Uzbekistan Airways from SKD to TAS. It’s a 55-minute domestic flight.

The business class fare was USD50.20, which is around AUD73 at the current exchange rate (it was slightly less when I booked). That’s not the co-payment on an award booking or the cost to upgrade from economy - that was the standard, full ticket price!

Does anyone know of a cheaper business class ticket anywhere in the world?

I’m not counting staff travel, award tickets, upgrades etc. - but a fare that’s available to any member of the public.

Sounds like a great trip. Looking forward to the trip report!

 

[Mattg]

What aircraft do they operate

It was an A320neo with proper business class (recliner) seats. 2-2 in J with good legroom, compared with 3-3 in Y.

 

[Quickstatus]

It was an A320neo

Looks like a few shadows

 

[Scarlett]

Looks like a few shadows

Everyone else was on the fast train.

 

[Mattg]

Looks like a few shadows

I took this photo during boarding. The rest of the cabin did fill up, it was a full flight.

FWIW I was offered a pre-departure beverage of still water, sparkling water, orange juice, apple juice or pepsi, served in a paper cup. That was the extent of the service - the flight time was only 40 minutes and the flight attendants never left their seats during the flight.

Still, for the price it was pretty good.

How do you define business class? recliner seats or flat beds/suites?

The humble Marketing team at Qantas will tell you that Jetstar offers “Business class” for the pathetic recliner offering, but charged at exorbitant prices.

If comparing recliner seats marketed as Business, I just flew a Scoot “Business” DPS-SIN for $160 AUD. The quoted flight time is 2h35m.

I would say that any product sold as business class, where the service is clearly differentiated in some way (i.e. better seats and/or meals provided) would count. Not sure about Scoot Plus as it’s not sold as business class, but for all intents and purposes I think it probably does count.

 

[Wanderlust_tim]

It shouldn't count but in 2015 I flew AZAL IKA-GYD in first class. Information was scant but it was about $100 and that was what the corporate TA booked.

Excited, upon getting to the airport I discovered that First Class literally just meant that baggage was included...

 

[bcworld]

I remember back in the day when only SQ and MH operated between SIN<>KUL. And only 2 classes were sold...economy and first (business class seating onboard). It was about an extra USD25 for first...and it got you did get access to the F lounge where you could sit at the bar and drink your body weight in Krug!

 

[dajop]

INot sure about Scoot Plus as it’s not sold as business class, but for all intents and purposes I think it probably does count.

On kayak and the like, ScootPlus is sold as Premium Economy, whilst Jetstar Business is sold as Business - almost always at higher prices than ScootPlus. The difference is mostly in soft product - bottomless beverages / second meal and IFE vs Scoot which has single meal, single beverage and no IFE.

 

[Quickstatus]

To me J class really is the seat and luggage allowance. I am concerned less about the other so called "benefits"

important J benefits
Seat and seat selection
Luggage allowance
Upgraded service in case of IIRPOS
Lounge not as important..

Other benefits are just gimmicks

 

[Forg]

To me J class really is the seat and luggage allowance. I am concerned less about the other so called "benefits"

important J benefits
Seat and seat selection
Luggage allowance
Upgraded service in case of IIRPOS
Lounge not as important..

Other benefits are just gimmicks

As someone who probably won't ever have lounge privileges unless flying in a fare-class that allows it, the lounge access has value for me. Access to showers in particular, I know you can suss-out access to showers in some airports but I've not always managed to do that.

I've never really had to carry more than my own clothes for luggage so the AU-spec 20kg has always been enough for me; and while lounge access was cool the first few times, after a while you realise there are few J lounges where there's a lot of value in what they offer (the food's usually somewhere between poor & average, the booze is usually "OK", and when it's busy it's no more relaxing than the terminal).
But the showers were something I really enjoyed, the one time I travelled long-haul in J.

I've also not had work to do - I could see myself trying to get that work done in a lounge so I could relax once onboard.

 

[Quickstatus]

showers

I do agree. The only value in a lounge is access to showers. Food, drink? - yeah nah.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I do agree. The only value in a lounge is access to showers. Food, drink? - yeah nah.

One of the biggest benefits for lounges - other than qantas ones these days! - is quick and easy access to help in the case of IRROPS. In the USA they’re called ‘lounge angels’ for a reason! They work wonders!