Traveling in business class means enjoying perks and behaving in ways that many economy flyers will never witness. From accessing exclusive airport lounges and sleeping in fully-flat beds to skipping lines with priority boarding, there are countless ways flying business can differ from coach. Here are five things business-class passengers regularly do that go unnoticed by economy class travelers.

 

1. Spend Time in Lounges Before the Flight 

For starters, when you have a business-class ticket to your destination, you can access the airport lounge. Airport lounges are private spaces in the airport terminals open to travelers accessing VIP terminals or businesses-class cabins. Lounges typically include comfortable seating areas, hot buffet meals or a la carte ordering, high-end snacks and drinks (including alcohol like coffee and champagne), complimentary charging stations, and sometimes shower suites. 

Lounge spaces allow you to enjoy a nice meal while waiting for your flight (rather than eat sugary airport food), plug your devices in on lounge workstations, and relax far away from the crowds at the gate.

 

2. Sleep on Fully-Flat Beds 

Once onboard your flight, business-class passengers settle into their lie-flat beds. Lie-flat seats that convert into fully-flat beds (some with privacy partitions, others with actual doors) are one of the largest differences between coach seats and premium cabins. Some travelers wonder, why are comfortable seats the single biggest difference between economy and business class? The answer is because you can actually sleep on long flights. 

Additionally, airlines provide amenities like big pillows, blankets, noise-cancelling headphones, and slippers. Some passengers even change into pajamas provided by the airline in its amenity kit. Bottom line: flyers in premium cabins make themselves comfortable like they’re at home in the clouds, which is something economy passengers don’t get to do.

 

3. Skip Lines with Priority Check-In and Boarding 

Business-class passengers can skip most lines during their travel experience. Before the flight, passengers can access dedicated check-in counters and (typically) exclusive security lines. On the airport floor, business-class travelers board the aircraft during a first priority group. Sky Priority, for example, is what airlines offer premium customers to experience faster check-in and accelerated security, early boarding, and expedited baggage delivery. 

After landing, business-class baggage is tagged as priority so it arrives at the front of the carousel. When you think about it, this allows flyers in premium cabins to check luggage and clear through security much quicker, board the aircraft while others are standing in line to board, and exit the plane before everyone else to begin their day at their final destination. While the idea of “skipping lines” may not be noticeable to economy passengers, they certainly exist and are exclusive benefits for business-class customers.

 

4. Enjoy Luxurious Meals and Unlimited Drinks 

On flights, business-class customers enjoy meals that are far above standard economy grub. Business flyers dine on multi-course meals served on real china dishes with metal utensils. They can drink unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages while in flight. Premium cabins typically feature multiple entrée options, as well as complimentary wine, beer, champagne, and spirits. 

Also, plenty of airlines let you select your meal (and your seat) before your flight through their website or mobile app. If you fly Delta, for instance, you can even pick your main course up to two days before your flight. The point? Agents recommend pre-selecting so we can make sure you get your first choice. Passengers in premium cabins can eat whenever and whatever they want, and coaches passengers will never know the difference.

 

5. Strategically Choose Seats with Special Tools 

Finally, business-class passengers don’t just sit in any seat. Many business-class passengers will have a strategy for where to sit. Frequent flyers use enhanced seat maps to identify quiet or private areas of the plane.

Travel experts, for one, insist that tools like SeatMaps or ExpertFlyer can be a great help here, as they’ll show you a detailed layout of every airplane. Then, using user reports, you can identify which seats have extra storage underneath, direct aisle access, or are far away from the lavatories and galleys. Simply put, business-class passengers research where to sit. Economy passengers tend to sit wherever they’re assigned.

 

How BCFlights Can Help 

If you want many of these perks while traveling, you should consider using BCFlights.com. Цу help customers find cheap business-class flights by uncovering hidden fares and exclusive offers. By working with one of our travel agents, you can not only book a great price, but also get help choosing your seat. 

Need the first-row seat with a direct aisle and no neighbors? Want that window seat with the best view? BCFlights agents will help you identify flights with that specific cabin configuration. BCFlights will also help you book business class with ease, so you can worry less about shopping for flights and more about enjoying the benefits above.

 

The Bottom Line

Flying business class isn’t just about upgrading to a big seat. It’s about upgrading your entire travel routine. From spending time alone in exclusive airport lounges and boarding the plane first to sleeping like a baby and eating gourmet meals, these five things illustrate how business class can change your entire flying experience. Start your transformation from economy class to business-class with a site like BCFlights. Whether you avoid airport security lines or celebrate your arrival with a glass of champagne, learn from what business-class passengers do.