Business class offers luxury travel perks most vacationers only dream of: seats that recline flat with more width than economy, high-quality meals, exclusive airport lounges. But flying business can “transform the way you experience your journey”: sleeping through your flight rather than scrambling for every ounce of rest, working or relaxing in ample space at the airport, bypassing lines to board early so you arrive energized. And these luxuries don’t have to be limited to business trips. Even if you’re paying for your own flights as an individual or family, you can still indulge by booking business class seats at the right time.

When is the Right Time? Look for Quarterly Sales

Airline fares are dynamic, changing based on demand. Demand for expensive business-class tickets is partly driven by corporate travel, which follows a quarterly schedule. Late in each quarter (roughly April, July, and October), corporations may have exhausted their budgets or cut last-minute travel plans. Airlines anticipate this corporate travel slump and may discount business fares to fill seats. The real coach bookings occur in late March, late June, and late September, while airlines release cheap business-class tickets. In other words, if you know when quarterly-earnings reports come out, you can plan to book awards around those dates.

One international airline renowned for quarter-based sales is Iberia, Spain’s flagship carrier. On popular routes like New York City-Madrid and New York City-Barcelona, its promotions have “often coincided” with end-of-quarter sales pushes. During these sales, you could book a business-class award for much less.

In a nutshell, watch the fiscal calendar. Airlines have incentives to offer flight sales when they announce quarterly earnings, so keep an eye out around those dates. When you can score a deal on a flight, you can travel in comfort on budget.

Benefits of Buying Business Class Awards Around Quarterly Dates

Fewer corporate travelers flying late in a quarter means lower business-class prices for you!

Save big. Airlines slash prices at the end of each quarter, and you can take advantage. You might score business-class tickets for half the normal price. On Iberia Airlines, for example, we spotted a flight from New York to Barcelona dropping from $4,800 to $2,100 in business class, all during summer! And that’s a 56% cut!

Luxury travel on a budget. Lie-flat beds, spacious cabins, lounge access, extra bags and priority service don’t have to be pricey. You and your travel companion or family can enjoy these perks, too.

Increased seat availability. With corporate travelers cut down, there will be more seats available for those who book during sales. Who knows? With fewer business-class customers expected, the airline might let you upgrade at check-in if you offer to pay the difference in cash.

Perfect for family travel. Purchasing business-class seats out-of-pocket is easiest for solo travelers, but if you’re visiting with your family you can still enjoy the benefit. Rather than flying yourself solo in comfort, buy everyone a seat up front. Save money by splitting the cost of two business-class tickets between your entire family. A couple or small family can travel in comfort for only slightly more than they would have paid for economy.

Tips to Score the Best Business Class Deals

So we figured out when to book. Now, let’s learn how to find the best deals. Follow these tips: 

Flex your dates

Airlines will price flights based on demand, and midweek flights generally have lower demand. Try shifting your departure date or returning one day early or late. You might be surprised how much a fare can change by shifting your flight by a day or two. Also consider flying into a different airport than you planned. Just being in a neighboring city could make the difference between an open and closed business-class cabin.

Set up price alerts

Use Google Flights or another resource to set up price alerts on your routes of choice. Enter your itinerary and set a target price. Then whenever that flight changes to match your goal, you’ll get an email or phone alert letting you know. You can even sign up for airlines’ newsletters, which will send you sales information straight from the source. Airlines are fond of post-holiday sales and seasonal sales, so these emails can help you take advantage of cheap travel.

Know when to book

While there’s no magic day to book flights, you can spot trends. Research shows there are “two big booking windows”: very early (when airlines release sales to early birds) and just before your trip. To illustrate this, experts point to one study that found business-class sales for summer travel popped up around five to eight months in advance or about six to ten weeks before travel. While we can’t promise these windows will open for you, knowing them can definitely help.

Mix it up with city pairs

Booking two separate one-way flights or creating a multi-city itinerary can sometimes be cheaper than booking a round trip. Another option: purchase a mixed cabin ticket if that saves you money. For example, fly business to your destination but return in premium economy if that brings the total fare down. Use search tools that allow multi-city routes to uncover these hidden discounts.

Keep an eye out for upgrades

If all your research and preparation still leaves you stuck in coach or even worse, premium economy, don’t lose hope: you might be upgraded at check-in. Airlines don’t want to depart with empty premium seats, so monitor the airline’s app or website leading up to your flight. You might receive an email or see a deal to pay less to upgrade your seat to business class.

How BCFlights Helps You Find Business Class Travel Options

Finding a good fare is only part of the battle. You also need to book it. BCFlights makes that easy by allowing you to compare airlines’ business-class fares in one place. Plus, with BCFlights you get to see the seat map, so you can select your preferred seating (aisle, window, middle) before you book. And if your flight goes down in price after you book, we will rebook you on the lower fare or credit you the difference. In other words, at BCFlights we allow you to easily book business class travel and ensure you pay the lowest price.

Conclusion 

If you’re tired of being stuck in the back, flying business class might be for you. And if you time it right, you can nab lower fares on your luxury tickets. Learn the fiscal quarter calendar and plan your travels around those quarterly-report dates. With a flexible schedule and some helpful tools like flight price alerts (and BCFlights), you can take advantage of quarterly deals. That way you’ll travel in style without breaking the bank. BCFlights helps you pick your ideal seat too, so you can relax once you find the perfect deal