How do you afford business class?

[George Pill]

I just bought a round trip ticket through Orbitz and paid US$700. Normally I fly United or PAL (plane always late) and pay around $1000. If I click the business class price it is $4000. Whoooh! How do any of you afford a business class seat? Any tips how to do it?

[Rockheart]

I just bought a round trip ticket through Orbitz and paid US$700. Normally I fly United or PAL (plane always late) and pay around $1000. If I click the business class price it is $4000. Whoooh! How do any of you afford a business class seat? Any tips how to do it?

When I used to fly to Thailand twice a year from Canada, I would get enough points to get Star Alliance Gold Status.
Then Air Canada also gave me upgrade certificates. Most of the time if I bought regular economy I could upgrade to Business for free from Canada to Hong Kong or Japan.
Almost every trip I was able to upgrade after buying a $1000 economy seat, however the upgrade was never guaranteed until the last minute.

Last time i paid the $4000 for Business class but got a crappy itinerary.
I deduct if from my tax which makes it a little more affordable.
Lately the airlines offer business class upgrades when you check in online or even at the counter.
Air Canada was charging $800 for last minute upgrade from economy.

I think all the airlines offer last minute upgrades and lounge access all the time now.
Especially if you use online check. Do it early online to get the best chance.
Else ask about upgrade options at check in.

[George Pill]

Just ask at the check in counter. Will try that. But you know what? If the ride is choppy and turbulent. All classes feel the same. I suggest Ambien (Zolpidem). Might check Canada or Thai pharmacies if you can buy without a prescription.

[Rockheart]

Just ask at the check in counter. Will try that. But you know what? If the ride is choppy and turbulent. All classes feel the same. I suggest Ambien (Zolpidem). Might check Canada or Thai pharmacies if you can buy without a prescription.

If you can get an upgrade on a dream liner or a flight with business class pods it is usually worth an upgrade.
You will get a seat that goes flat and has massage built in. So you are somewhat protected from the usual turbulence.
Plus there is less turbulence in the front of the plane.

Sleeping medication is good as well, but you always get all the free food and booze in business class too.

[rxpharm]

Canadian pharmacies require prescriptions for the same drugs as the US. Hypnotics are also regulated in Thailand - and while there are a few Thai pharmacies that will sell hypnotics without prescription - they are few and far between.

If you are in business class there is no need to take hypnotics anyway, as the lie flat seats are much more comfortable. I use to upgrade as well, since I am a 50K Elite Gold member - but they started charging 750$ CAD processing fee for overseas business class upgrades 2 years ago, (even with your upgrade points), so I stopped doing that - but do use them for free upgrades to premium economy (business class food, better seats than economy - more space, but not a lie flat recline - it does recline about 2 inches more than economy.

What's worse now is that AC requires you to spend a set level of $ buying AC tickets in addition to mileage to maintain status. I have to spend $4500 CAD per year, plus fly 50k miles a year to maintain my Elite Gold status. (first notice was 6K but a lot of protests forced them to lower it to $4500 CAD per year buying AC tickets).

[joeaf]

... How do any of you afford a business class seat? Any tips how to do it?

I use FF miles. This year will be my 22^nd trip from USA-Thailand since my first trip in 1999. Of my 22 trips, I have 2 paid coach trips and 20 FF trips, mostly in the front of the bus which I book 330 days in advance.

I used to fly about 50k miles/yr bit back in the 1980s to mid 90s, but now I read Flyertalk and BoardingArea bloggers for tips to earn FF miles w/o flying. The Pudding Guy and The Baht Run were inspirational stories about two infamous mileage earning schemes. Personally, I have used the now defunct Continental Airlines debit card, US Fed Govt Voluntary Contribution Program to fund a Roth IRA acct, BankDirect checking account, and various credit card schemes to accumulate miles.

[Rockheart]

The programs used to be better for getting upgrades but most airlines have tightened things up.
Plus many airlines now offer the upgrades to all customers at a cost now, so they seem to have less upgrades available for Frequent Flyers.
Generally I don't use my miles to fly to Thailand as I get better value using my Aeroplan miles in Canada, plus I am alway worried I may get bumped when flying on points.
Also there is very good deals using points to fly from Bangkok to Phuket or Hong Kong is usually only 20,000 miles and almost no fees when you book in Thailand.
Last year it cost me 20,000 Aeroplan miles plus $7 to fly to Phuket. Buying a reward ticket in Canada will cost you ridiculous taxes and fees, probably $300 and 25,000+ miles for a similar flight.

This year I am flying Premium Economy to Hong Kong on Air Canada, Then Cathay Pacific economy to BKK from there.
(Air Canada is still not using Thai Airways from Hong Kong.)
There is actually upgrades to Business Class from Premium Economy for only upgrade points and no money.
So I only have the lowest status on Air Canada now which is prestige and only gives me Star Alliance silver, which is nearly nothing.
However I do have tons of upgrade points I'll probably never use.

Now on the way back the flights were not good and there was many milk run flights through Korea for cheap but I would have had to take 4 legs to get back home.
I won't fly more than 3 legs on a trip anymore, 4 stops is just too much. I probably did wait a little long to get great selection.
Anyway I ended up buying a Business Class ticket on the way back through Tokyo just to get a much shorter flight and to get a better schedule.
Not to mention I had a horrible layover in Seoul last year, so I am not wanting to go through Korea much.

Now this flight did cost $4507.59 Canadian which seems like alot.
However I am guaranteed Premium economy on the way to BKK and have an opportunity for a free upgrade to Business for no extra cash.
I also purchased lounge access on the departing flight included in that.
On the way back I get Business class from Japan to my home in Canada guaranteed.

So this one flight gives me my minimum dollar value on Air Canada.
It also gives me 22000 Aeroplan miles just for this one itinerary as Premium economy is 125% miles and Business is 150% miles.
Not to mention I am then only 3000 miles from Prestige status on Air Canada which only requires 25,000 miles.
The ticket might be expensive, but I am getting a lot of value from one ticket.

[George Pill]

I usually buy airfares through Orbitz which incidentally is Orbitz + Expedia now. I choose different airlines that will get to BKK in the fastest time possible at about 18 hours each way with only one stop in Narita or Manila. This year I bought China Eastern Airlines and was surprised it connects in Shanghai. Hope it don't get bitten or insulted during layover or get food poisoning. Cheapo at US$700. Usually I paid a thou. Will see if my trip goes okay and if their famous smog prevents me from seeing anything. What I will try is asking the reservations if they have any business class vacancies I might like to buy. Something good might happen. You should try it, too. Funny how ticket prices can change at different times of the year. I remember I could never visit in the summer months because the fares were up to $4K. Wow. I always buy airfare insurance. In addition to getting full refunds on cancellations it insures trip or luggage losses. Wish Expedia-Orbitz would sell hospitalization insurance. Read all kinds of stories about fall off balconies, run over by cars, stabbings, bombings, robberies with the latest right on Soi 9 behind the police station next to the Hilton complex. Gotta carry pepper spray and telescoping baton.

[Rockheart]

You can buy travel health and trip insurance from most banks now, it's not very expensive.
Most credit cards now if you use the card to buy your plane ticket, you get automatic trip insurance on the ticket.
Plus most cards have some measure of travel protection built in.

I'm not sure how 2 girls on a motorbike with a knife could rob a guy like that. I suppose if he was really old.
Soi 9 is not very busy in the middle but there is the police station on one end and the busy shopping mall and second road at the other end.
I would just run away, I am not sure what they could do? No need to stand and fight. Running is almost always you best option, unless they have a gun.
Walking around with weapons in Pattaya can never lead to any good I don't think.
If you always walk on busy streets this won't happen.

[rxpharm]

This year I am flying Premium Economy to Hong Kong on Air Canada, Then Cathay Pacific economy to BKK from there.
(Air Canada is still not using Thai Airways from Hong Kong.)
There is actually upgrades to Business Class from Premium Economy for only upgrade points and no money.
So I only have the lowest status on Air Canada now which is prestige and only gives me Star Alliance silver, which is nearly nothing.
However I do have tons of upgrade points I'll probably never use.

When did you book your tickets? I just flew BKK-YYC return and used Thai Airways to and from Hong Kong. I am looking into Dec ticket, and Thai Airways is showing up as one of the options on the Air Canada site.

[Rockheart]

When did you book your tickets? I just flew BKK-YYC return and used Thai Airways to and from Hong Kong. I am looking into Dec ticket, and Thai Airways is showing up as one of the options on the Air Canada site.

I just bought it and there was no flights listed from Hong Kong or Japan on Thai airways since I have been searching.
The only connections they had on Thai were to and from Seoul and one had a stop over in Taipei.

[rxpharm]

It is listed on the AC site - I've attached a screen capture of a December booking AC6129 is code share with TG operated by them

AC TG to BKK.JPG

[Rockheart]

It is listed on the AC site - I've attached a screen capture of a December booking AC6129 is code share with TG operated by them

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n917749[/ATTACH]

I'm sure this is/was some but there has been no Thai connections from Hong Kong or Tokyo on my dates ever.
All connections are Cathay Pacific from Hong kong and ANA from Japan.

[George Pill]

I think the people robbed by the mc ladyboys know that Indians are easy targets. They don't fight back and carry a lot of money. I am still laughing at that Arab who reported he lost US$10K in Bahts carried in his pocket. Insurance scam? Yeah, right. Yes, I remember that my credit cards do give me instant refunds on airplane fares, but the Orbitz travel protection also covers other things like airlines causing trip delays or maybe even lost luggage. Be sure to take lots of pics of your bags' contents and what the bags look like. Good to have 2 layers of protection. Took only a week to get my Korean Airlines refund minus $200. This Orbitz insurance will take a month to send me my refund.

I carry a police strength pepper spray. It is a fatter can and squirts farther. Another way you can fight them is to yell. Will be carrying a whistle necklace under my shirt. BTW read the latest post by Stickman Bangkok Weekly. He talks about Pattaya Beach. Sez Pattaya is dying. I did notice how few farangs and customers there are in the bars. My first visit to Pattaya Obsession in 2012 was no different. I was the only guy there so they let me take as many pics as I wanted until another customer walked in. With less visitors I expect there will be an increase in robberies by desperate LB's needing money. Pook Bar closed up because nobody smiles. They got this attitude, "Don't even look at me if you have no money to give me. I'm so special so treat me nice." 2012 had huge crowds of sidewalk sellers, tourists, farangs, and Thais of both genders in front of Mike's Mall. Was fun seeing lots of happy people. Lots of people to start conversations with. Now there's hardly anybody. I think it's a combination of police crackdowns and robbers. Now I see police volunteers in orange polo shirts and gangs of cops in army-like outfits patrolling the beach walk with an ATV vehicle. This is a good thing. Gotta laugh at the crippled farang who also owns an ATV to get around on the sidewalk along with the wheelchairs. Yes, Soi 7 is very lonely with way too many beer bar girls. Maybe I'm just too early. The bars really are hurting and closing up. If only they would adopt a different approach by selling cheaper girls, lower BF's, and lower ST's. That's how big stores like Macy's and Amazon.com are attracting more customers. Should give coupons. One free after 5 takeouts. Soi 8 is more active even though I remember the music at the dance/band bar is always filled with hot chicks is getting less louder. They seem to hate me with their stuck up noses every time I walk by with a hot TS discovery from the sidewalks across the 7-11. The Chinese still seem to be in large tour groups and still coming. Never see them in bars. Just in and out. Way less Russians. The money changers won't even touch a worthless Rubble. Imagine if the dollar dropped precipitously. How are you going to pay for the hotel, meals, or even buy a return plane fare? That's like the tourist emergency when the protestors shut down Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi Airports. Everybody had to scramble to get to KL only to find everybody was on the same trains and at the same airport. The Thai junta is so inexperienced managing tourism and is killing it with stupid tourist/farang urine testing, too bar raids, and just downright stupidity. Just another scam to create another source of income. Doing a good job removing the illegal beach concessions and pushing tourists who just want to lay down on their beach mats or towels. Needs some Western thinker who can advise them how everything should be thought out, planned and done. Like an organized group of farangs and businessmen, but I think this has already been done. The Thais have an inferiority complex. They need to protect their PRIDE. They don't like to be told they are doing things wrong.

[George Pill]

8-30-16 Just returned from the Thai consulate in Honolulu. They will approve my 2-month tourist visa for US$40.00. Good thing I had 2 wallet-sized photos stapled to my passport so will need to get some more. They now want my bank statements when I pick it up tomorrow. Also wanted my next of kin's address, email, and phone number among other basic application form questions. I asked if I could get TWO 2-month tourist visas next April, and he said it will cost me $200.00 for a 6-month long visitor's visa. Better to just pick up a 2-month visa then visit Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Upon returning I could just get a 30-day tourist stamp, have fun for a month, then return home. Wish they would just give 3-year tourist visas like Vietnam or somewhere.