Do premium seat deals coincide with when we see economy deals? – Member Gary L
Usually not. Premium seats see less price volatility than economy, in part because there are more last-minute bookings for the front of the plane. Economy cash deals happen most frequently during Goldilocks Windows—1–3 months ahead for domestic routes, 2–8 months ahead for international routes—but prices tend to jump in the final weeks.
In business class, though, if airlines haven’t sold as many business class seats as they were expecting, they typically make those seats available for points redemptions. That’s why it’s common to see the most business class award availability pop up in the final weeks before a flight, even as economy cash prices jump.
Deals behave differently across cabins for numerous reasons. For instance, premium seats are popular among business travelers—who care little about price because it’s their company paying, and they don’t typically book months in advance. Therefore, prices aren’t quite as volatile.
There’s also differentiation between airlines. For instance, business class on Emirates looks a lot different than business class on Icelandair, but both economy cabins are similar. And that’s all in addition to the fact that prices are substantially higher for business class, often 3–4 times more at a minimum.
All of this to say, if you see a business class deal—payable with cash or points—snag it. Delaying won’t necessarily mean you’ll get a better deal. In fact, history shows that the price of that premium seat is more likely to go up.
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