A budget traveler in business class

As a budget traveler, you seemingly suffer for your thriftiness. It is as if the goal of every budget traveler is to get the complimentary champagne, fuzzy slippers and fluffy blanket instead of the mini bag of peanuts and $5 warm beer. Can't you travel in luxury on a budget? The real question is... are all the comforts that business/first class offers worth the money?

The average price difference between business class and economy class for an international fare can be quite substantial. Right now (based on traveling next month), the difference averages $4000 for a ticket to India, $3500 to China, and $2200 for Europe. Let's breakdown what that gets you...

For an international flight, the following services are typically offered for business class travelers at no additional charge:

Up to 2 pieces of checked baggage- both marked with a PRIORITY tag (Approximate Value: $50 each way)

Hanging out in the lounge with Wi-Fi, snacks and free drinks during layovers (Approximate Value: $40 each way)

Priority boarding (Approximate Value: $9 each way)

Extra leg room (Approximate Value: $50-$100 each way)

Plenty of food & drinks (Estimated Value: $25-50 each way)

Glass of champagne upon seating
Glass of wine or beer before dinner with a cup of warm nuts
Glass of wine with each course or your 4 course meal (which is actually really tasty)
Glass of Port with your dessert or fruit & cheese plate
Seemingly endless supply of snacks (chips, sandwiches, nuts, & chocolate during the flight)

Having space available for your luggage directly above you in the overhead bin (Estimated Value: $15)

Your nice jacket gets hung on a hanger instead of stuffed in the overhead bin (Estimated Value: $10)

Big ear phones with super cushion and noise dampening (Estimated Value: $5)

One third of the population using the same number of bathrooms= less wait time (Estimated Value: Incalculable if you really gotta go!)

A little bag of goodies that includes (Estimated Value: $10)

Toothbrush & tooth paste
Ear plugs
Eye shades
Socks
Ink pen
Tissues
Lotion

Financially, you could spend up to $500 more if you were paying for all these benefits outright. The actual cost of all these items is much lower than the fare for a business class ticket. Therefore, the intangible benefits are costing you between $1700 and $3500 round trip. You have to ask yourself... "The key to budget travel is to approach ahead. When it comes to family trips, globetrotting, well-deserved vacations and/or going to see new places we have never been before, the fact of expense and budgeting is always in the back of our thoughts. Planning and consuming our travel budget properly is a consideration for most families. Minimizing expending and costs, while still taking pleasure in your vacation to its fullest, is the key to assured achievements and fiscal responsibility. Your pocketbook and family will thank you! The reasoning behind economizing money while travelling is simple: Even if your personal funds is extremely limited, you can still take a break and enjoy life! Simply put, life is just too short to never step out of the door or leaving the homestead! Also keeping in mind that while traveling, whether on a funds or not, even the smallest of things can all add op to a huge vacation or travel bill!..". Are these benefits on an 8-20 hour plane ride worth the money you would be spending? It is a decision that only you can make. But before you decide, think about what else could you do with an extra $2000?

Spend 3 months hiking in the Himalayas of Nepal
Take the trans-Siberian railroad from Moscow to Beijing
Live in a campervan and explore New Zealand's south island for a month
Spend 2 months exploring southern India
Travel into Tibet on the highest train in the world
Go snorkeling in the Galapagos
Camp throughout France for the summer
Take a month to drive the coast of Australia from Sydney to Cairns

For the true budget traveler, if someone else is paying, then go business class. But, if the possibility exists to keep the cash... take it and run to your next adventure somewhere else.

That is one way to stretch a dollar around the world!

Some the items listed above are simply a matter of convenience and are not offered for sale by the airlines. As the true value is hard to determine, the estimate of an experienced traveler was used. The approximate values were taken from the websites of major carriers such as Delta and United Airlines.

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