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I’d like to be able to turn left and head for the pointy end of a plane. What’s the cheapest business class or first class flight I can book?

Basically, the rules are the same as What is the cheapest regular-priced scheduled flight I can book and fly? , but with a couple of sensible provisos:

It can involve other legal purchases, but they have to be included in the total price: if I have to buy $100 of ice cream to qualify for a $10 ticket, the total is $110, even if the ice cream is no more expensive than competing brands of ice cream. (Bribes do not count as legal purchases, nor does fraudulently claiming to be disabled or with a medical condition)

It can’t involve a blatant abuse of the rules: if it involves something like signing up for 5000 credit cards, it doesn’t count.

The first or business class must some some added benefits compared to an economy class flight on your average economy class flight in a developed country. So first class = seat belts available doesn’t count.

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    I think you need to clarify the "rules" more. Business class flights on short hauls in Europe (Lufthansa) is often just regular 3-3 seating with the middle seat blocked out. Does that qualify. Also, flights have no "set" prices. It varies greatly by day/demand/season etc. Do you mean: any bookable fare ?
    – Hilmar
    Jan 29, 2020 at 3:52
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    Any answer will probably be outdated within hours or days, so I think this question does not qualify for the site.
    – Aganju
    Jan 29, 2020 at 4:13
  • @Aganju why are you voting to close this question but not travel.stackexchange.com/questions/78113/… ?
    – Andrew Grimm
    Jan 29, 2020 at 4:17
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    @Aganju I linked to it in the body of this question.
    – Andrew Grimm
    Jan 29, 2020 at 5:57
  • One tip I'd like to give—if you're going to get a first class flight, do a long (~10 hours) flight. The 3 course meal and privacy is nice, but when you recline the seat to full horizontal and drift off to sleep, that's when you really appreciate the difference :)
    – Mirror318
    Jan 30, 2020 at 9:31

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Note that first class and business definitions vary throughout the world. I flew '1st class' on Delta once and it afforded me an orange juice where the rest of the plane got none. Go figure.

However, one of the best is Emirates - business and first, and they fly their A380 between Sydney and Auckland, and Sydney and Christchurch (and Melbourne and Auckland?).

You can often nab AUD$800ish first class seats if paying outright, and that's upstairs on the A380, lounge access, 57kg of luggage, shower on board, amazing champagne etc etc. It's incredible.

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If you have points (like I did), you can pay AUD$136 for a one way flight in First Class on Emirates from Sydney to Christchurch. It was fantastic:)

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    Domestic "first" in the US is usually pretty ridiculous, but that's the most ridiculous I've heard yet.
    – Michael Hampton
    Jan 29, 2020 at 2:33
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    @MichaelHampton I mean I got lounge access too, and more points...but onboard, yeah that was it. I was also the only person up the pointy end, so got my own safety briefing, if that's a benefit?
    – Mark Mayo
    Jan 29, 2020 at 2:34
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    We've done SYD to CHC on Emirates First (using some creative stopover shenanigans). Awesome experience! Great candidate for "best bang for the buck" in flying, since the "bang" is really just about as good as it gets.
    – Hilmar
    Jan 29, 2020 at 12:12
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    @MichaelHampton Domestic first in the U.S. is still comparatively better than intra-Europe business class (which is simply a normal economy seat with the middle seat blocked off, no extra legroom).
    – gparyani
    Jan 29, 2020 at 17:21
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    @gparyani I guess that this is because "first class" in the US is in the mid-range flight time section. You have a 4-5 hours between Chicago and Phoenix, you would need to get creative to get such a long flight in Europe where the average flight will be 2 hours.
    – WoJ
    Jan 30, 2020 at 10:21

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