The Benefits of Business Class - Part 4

Welcome to Part 4 of our new blog series - The Benefits of Business Class - where we explore the advantages of spending a little extra money to elevate your travel experience to a whole new level.

Luggage perks may be one of the less exciting benefits of flying Business Class; perhaps something you don’t even think about when you’re booking. However, it is an extremely practical benefit and can even save you money in the long run. Many airlines have reduced their ticket prices in recent years at the cost of luggage allowances, with the introduction of "Basic Economy" products. While premium fares have also reduced in price, luggage allowances have not changed.

Below is an Economy Standard ticket with British Airways which comes with 1 x 23kg baggage allowance. The same flight in Business Class allows 2 x 32kg cases per person. That's an extra 41kg added to your allowance, which is no small margin.

British Airways ticket options

It’s estimated that 1 in every 5 travellers get stung with excess baggage fees while flying, which totals around £400 million each year for UK travellers.

1 in 3 people also say they consciously pack fewer items to take on holiday because they are worried about having to pay extra luggage fees, or even face the dreaded embarrassment at the airport; having to rapidly reorganise your cases in the queue, stuffing your carry-on to excess, wearing multiple layers, or even throwing away less-essential items such as toiletries to keep the weight down… we’ve all witnessed it! All of these unnecessary challenges can be avoided when flying Business Class with the extra allowances.

An open case being re-packed

Many airlines also include extra carry-on baggage for Business Class passengers. Lufthansa, for example, allows 2 x 8kg items. Qatar Airways have a similar policy, but with a larger allowance of 15kg. This can make travelling much more convenient, as you’ll have more items to hand if or when you need. Whilst following the rules is important - no rebels here - it’s very unlikely that the weight of your carry-on items will be monitored unless it looks like you’ve got a tonne-weight in there!

A helpful flight attendant in Busines Class, courtesy of LOT Polish Airlines

A further benefit of flying in style is the designation of “Priority Baggage” tags, across almost all airlines. During the check-in process, a bigger, brighter & bolder tag is attached to your luggage, so that it receives special treatment; stored in a more-accessible compartment on the aircraft, it is removed and transported to the terminal post-haste! No more waiting around at the carousel for what feels like an eternity, watching the belt go round and round. Your bags will be some of the first out, speeding up your departure from the airport to start enjoying your trip.

Suitcase with priority tags, courtesy of Finnair / OneWorld

All of these advantages mean that for those who don’t want to “travel light”, you can bring as many changes of clothes and shoes as you’d like. If you’re a shopaholic who wants to buy a new wardrobe while you’re away in New York - go for it!