4 Situations When Flying Business Class May Not Be Worth the Cost

I'm a huge fan of flying business class. You pretty much always have a better experience than you would in economy, as you get a bigger seat and more amenities.

Business-class airfare also costs much more. There are plenty of hacks you can use to get a better deal, but no matter what you pay on your credit card, you could almost certainly get an economy ticket for less. Sometimes, the added cost is well worth it. But there are also situations where business class could be a waste of money.

1. It's a short flight

Business class makes a huge difference on long-haul flights. When you're going to be on a plane for a while, it's nice to have a comfier seat with room to stretch out and to be able to go to the bathroom without walking across half the economy cabin. It's also great to get a decent meal.

On short flights, you don't get nearly as much bang for your buck with business class. If a flight only lasts a couple of hours, maybe you'd be fine in an economy seat. The meal service isn't as big a deal since you won't be in the air too long. You could be better off saving your money instead of paying extra.

2. The plane doesn't have lie-flat seats

The best part about flying in business class is getting a lie-flat seat, but not all flights have them. Short flights usually don't, which is another reason you may not want to spring for business class on them. While lie-flat seats are common for long-haul flights, there are some airlines that have recliner-style seats instead (the type of seats you see in domestic first class).

I've flown in both, and there's no comparison. Lie-flat seats are much more comfortable and make it far easier to sleep during a flight. If a flight doesn't have lie-flat seats, I'd be hesitant to pay business-class prices for it.

Pro tip: Airlines normally let you know which type of seat their business-class cabin has when you book your flight. If not, you can find out by plugging in the flight details on SeatGuru. It provides seat maps for upcoming flights.

3. You're traveling with kids

I'm not one of those annoying travelers who doesn't want to see kids in the business-class cabin (as long as they're not climbing over the seats). If you can find seats for your family of four, more power to you.

Finding seats for the whole family is often the hard part. Since there are fewer seats in business class, it can be difficult to get several in the same area. Cost becomes more of a factor, too. When you're traveling solo or with your partner, you might not mind splurging on business class. With kids, booking business class for everybody can get prohibitively expensive.

It's also worth considering how much your kids will get out of flying business class. They could be perfectly comfortable in an economy seat, and they might prefer whatever snacks you've brought along over a fancy meal service.

4. You'll need to cut back on other parts of your vacation to afford it

You'll probably spend a lot more time at your destination than you do on the plane. And enjoying yourself while you're there is the ultimate goal. I don't know anybody who travels specifically because they want to fly business class. The flight is just the mode of transportation.

So, if booking business class is going to take away from your vacation, it's not worth it. Stick to economy, or premium economy, and save your money for amazing experiences on the ground. Better yet, start using travel rewards cards. Then, you can use your travel points to fly business class without dipping into your travel budget.

Most travelers can't afford to fly business class every single time. It's an area where you splurge on special occasions. In that case, it's helpful to know when the business-class experience outweighs the cost and when an economy seat is good enough.