I Always Fly Business Class. Here's What I Look for When Booking My Flights

When you fly in business class, you want to have the best possible travel experience. That's what you're paying for, after all, and it usually isn't cheap. For international flights, business-class airfare often costs $3,000 or more.

I'm big on enjoying my travels, so I always book business class. It's probably worth mentioning that I don't always pay in cash. I usually book expensive tickets with points from my travel credit cards -- I highly recommend getting this type of card if you like to travel.

Since I travel in business class often, I've figured out which perks tend to be the most important. If you're wondering what to look for, here's my list every time I book a flight.

Lie-flat seating

On long-haul flights, business class may have either lie-flat seats or large recliner-style seats (similar to the seats in domestic first class). I've experienced both, and let me tell you, it's a world of difference.

If you're booking business class on a long flight, make sure it has lie-flat seating. It's so much more comfortable when you can turn your seat into a bed, and it makes sleeping much easier. Recliner-style seats are better than economy, but they still get uncomfortable once you've been sitting in them more than a few hours.

You can see if an airline has lie-flat seating in business class when booking your flight. Or, go to the website SeatGuru. Plug in the information for the flight you're interested in booking, and SeatGuru will show you the seating plan.

Lounge options in the departure airport

A business-class ticket normally gets you into one or more airport lounges. You'll likely have access to lounges operated by the airline and/or its partners.

Lounge quality varies, but it's pretty much always more relaxing to be in a lounge than the boarding area. And if you're flying internationally, there may be some top-tier lounges available. The business-class lounges in international terminals are often far nicer than what you'd find before a domestic flight.

If you have multiple flight options, I'd recommend checking out each airlines' lounges in your departure airport. If one airline offers a lounge and the other doesn't, or if one airline has more highly regarded lounges, that can help you decide which to choose.

The most direct route possible

One of my flight-booking rules is to get there as quickly and directly as possible. Most of us have limited vacation time. The less time you spend on travel, the more time you'll have to enjoy your vacation. Also, there's more chance of issues on flights with layovers. Each connection is another opportunity for a delay, a missed flight, or for checked baggage to get lost.

Some travelers book flights with more stops to save money. But if you're booking a longer flight to make business class more affordable, you might want to reconsider. You could probably save even more by just booking economy or premium economy on a shorter flight. Trust me, it's worth it.

A reputable airline

It's more than fair to have high expectations for business class. Whether you pay in cash or miles, you're paying a premium.

When there are multiple airlines to choose from, I like to read up on them before I book. I'll check J.D. Power satisfaction rankings, and I'll read reviews from passengers who have flown business class on those airlines.

Problems can happen with any carrier. You can't guarantee you'll have the perfect flight. But you can at least improve your chances by choosing an airline with a reputation for arriving on time and delivering a good passenger experience.

A reasonable price in either cash or miles

Business class tickets are more expensive than economy, but prices can vary quite a bit. I've seen tickets for over $5,000, but I've found others for under $1,000.

The same is true if you're booking with miles. Some tickets cost 30,000 to 60,000 miles each way. Others cost 100,000 to 150,000 miles each way, or more. For these award tickets, most airlines use dynamic pricing that's based on demand, so there can be a huge difference in prices for flights on different days or even just at different times.

There are business-class deals out there, especially if you have miles through a frequent flyer program or your credit cards. You're more likely to get a deal if you start shopping for flights early and if you're flexible about when you travel.

Business class has lots of perks, including many that I haven't mentioned here. For example, the food's better, but I don't base my travel plans around which airline has the best business-class menu. I've found that the items above have the biggest impact on my overall travel experience.