Long ago, people dreaded the thought of flying in an airplane. But thanks to advancements in technology, airline travel has now become much safer over the years. The chances of dying while driving to the airport are higher than in a plane crash. According to a Harvard University study, the odds of dying in a crash is 1 in 11 million as opposed to 1 in 5,000 odds of dying in a car accident. Now with the knowledge that air travel is a safe mode of transportation, it’s time to book a flight to your dream vacation in the Caribbean. One of your dilemmas could be whether to fly business or economy class. To help you decide on the flight type, let us look at the difference between economy and business class.
Top 5 Differences Between Economy Class And Business Class On A Plane
1. Lounge Access
Waiting for your flight can be draining and tedious. For this reason, most airline companies have taken their waiting lounges to the next level. Regarding waiting lounges, there isn’t much of a difference between a business class and economy class as it may vary from country to country. Nowadays, most business class lounges are designed with passenger convenience in mind. Most lounges provide amenities to ensure that pre-flight waiting time is not wasted. There is a quiet and exclusive work area complete with large, semi-private, and comfortable desk spaces with sockets for charging phones and laptops for busy executives on the go.
2. Food And Drinks
On short flights, the meal service in both economy and business class might be the same—either no benefit or a light snack. However, slightly longer flights might mean the difference between getting nothing or a cookie in economy class and a cold meal in business class. For medium and long-haul flights, the quality of meals will depend on the airline you are flying. But generally, you will get a multi-course meal in business class compared to a single-tray meal in economy class. In some airline companies, passengers can pre-order their favorite meals in advance. In other airline companies, a dine-on-demand service allows passengers to order what they want when they want rather than during pre-determined meal times. The options for the drinks and beverages are much better in business class. They can select from various wines aside from different liquors and soft drinks.
3. Amenities
Airline companies have heavily invested in enhancing the passenger experience by increasing personal space and amenities. Now you see planes with private pods, lie-flat beds, and amenity kits. In addition, passengers can now enjoy in-flight perks like individual television monitors, Internet access, and generous luggage allowances. Business-class passengers may receive priority boarding and exit the plane before the rest of the economy-class passengers. Some airline companies offer passengers the option to turn their seats into beds or have a double bed and chair and bed combined.
4. Seats And Cabin
If you are driving economy class, seating will be roughly the same regardless of the airline you are flying on and the flight duration. However, the type of seating and the comfort level for business class will vary. For example, it is common to have wider recliner seats that offer better legroom. On longer flights, expect the older angle-flat and full-flat centers offering little privacy and suites with doors. Moreover, airline companies like British Airways offer “sleeper bed” seats for its business class section of international flights. Since its introduction by the airline company in 2000, other airlines have followed suit. Airbus offers six seating configurations for business class and the option to customize designs.
4 Seats And Cabin
5. Pricing
While the cost of tickets may vary depending on the airline, route, and day of the week, it is estimated that the price of a business class seat, say on a trans-Atlantic flight, is almost ten times that of an economy seat on the same plane. Business-class accounts for the lion’s share of an airline’s income on a flight. This is understandable considering that the business class offers more luxury for its hefty price tag. Also, in most cases, a business class ticket will earn you more miles than an economy class ticket on the same route. Award tickets don’t offer miles regardless of whether you are flying economy or business class. So when deciding whether to fly business or economy class, consider these five differences to help you make an informed decision.