Living There
With the U.S. dollar surging against the euro, international business class travel is now more affordable for Americans than it has been in years. This year, the euro fell below 1.10 against the dollar for the first time since 2003. Although U.S. flight out might carry a hefty fee, there is a trick to making business class travel trips to Europe more affordable, according to Passport Premiere, a membership-based travel company that specializes in finding the best hidden international flight deals for travelers.
The secret, they say, is to base your trips out of Europe.
By deploying a strategy that travel professionals call “offshore originations,” savvy international travelers from the U.S. can take advantage of lower business class fares with relaxed penalties by starting a pattern of round-trip flights that originate in Europe, instead of in the United States. This tactic saves money in the long run because business class fares between, for example, Rome and Los Angeles are currently 20 percent less expensive compared to business class fares with the same airline originating in Los Angeles.
Here’s how it works: First, travelers arrange a one-way “positioning trip” using money or miles from their home city to Europe. Then, they start purchasing round trip business class travel from Europe to their home city. After the initial positioning trip, travelers will have a ticket returning to Europe ready to use for their next trip. This takes some advance planning, but with the help of companies like Passport Premiere, the savings can be substantial.
For example, on Delta Airlines as of May 1, business class fares originating from Los Angeles and going to Rome started at $4,612.80 for round-trip travel from July 10 to July 24. Now look at the price difference for the same trip, but originating in Rome. Business class fares on Delta between Rome and Los Angeles start at $3,770.93 for round trip for travel on the same dates. That’s a savings of nearly 20 percent.
Business class tickets starting in Europe also have more relaxed cancelation policies compared to flights originating in the U.S. For example, the higher $4,612.80 fare from Los Angeles to Rome is non-refundable and carries a $450 penalty for any changes. The lower $3,770.93 business class fare originating in Rome, on the other hand, is refundable after a €400 ($447.62) penalty. Changes incur a €240 ($268.57) fee.
For more valuable international travel tips like this one, visit www.passportpremiere.com to help you achieve maximum value in your next international trip with their premium cabin ticket purchases. Passport Premiere members receive weekly Member Intelligence Reports advising which countries offer the lowest business class fares and how to capture them at the right time. Passport Premiere also provides guidance on previous business class buying events, and reports them on their website so international travelers can determine how to get the best international deals at just the right rime.
