Glossary
Positioning Flight
Definition: A positioning flight is a short flight taken to reach a departure airport that offers better fares, routings, or availability for the main journey, often saving significant money on business class tickets.
Savvy business class travellers use positioning flights to access cheaper departure points. For example, flying from a regional US airport to a gateway hub like New York or Los Angeles can unlock significantly cheaper business class fares to Europe or Asia than departing directly from the regional airport.
The concept works because airline pricing varies dramatically by departure city. A business class fare from New York to London might be $2,500, while the same cabin from Charlotte to London could be $6,000. By booking a separate $200 domestic positioning flight to New York, the total cost is still far less.
International positioning flights are also common. Flying from the US to Europe via Reykjavik on a budget carrier, then connecting to a separate business class ticket from a European hub, can yield massive savings. BookMyBusinessClass agents regularly identify positioning flight strategies that save clients thousands on business class fares.