Greece belongs to the countries that have most enriched humanity with the achievements of culture and science. The Greeks laid the foundation of modern science, starting in such directions as mathematics, geography, history, and philosophy. Numerous figures of Ancient Greece became the founders of sciences: geometry – Pythagoras, geography – Eratosthenes, history – Herodotus. In addition, Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy.
This country is also the birthplace of theater and architecture. Greek mythology is known all over the world. The Olympic Games, which started in Greece in 776 BC and revived in 1896, require special mention. The monumental heritage of the country is also huge. The works of Greek sculptors are stored in many museums around the world.
The significant cultural heritage of the country is evidenced by the large number of objects included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The most famous sites include the Acropolis of Athens, the Meteora Monasteries, Mount Athos, the Archaeological Site of Delphi, the Medieval Old City of Rhodes, the Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessaloniki, and the Archaeological Site of Olympia.
Greece has a huge variety of cultural attractions and, therefore, is the leader among the most visited countries in the world. Over the past decade, the number of foreign tourists has grown constantly, reaching 34.2 million people in 2022. The role of the tourism sector is indirectly evidenced by the fact that the country has a Ministry of Tourism. The importance of tourism is also evidenced by the fact that Greece was one of the first in the European Union to open its borders to foreign visitors during the pandemic.
Most foreigners arrive in Greece by air transport, using international airports. This way of traveling is comfortable and fast. However, business-class prices are usually high. If you want to know how get cheap business class flight to greece, read this article carefully and find the answers to all your questions.
What Are Business Class Flights and Why Are They Popular Today?
Depending on conditions, comfort, food, and other factors, airplane seats are divided into classes: first, business, economy, and other types. In practice (depending on discounts and other indicators), there are almost 20 service classes. The main differences between the classes are the comfort of the seats on the plane, the quality of the meals, and the free baggage allowance.
In economy class, the seats are narrow, and located close to each other, then in business class, they are more comfortable, and the distance between them is greater. Most business-class airlines are now installing seats that fold into beds, which are additional benefits for long flights. A special work table is often attached to the airplane seat.
Business-class food is better. Most airlines follow this scheme: for flights lasting 2-2.5 hours – cold appetizers, from 2.5 to 6 hours – hot meals, over 6 hours – two hot meals, long-haul flights (more than 12 hours) – two hot meals, cold appetizers, or steak. In the last 10 years, special diets have been practiced depending on the passengers' health, habits, or nationality. Meal options are often offered.
Utensils in business class are not disposable plastic but metal. The choice of drinks is usually unlimited. Some airlines arrange an open bar on the plane, thanks to which the passenger can take any available drinks at any time.
There are various benefits for passengers: seasonal, corporate, for passengers with children, for couples, etc. Discount cards of IARA (International Airline Passenger Association), ETN (European Tourism Network), and others are popular among tourists. Holders of such cards have discounts on air tickets of some airlines, discounts on hotel fees (from 10 to 40%) in 4,000 of the best hotels in the world, discounts on car rental (up to 30%), restoration of lost travel documents, insurance, and so on.
Factors Affecting the Cost of Business Class Flights
The process of air ticket pricing is complex and formed under the influence of many factors. You should understand its features if you want to travel to Greece or other countries at an affordable price.
Tariff Grid
Thus, the first factor is the tariff grid, i.e. a certain number of tariffs. The tariff is characterized by a certain set of onboard services the airline provides like food, seat selection, luggage dimensions, the possibility of changing the departure date, ticket return, etc. Each airline has its own number of tariffs: classic airlines usually have 10-12 tariffs, and low-cost airlines – 2-4 tariffs.
Such a difference in the number of tariffs is explained by the lack of market segmentation among low-cost carriers (that is, undifferentiated marketing), while traditional airlines segment potential consumers according to criteria and goals.
Departure Time
Time to departure affects the pricing process. The closer to the departure date, the more expensive the tickets. The best time to get lower-price tickets is to buy them three months before departure.
An important role in price formation is also played by the demand in the passenger air transportation market. It is seasonal (depends on the date of departure): stable throughout the year and increases during the holidays. Prices depend on the aircraft occupancy: if the demand is low for a certain direction, then the cost of tickets will be low because it is important for airlines that planes do not fly half empty.
Time Spent at Destination
The next factor is the time spent at the destination. If we compare a person traveling to a certain place for tourism purposes and a person for work purposes, the former is significantly price sensitive. This is due to the fact that the working flight is usually paid for by the employer, and the tourist pays on his own.
Those who visit the country for work purposes usually return by the weekend. Therefore, flights back on Thursday or Friday will be much more expensive than on another day. Classical airlines benefit when consumers come back from Greece using their services again. A two-way ticket is usually 30% cheaper. However, this system does not work with low-cost airlines.
Route Popularity
Another important factor impacting the price is the route popularity. The prices will be much higher for destinations in high demand among consumers.
Distance Between the Airport and the City
Another factor is the distance between the airport where the plane lands and the city. The ticket price includes airport fees and taxes. They are usually much larger if the airport is close to the city. This factor is actively used by airlines operating on a low-cost model. In order to reduce the price of air tickets, they often choose airports that may be far from the destination of interest to consumers since airport taxes will be lower.
Number of Competitors
Another influencing factor is the number of competitors in a certain direction. If only one airline organizes flights to a certain destination, it can charge higher prices for air tickets. If there are competitors, prices are usually lower.
How to Find Affordable Business Class Flights to Greece: Useful Tips from Experts
No matter for what purpose (work trip, college studies, desire to see the country sights, etc.) you want to visit Greece, you are probably wondering how to receive a ticket at a low price. Buying an economy-class ticket can be the solution, but you will give up comfort during the flight and many other useful features.
If you value comfort and want a flight with benefits, you can find a business-class ticket at an affordable price. The following are helpful tips on how you can do this:
Use a flight search engine. You can use the search engine to save money and time without having to look through various offers from air carriers. Finding one on the global network is not difficult. There are many options available today. You only need to decide on the direction of the flight and indicate the desired departure date. The automated air ticket search service will quickly analyze the availability and prices of air tickets among reliable agencies;
Set price drop alerts. To buy an inexpensive ticket to the desired destination, you need to subscribe to notifications of price reductions. It usually doesn't take much time. You simply choose several reliable air carriers and set price drop alerts. As soon as the prices for business class tickets to Greece drop, you will immediately receive a notification about the possibility of purchasing a ticket at an affordable or even cheap price;
Search for tickets in other currencies. If your country's currency is stable compared to other currencies, it is worth comparing the prices of your chosen flight in different currencies and deciding whether it is profitable. The function of changing the currency is available on the website of each airline, so there should be no problems;
Allow for flexibility in dates. Air ticket prices vary greatly depending on the day of the week, season, and holidays. Prices also may change depending on the month. For example, many people go on vacation in August, so the prices are high. That is, ticket prices to Greece are the highest during the peak season. You should choose less popular travel months to find a business class ticket at an affordable price. Keep in mind that it is cheaper to fly to Greece in the middle of the week than at the weekend;
Book tickets in advance. Booking in advance is one of the easiest ways to buy discounted tickets. This option is ideal for those who plan a vacation long before it begins;
Focus on the airport, not the city. Different airports in the same city may have different purposes and levels. As a rule, tickets to the main airport will cost more. By choosing a non-main airport, you can save up to 50%;
Buy a ticket in both directions at once. This is a valuable tip, as it really works in most cases. It is usually more profitable to buy a two-way ticket;
Travel with layovers. This is quite an effective way to save money on tickets. However, it is worth making sure that you have enough time between flights so as not to run into problems if a flight is delayed;
Participate in airline rewards programs. Regardless of how often you use airline services, it's worth signing up for a loyalty and rewards program. You can save a lot of money if you accumulate points and approach expenses wisely;
Carefully read what you pay for. You can miss the hidden fees if you rush to buy a business class ticket online. This is such an inconspicuous way to charge for services that you may not need at all. Therefore, before buying a ticket, it is essential to read all the terms and conditions of the company and exclude the need to pay extra for anything.
Conclusion
In the modern world, when people's travels around the planet have become large-scale, the role of air transport as the fastest means of transportation over long distances has significantly increased.
The importance of air transportation in the realization of mass tourism is especially great. Its rapid development in the middle of the last century required the creation of airplanes that meet various travel goals and provide a high level of comfort. Passengers are offered a diverse and perfect service, which makes traveling pleasant and accessible to the general population.
One of the most attractive travel destinations today is Greece. This is facilitated by the dry subtropical climate, the huge length of the sea coast, warm and clean seawater, and wonderful landscapes. The historical and cultural heritage of the country is also excellent. As a result, a significant number of tourists usually visit the country. This rule was violated only in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Most tourists come from Germany and the United Kingdom.
Nevertheless, many people still refuse to travel to Greece because of the high cost of business-class tickets. Fortunately, this problem can be solved. After all, there are great ways to find business-class tickets to Greece at affordable prices. They were briefly described in this article. So put tips into practice and enjoy flights to Greece without any additional expenses!
