✈️ All-Time Low: Europe Business Class Deals Alert + More🚨

Author

Graeme Bligh
August 17, 2023

Hey Friends! 🌐 This is The Canadian Jetsetter. You know, they say the best way to conquer fear of flying is to throw yourself into the deep end... preferably with a parachute. But hey, a comfy business class seat works too!

Welcome to all our new subscribers! 🎉 In this edition, we're focusing on business class deals, giving you a taste of luxury at a fraction of the cost. As we continue to grow, our newsletters will cover a range of flight and travel deals, from budget options to all-inclusive packages and specific destinations like Las Vegas. The goal is to eventually segment our content, so you receive only the deals that match your preferences.

If you want to help with this - please share the newsletter with your friends and family!

Credit Card News

📢 American Express Platinum Update 📢

🔹 Annual Fee: Increases from $699 to $799.

🔹 New Dining Credit: $200, but it's a one-time statement credit at eligible restaurants. Use it all in one go! 🍽️

🔹 Earning Rate on Dining: Drops from 3x to 2x points.

🔹 Best for Dining Points: If maximizing dining points is your goal, consider the Amex Cobalt which offers 5x points (referral link).

🤔 My Perspective: The changes seem neutral at first glance. The new dining credit does a decent job offsetting the increased annual fee, and with a plethora of eligible restaurants, seasoned travelers and foodies won't find it hard to utilize. The dip in dining points is a bummer, but the Amex Cobalt remains the champ for dining rewards. Click here to check out the eligible restaurants (select “Canada” as the country)

🔔 Take Advantage: If you're eyeing the American Express Platinum card, now's the time to act! To dodge the upcoming annual fee hike, ensure you receive the card and have the fee posted before the change on Sept. 26th. My advice? Get on it this week if you want it! And for a cherry on top, use my referral link for the card and enjoy an extra $150 cash back from Great Canadian Rebates. Click here to check it out!

📢 American Express Business Platinum Update 📢

🔹 Annual Fee: Jumps from $499 to $799.

🔹 New Credits:

  • $200 annual travel credit 🌍

  • $100 Nexus statement credit 🛂

  • $120 mobile wireless statement credit 📱

  • Up to $200 with Dell (enrolment needed) 💻

  • Up to $300 with Indeed (enrolment needed) 💼

🤷‍♂️ My Two Cents: While Amex is dishing out more credits, they might not resonate with every business owner. The value of these credits really depends on individual business needs. Personally, I view this as a bit of a downgrade overall. However, for entrepreneurs eyeing those top-tier travel perks, this card still holds its weight in gold. Just ensure those credits align with your business expenses!

🔥 Feature Deals 🔥

This is the cheapest round trip business class flight to Europe I featured on the newsletter so far. As an added bonus its not super last minute and is a great time of year to visit Madeira, Portugal!

🌐 Route: Toronto to Madeira, Portugal via Lisbon on TAP Air Portugal

  • 🎫 Fare: Amazing deal at $1,828 roundtrip for Business Class

  • ✈️ Class: Lie-Flat Business Class to Lisbon and Standard European Business Class from Lisbon to Madeira

    • Just flying the Toronto to Lisbon segment on the same dates costs more than double at $3,739 roundtrip 🤯

  • 📆 Dates: Mid-November through Mid-December 2023

    • If you want to tack on a bonus day in Lisbon a lot of dates allow you to book a 22ish hour layover in Lisbon at no extra cost

  • ⚠️ Booking Advice: I always recommend booking direct with the Airline if possible.

    • Also if you book this quick you may be able to score a “Throne Seat” in business class. These are free to book but go quickly as you get double the room in TAP Air’s 2-2 1-1 2-2 style business class!

  • 👆 Click here to see the deal

TAP Air Portugal “Throne Seat” - Note the 2-2 Layout Behind This Seat

🌐 Route: Montreal to Casablanca, Morocco Direct on Royal Air Maroc

  • 🎫 Fare: Amazing deal at $2,147 roundtrip for Business Class

  • ✈️ Class: Lie-Flat Business Class to Casablanca

    • It can be a real pain to find direct business class for good prices so this is a nice find! Also, there are a ton of date options throughout winter to help you escape from the cold in Canada.

  • 📆 Dates: From October 2023 - April 2024 (most dates are available)

  • ⚠️ Booking Advice: I always recommend booking direct with the Airline if possible.

  • 👆 Click here to see the deal

Note: YUL-CMN Royal Air Maroc Flights Have 2-2-2 Business Class

💼 Bonus Business Class Deals 🍾

Vancouver 🍁 to Lima 🦙

Calgary 🍁 to Lima 🦙

  • Airline: United Airlines

  • Price: From $1,904 CAD round trip

  • Connection: One layover in Houston

    • Google is showing you can only get this fare with a 3 hour layover outbound and a 11 hour layover in-bound. Try using United.com and you may find more options at the same low prices

  • Class: Business (lie-flat Polaris from Houston to Lima and standard business from YYC-IAH)

  • Dates: January-February 2024

  • Booking: Click here for this deal

Winnipeg 🍁 to Amsterdam 🌷

  • Airline: WestJet, KLM

  • Price: From $2,768 round trip

    • The same dates if you want to fly just from Edmonton are over $10K 🥺

  • Class: Business

  • Dates: August 2023

  • Connection: One layover in Edmonton

  • Booking: Click here for this deal

Halifax 🍁 to Paris 🥖

  • Airline: Air Canada 

  • Price: From $2,876 round trip

  • Class: Business

  • Dates: August 2023

  • Connection: One layover in Montreal

  • Booking: Click here for this deal

Ottawa 🍁 to Paris 🥖

  • Airline: Air Canada 

  • Price: From $2,790 round trip

  • Class: Business

  • Dates: August 2023

  • Connection: One layover in Montreal

  • Booking: Click here for this deal

Montreal 🍁 to Athens 🏛️

  • Airline: Air Canada, Aegean Airlines

  • Price: From $2,729 round trip

  • Note: You must use Google Flights to navigate to this deal and then select “Book with Air Canada”. Air Canada’s own search tool does not find this deal but you can still book in through Air Canada.

  • Class: Business

  • Dates: August 2023

  • Connection: 1 stop in Paris outbound, Direct return

  • Booking: Click here for this deal

Before we sign off, I have a quick ask! We're eager to tailor our content to your preferences. Could you rank the following deal types in order of your interest?

  • Low-Cost Carrier Deals (Flair, Swoop, Lynx)

  • Legacy Carrier Deals (Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat)

  • Domestic Business Class Deals

  • International Lie-Flat Business Class Deals

  • All-Inclusive Packages

  • Las Vegas Flight/Hotel Deals

Simply hit reply with your ranking. Your insights help us curate the best deals! Until our next journey together, safe travels! 🌍✈️

Cheers, Graeme - The Canadian Jetsetter