Recession Bargain: Business Class Tickets

Europe on Sale

So what's the catch? There really isn't one for business travel to Europe -- unless you're far from one of the main U.S. departure or gateway cities. But this is a minor irritant that can be overcome with good preplanning. For example, we bought $49 tickets on Southwest from Dallas to Houston Hobby, then carpooled to Houston Intercontinental, so we could to catch our beautifully priced Trans-Atlantic flight.

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OK, but what about guilt? Should we be spending the extra money in these very tough times? I am sure there are some of us who figure, I can still get a cheaper price by flying coach, so that's what I must do. I have no quarrel with that, but have you thought about low-priced business class flights to Europe as a Christmas gift? A gift to share with the whole family?

A last thought: Watching airlines go under for lack of passengers is not going to help anyone. By taking a luxury trip to London -- don't laugh -- you just might be making a tiny contribution toward helping our economy on its road to recovery.

This work is the opinion of the columnist and in no way reflects the opinion of ABC News.

Rick Seaney is one of the country's leading experts on airfare, giving interviews and analysis to news organizations, including ABC News, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, The Associated Press and Bloomberg. His Web site FareCompare.com offers consumers free, new-generation software, combined with expert insider tips to find the best airline ticket deal.