Consumers aren't getting such a great deal on really cheap business class fares, according to The Flight Deal.
Known as K-UP or Y-Up fares, these seats automatically boot fliers from coach to business class and tend to be cheaper than the full business class fare. Lifehacker loves them, and so do travel hackers who've devoted countless blog posts to tracking down K-UP/Y-UPs since most travel search engines won't show them.
But "while it's great to get a business class ticket for less than refundable coach prices, we would not buy K-UP/Y-Up fares in most cases," The Flight Deal told Business Insider in an email.
"K-Up/Y-Up fares are usually available only for domestic routes, so with the exception of a few transcontinental routes (e.g., New York — Los Angeles/San Francisco), you are getting a glorified coach seat (e.g., 6 inches more legroom and 2 inches more width), priority boarding, alcohol and maybe food."
In fact, some of K-UP/Y-Up fares cost as much as two to five times the normal discount coach fare; not exactly a savings.
"One of our readers just recently asked about a K-UP fare from Ft. Lauderdale to Honolulu," Flight Deal explained. "It was $2,000 compared to $650 coach fare on sale."
To their mind, it's better to splurge the money on other amenities for the stay, say, a nice hotel, pampering at the spa or a tasty meal at a local restaurant. But if you're still bent on booking those coveted fares, check ITA's Matrix Software, the only travel search engine that shows them.
SEE ALSO: 23 secrets to booking cheap flights >
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