More of a WWYD - help me pick from these travel options please!

[Hotelmotel]

I'm doing a long-haul flight soon and am having to decide between a few different travel options. Through a family member I'm eligible for travel discounts on a particular airline but if I travel using this discount the ticket is on standby and subject to availability on the day - it's usually fine but I have had the odd occasion where there were no seats. So basically my options are:

1.) Buy an ordinary full price Economy class ticket departing from my local airport.
2.) Use my discount to get an unsecured Economy ticket departing from Gatwick, which is about 2 hours away on the train.
3.) Use my discount to get an unsecured Business class ticket departing from Gatwick. (If there are no BC seats available on the day then I'll obviously travel Economy.)

Option 2 is the cheapest, being cheaper than Option 1 by about £200. Option 1 is the easiest as it departs locally and is a secure ticket. Option 3 is a bit cheeky of me, being about £200 more than the full price secure ticket but like most people I can't afford to travel Business Class ordinarily so it would be a nice opportunity especially given that it's a very long flight.

The other consideration is that OH is not eligible for the discount so if I do Option 2 or 3 he will most likely travel separately. Not a huge deal but I feel guilty paying the extra cash for Business Class in that case.

I'll basically have the same options coming back so any thoughts would be appreciated

Purely because if it's a long flight, I'd want OH with me. No brainer

What's plan b for options 2 and 3 if there are no seats?

@Gudgyx I also prefer to travel together but we have travelled separately on occasion to save money since he's not eligible for the discount.
@poppym12 you wait til the next flight. It's only happened to me twice that there were absolutely no seats on the plane.

How can a business class ticket on a long haul flight be only £200 more than economy?

Usually they are £000's more?

I'd go with 1) in any event. The other two options seem too inconvenient for a relatively modest saving

Going alone I’d do 3. I’m happy travelling stand by and would happily spend £200 for the upgrade. It’s unlikely you won’t get ‘A’ seat if you book this way.

However, going with OH I’d probably choose 1. It feels a bit mean paying extra for BC and shuffling him off to cattle class and £200 isn’t a big enough discount (for me) for the hassle & possible expense of travelling separately.

Also it depends on when you’re going & for how long. It’s not worth ‘saving’ £200 and losing several days of your holiday at Gatwick which is more likely if you do 2 (rather than 3).

@caperberries Business Class is only that much more because of the discount I'm eligible for- if it was full price it'd obviously be much much more which makes me a little bit keen to grab the opportunity!

caperberries because that’s how staff (& friends/Family) discounts work in some airlines.

Hotel

What does your OH think?

Tbh if it was me I’d encourage my OH to make the most of the opportunity! Plus I’d split it if possible. One there and one home, most airlines won’t care if two adults swap seats.

@AnnieAnoniMouser he really doesn't mind, we both obviously prefer to travel together but he wouldn't begrudge me at all for going Business Class without him! His main concern (as mine would be) is the possibility of me not getting a seat on my flight if I use my discount. But that's quite unusual and since it won't be half term the flights are likely to be not as full.

Book the upgrade then & keep your fingers crossed.

Have a look in advance at where you’d prefer to stay if you don’t get on, and be determined to treat it as the first night of your holiday...it makes standby travel far better if you have a good attitude towards not getting on.

Booking BC at a non peak time, you rarely don’t get ‘A’ seat, but it’s the luck of the drawer if it’s BC or cattle, but sometimes you luck out & get bumped UP. I’d wear something comfortable, but with a nice jacket etc ...far more likely to get bumped UP rather than down.

Fingers crossed!

C is it’s long haul... it makes such a difference

But Depends where you are flying to.

I fly business a lot for work most of the flights are rammed and London to New York with BA is almost always completely full.

It really depends on where you are flying to and when.
Are you able to check the flight figures closer to the time and how many other staff are on standby for the flight and then make a decision?
Can you fly elsewhere and travel to your holiday destination if you can't get on the flight? Ie if you were flying to JFK and couldn't get on, you could go to Newark instead?

Option 3 and book OH on the same flight in economy. If you do get your bus class upgrade he should be able to join you on your foot stall for dinner.

But I’d only do it if there’s plenty of flights to get on (like London to NY) and would go for a non-peak time if that’s an option to maximise upgrade chances.

By yourself, I'd go for option 3. I'm lucky enough to fly in Business either paid by work or paying myself and it makes a massive difference.

Business is usually full but of course I know people get bumped so don't know if they've sold all the tickets.

I'd think I'd go for Option 1. You both want to arrive together and spend time together. I wouldn't begrudge DH being in the big seats whilst I'm in economy but I would be annoyed if I was away by myself.

No all long haul is equal though. 8 hours to NY isn't too bad on any airline in any class. If you're off to Sidney then arriving rested and comfortable from Business is worth it.

Travelling alone it'd definitely be option 3 but I'd feel bad for leaving my partner at the back of the plane while I turned left so probably option 2.