Emirates Special

Checked baggage allowance and carry-ons for Emirates Special business class fares are the same as the Business Saver, Flex and Flex Plus fares, but the points accrual is lower. Seat selection is restricted, there’s no lounge access, no chauffeur service to the airport, and no upgrade to first class. The next grade up, the “Saver” fare, gets you free seat selection, lounge access and chauffeur service.

It’s always been hard to find Emirates Special business class fares out of Australia, but for the sake of comparison, a return Special fare from Singapore to London in April 2025 would cost $4882; the Saver fare just $364 more. Given the extras that would come with that Saver fare, it’s a better deal.

Qatar Airways Lite

Checked luggage is two 32-kilo pieces, and cabin bag allowance is two pieces with a maximum total weight of 15 kilograms (the same as the regular business-class fare). Seat selection is available online, Avios points accrued is 75 per cent, and lounge access is available with payment. A refund in the case of cancellation will incur a fee, as will any changes to the booking. A Classic business fare would get you more Avios points (125 per cent), free lounge access and one booking change free of charge, but there’s not a lot to dislike about the Lite fare.

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A return flight from Melbourne to Paris in April 2025 would cost $8715 for Business Lite, compared with $10,036 flying Business Classic – a difference of $1321. If you chose the Lite fare and paid for lounge access you’d still be better off by over $1000, which makes this a no-brainer. And you get the brilliant Qsuite for your long-haul flight.

Finnair Light

The Nordic carrier has been steadily implementing tougher rules with its Light fares, and even with a Business Light ticket, you’re getting just the seat and the onboard meals, nothing more. You can take on board a small bag and one carry-on bag with a combined maximum weight of 12 kilograms, but no checked luggage, no lounge access or priority check-in and boarding, and no included in-flight internet, although even in the higher fare categories the free access is limited to just one hour. Ticket changes are not permitted with the Light fare.

Finnair doesn’t fly to Australia, but a return Light fare from Singapore to Copenhagen in April 2025 is $5955. However, the Classic fare – which comes with two 32-kilo checked bags, lounge access, priority check-in and boarding, and a free ticket change – costs just $332 more. That’s a better deal.

Air France/KLM

This European partnership introduced Business Light fares in April 2023, limiting the checked baggage allowance to a single bag weighing 32 kilograms, and shearing off lounge access. There’s also a higher fee for flight changes. Although Air France and KLM sell tickets to Australian cities, Business Light is not available since those flights involve partner airlines.

For a return ticket from Bangkok to Paris in April 2025, a Business Light fare starts from $4717, which is $316 less than the cheapest Business Standard fare – the next category up – which comes with lounge access and an additional 32-kilo checked bag.

Delta Airlines

The US carrier has sparked speculation that it might introduce a business class lite fare. It’s more than a decade since Delta kicked off the unbundled concept in economy with its Basic Economy fare, and recent comments by Delta Air Lines president Glen Hauenstein suggest Delta is working out how that model might apply to its business class service.

Is flying unbundled worth it?

Some airlines’ lite, light or special business fares are well worth considering, others not. The Finnair deal, with zero checked luggage, no priority boarding and only a marginal saving, is just plain mean.

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In most cases the difference between a lite fare and the next category is just a few hundred dollars, and for some the lounge access is worth the extra payment, particularly if there’s a long layover. If there’s any uncertainty about the booking, the fee for a booking change is going to make a big dent in whatever you’ve saved flying unbundled.

If I could save at least $500 on a lite fare booking I’d be persuaded but the only one that qualifies from the examples above is Qatar Airways. However, Singapore Airlines’ Business Lite fare, with seat selection, lounge access and decent KrisFlyer miles, deserves attention.