When we think of luxury travel, we think of infinity pools with views of the Amalfi Coast, overwater villas in the Maldives, or exclusive safaris in the Serengeti that only a few people can go to. We picture Michelin-starred food, and top-class service. A genuinely magnificent vacation doesn’t start when you check into your five-star hotel; it starts the minute you leave your house. The trip is the destination, and nothing sets the mood for a luxury vacation like a smooth, luxury flight.

But you don’t need an unlimited budget to get that lie-flat seat, access to the elite lounge, and a glass of champagne before you leave. Wealth isn’t the only thing that makes a contemporary luxury traveler successful; they also know how to plan flights smartly.

Here is the insider’s guide to booking flights like a genuine luxury travel expert if you want to change the way you travel and make transit something you look forward to.

Learn how to use points and miles well

People often think that the only way to travel First or Business Class is to pay the high cash ticket. The truth? Smart luxury tourists don’t often pay full price. Instead, they take advantage of the money-making world of travel rewards.

• Focus on transferable reward points: Instead of signing up for a single airline’s frequent flyer program, get premium travel credit cards that let you transfer points (like Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, or Capital One Miles). These points are like money that you can use with any airline partner when you find the appropriate luxury reward.
• Look for “sweet spots”: Every airline reward chart contains gaps or “sweet spots.” For instance, you might use Virgin Atlantic points to book a fancy ANA First Class suite to Japan, or Avianca LifeMiles to fly Lufthansa First Class without the huge fuel fees. Take some time to research to see where your points will go the furthest.
  Sign-up incentives are the best: The best method to pay for a luxury flight quickly is to utilize credit card sign-up incentives. A single premium card bonus can easily pay for a one-way business class ticket across the Atlantic or Pacific.

Your greatest strength is your ability to adapt

If you need to leave your home airport on a certain Friday at 5:00 PM and come back the next Sunday at 3:00 PM, you will probably have to spend a lot more. To travel in style without breaking the bank, you need to be flexible.

• The power of positioning flights: Don’t only look for flights that leave from your local airport. The price in cash or points for a Business Class ticket from Denver to Paris might be quite costly. But if you search from big international airports like Chicago (ORD) or New York (JFK), you could discover a great offer. After that, you can plan an inexpensive, brief “positioning flight” from Denver to that hub.

• Date agnosticism: Use the calendar view in online platforms to see pricing for a whole month. Changing your departure or return by only 24 to 48 hours may sometimes save you thousands of dollars or tens of thousands of miles in premium cabins.

Look for “Fifth Freedom” flights

This is a secret in the luxury travel business that everyone should know. When an airline travels between two nations that are not its home base as part of a longer route, this is called a “Fifth Freedom” trip.

What does this mean? You can sometimes travel on world-class, five-star airlines for a small fraction of the cost on short, uncommon itineraries.

Emirates, for example, travels from New York (JFK) to Milan (MXP) and then on to Dubai. You can book only the New York to Milan leg and enjoy Emirates’ famous Business or First Class (with the bar on board) without having to travel all the way to the Middle East.

Take part in the upgrade bidding game

If you can’t book a premium cabin outright, book a comfy Premium Economy seat and try your luck at the upgrade game.

• Bid wisely: A lot of airlines now have auction systems where you can bid money for an upgrade to Business Class a few days before you leave. Check out online communities like FlyerTalk to see what winning bids usually look like for your route so you don’t spend too much. You should just offer enough to beat the other bidders.

• Check the Seat Map: If the Business Class cabin seems empty 48 hours before your journey, the airline is more likely to accept a lesser bid or give you a big cash upgrade at the check-in counter.

Plan your layovers so you can use the lounge

A direct flight isn’t always the most comfortable choice. If you travel in a first-class cabin or have elite status with an airline, your layover might be the best part of the trip if you go via the right airports.

• World-Class hubs: If you arrange a stopover in Doha (DOH) on purpose, you can use the amazing Al Mourjan Business Lounge. You can get to the butterfly gardens and the fancy SilverKris lounges at Changi Airport by stopping in Singapore (SIN).

• Extend the stopover: Many high-end carriers let you transform a layover into a multi-day stopover in their home country without charging you any more for the flight. It’s a great way to obtain two luxury holidays for the price of one.

The Last Call to Board

In the end, luxury travel is all about purpose. Instead of allowing the algorithm to decide what’s comfortable for you, you should take charge of your schedule. You can make sure that the joy of your holiday starts as soon as you sit down, drink your champagne, and watch the world fade away below you by using points, being flexible, and using the right tools. Have a safe trip and enjoy the update!