---
title: "What is a positioning flight | Business Class Glossary"
description: "A separate flight to the city where the main trip starts, taken because a fare from there is cheaper or better."
canonical_url: https://buybusinessclass.com/glossary/positioning-flight
last_updated: 2026-11-04
---

# What is a positioning flight?

Source: https://buybusinessclass.com/glossary/positioning-flight

A separate flight to the city where the main trip starts, taken because a fare from there is cheaper or better.

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## Positioning flight, explained

Business class fares can differ a lot between departure cities. Flying first to a city with a lower fare, then starting the business class trip there, is called positioning.

The positioning flight is usually a separate ticket. If it is late and you miss the main flight, the airline of the main ticket has no duty to rebook you, so travelers leave a wide margin, often the night before.

Bags are not checked through between separate tickets either, and the total cost includes the extra flight, the time and sometimes a hotel night.

### On a business class trip

A traveler in a smaller city compares the fare to Europe from home with the fare from a large hub an hour away, adding a separate flight to the hub the evening before.

## Related terms

-   [Hub airport](https://buybusinessclass.com/glossary/hub)
    
    An airport where an airline bases its network and connects most of its flights, such as Frankfurt for Lufthansa or Doha for Qatar Airways.
    
-   [Multi-city ticket](https://buybusinessclass.com/glossary/multi-city-ticket)
    
    One ticket with three or more flights between different cities, priced and issued together rather than as separate tickets.
    
-   [Minimum connection time](https://buybusinessclass.com/glossary/minimum-connection-time)
    
    The shortest time an airport and airline allow between two connecting flights on one ticket. Tickets are never sold with less.
    
-   [Interline agreement](https://buybusinessclass.com/glossary/interline-agreement)
    
    An agreement between airlines to carry each other's passengers and bags on one ticket, even outside an alliance.
    

[Every term in the glossary](https://buybusinessclass.com/glossary).

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