Getting a Free Airline Upgrade on Your Flight (Part 1)
| A free airline upgrade to business class or first class is the holy grail for many travellers. We all want to buy a dirt cheap discount economy ticket and then get upgraded or 'bumped up' a class. After all, who doesn't want the free lounge access, better service, superior comfort and legroom on board the aircraft. |
The current generation of 'flat seats' in business and first class cabins of major carriers make flying long-haul much more comfortable than ever before. Here are a few basic tips for maximising your likelihood of getting that elusive upgrade and rubbing shoulder with the first class jet-set:
1. Become a member of your airline's frequent flyer program. If you can reach 'elite status' (normally 'silver', 'gold' or 'platinum' where you have achieved the specific qualifying mileage level over the course of a 12 month period) then you will greatly improve your chances of getting a free upgrade. Generally the airlines will give elite customers upgrade priority over other passengers should there be any availability. However, business class is often full and then there will be no free upgrades available to anyone at these times.
2. Avoid flying from your carrier's main hub. You will be competing against many other frequent flyer members so your chance of a free upgrade is minimal. So for example, it is more difficult to get upgraded with British Airways if flying out of London Heathrow.
3. Choose one of the smaller frequent flyer mileage rewards programs with fewer members to reduce competition. The biggest frequent flyer programs in Europe are those of Lufthansa, Air France-KLM and British Airways with literally millions of members. US programs are massive - the top 3, United, American and Delta probably have well over 100 million members between them. A good alternative option is to join a quality Asian based carrier like Thai Airlines or Cathay Pacific who have far fewer members and are both part of the major alliance structures. Obviously your choice is limited to where you actually want to fly and which airlines and alliances service those routes.
4. Book a flight that is more likely to have a full economy class section. A few days before your flight, check the availability of business and first class seats by doing a pretend booking on your airline's website or using one of the class availability tools on the web. This will give you an idea of the flight load and whether you have any chance of an upgrade.
5. Try to fly on wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 747 or 777 with plenty of available first class and business class seating.
6. Choose a destination that doesn't carry heavy business traffic. You always want some business class seats to be open.
7. This is a cliché, but you should try to dress well in 'smart casual' or business attire and carry decent looking luggage. If you don't fit in with the flying elite the airline will never allow you to be upgraded. Turn up with an economy ticket and a backpack and you'll probably be sitting at the back!8. If you are serious about flying in business class but only have an economy budget then you should consider investing in the Ultimate Airfares & Upgrades Guide. This must-read guide includes a simple and highly effective strategy to gain immediate upgrade priority and shows you hidden criteria the airlines use in selecting people for upgrades. It contains many insider tips and tricks for finding the world's very lowest airfares in any class. Learn how you could save up to 70% off business class airfares...
Air Travel Articles & Resources > Frequent Flyer Tips > Getting Airline Upgrades (Part 1)
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