Getting a Free Airline Upgrade on Your Flight (Part 2 of 2)
| Airlines occasionally give away free upgrades to passengers because of 'operational' reasons - and with the hope that once the passenger experiences the superior business class or first class cabin service, they will not want to go back to economy. |
In part 1 we talked about airline frequent flyer mileage programs, gaining elite status and some booking strategies. Here are 5 more quick tips to increase your chance of flying in first class or business class.
1. If you order a special meal you will probably never get upgraded by the airline, as the meal cannot usually be moved up with you. Airline meal numbers are tightly controlled and an airline would never serve an economy meal in business class.
2. Travel together with someone holding a higher class ticket than you and ask to sit together. This is a common trick and works especially well if the lower class ticket holder has elite status in a frequent flyer program. Frequent flyer members will usually have priority for getting upgraded on a flight should any availability arise.
3. Fly premium economy class - you are much more likely to be upgraded than in standard economy. Why? Because the number of premium economy seats on a plane is limited and any overspill from economy class to premium economy means you could be upgraded to business class. There are a number of airlines which have premium economy seating - British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air New Zealand, United Airlines, SAS, British Midland, ANA, Garuda Indonesia, Eva Airways and China Airlines.
4. If you really are flying away on your honeymoon then contact the airline and your hotel in advance and ask to be upgraded. It's a long shot but you may get lucky with a flight and/or hotel room upgrade.
5. Get to know your airline's ticket tariff notation (usually designated letters) - some tariff classes are more 'upgradeable' than others but can be the same price, increasing your upgrade chances at no extra cost.
6. If you want an absolutely guaranteed business class flight then use the magic formula - pay for one! Use your air miles to purchase an upgrade or haggle an upgrade deal at the airport. These are often better value than purchasing a biz class ticket outright. Alternatively, book a heavily discounted business class ticket - there are a few ways of scoring some excellent deals.7. For the real insider scoop on getting airline upgrades, reducing your airfare in any class and travelling first and business class on a tight budget, you should invest in the Ultimate Airfares & Upgrades Guide.
Take your travel experiences to the limit by thinking outside-the-box...
Air Travel Articles & Resources > Frequent Flyer Tips > Getting Airline Upgrades (Part 2)
Related Articles
How To Get a Free Upgrade on Your Airline Flight (Part 1 of 2)