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How To Get a Free Upgrade To Business or First Class!
Getting A Free Upgrade To Business or First Class!
Dress well and reach the airport early and be very polite. See if there are not too many passengers and then you may make a request for an upgrade to business or first class! In very rare occasions, if the airline person sitting on the counter is in a very good mood, this trick may work. Unless you are accompanied by an elderly or disabled or pregnant co-passenger, it is very unlikely that your request will be accepted!
If you have a loyalty membership card and number for the airline you are flying, then the chances of your class upgrade request go up considerably, even if you have very few points but there must be seats available in the higher class. Getting an airline membership number is free and easy and can be done online!
Some airlines give their loyalty members who have enough points the option to upgrade by redeeming their loyalty points. Even if a passenger is a few points short, airlines have the provision to accept a small payment from the passenger to make the class upgrade possible.
The possibility of class upgrades on busy major airlines is low. Book your flights on 2nd-tier airlines with flights on odd hours, then the possibility of getting a class upgrade on request goes up, with maybe a minimal payment to the airline!
Some bank credit cards have a provision that if you have done enough spending on your card and earned many reward points, you can redeem these reward points to get a class upgrade on your next flight.
Some multinational corporations have this custom of having their employees above a certain level to always travel in business class, especially on long-haul flights.
On overbooked flights when nearly all passengers with a ticket have turned up, airlines look for volunteer passengers who agree to use the next flight, in such cases, many airlines are willing to give a free upgrade to a higher class as a thank you gesture to those passengers who voluntarily gave up their right to fly on the previous flight!
In certain cases, passengers who are on special occasions like honeymoons or birthdays may be given a chance to get a free upgrade to a higher class. Passengers who are well-dressed and polite have a better chance of getting this!
In some circumstances, a flight attendant may request a passenger to move to another seat as the flight attendant is arranging a family or group to sit together. If this happens to you and the flight attendant requests you to move to another seat, do this willingly with a smile and a joke as this is the time to quietly request the flight attendant for a free class upgrade! And if seats are available in the higher class, you are very likely to get this upgrade!
General Rules to Follow To Get A Class Upgrade On Your Next Flight!
Travel at Quiet Times
You’ve got a better chance of getting a free flight upgrade by booking a flight on a bank holiday and other times of the year when business travellers are less likely to fly, as fewer seats tend to be booked up!
Invest a Little to Get a Lot
Sometimes, you have to invest to get a return. If you’re searching for how to get upgraded to business class, springing for add-on services like premium seats and additional luggage can work in your favour when airlines choose who to give a flight upgrade to. A frequent flyer says: ‘My wife and | got upgraded by BA when we moved to UK from the US. Not sure why, but we think the massive baggage fees we paid helped’
Be Loyal to Your Airline
Another piece of wisdom on how to get a flight upgrade: Simply join the airline’s loyalty programme. Even if it’s at the lowest level, you’ll get rewarded before those not in the programme. Just make sure to get a loyalty card for each programme you join!
Be Early for Your Flight
Your flight may only have one or two upgrade spots available, so if you’re really eager to get upgraded to business class, you can try maximising your chances of securing one by checking in at the airport ten hours before the scheduled departure. If it backfires, you'll have quite a bit of time to kill! but it worked for a passenger: ‘My wife and | were flying to the Dominican Republic. We got to Glasgow Airport far too early, but at least there was no queue. The check-in person told us that they had two spare seats in first class, and since we were the first to arrive, we could have them for free. So, we happily accepted!
Check Your Emails
One frequent flyer recounts that Air France emailed him a couple of times on the day of departure, offering a cheap (but not free) flight upgrade. ‘I’ve twice missed this because | didn’t check my emails close enough to departure. One of these times, I had even called the airline to ask if they had any deals, and they said no! So, keep checking your emails even up to a couple of hours before you fly
Be Nice and Polite
Kindness pays. Pay it forward and you could be in first class or upgraded to business class in the blink of an eye!
Dress to Impress!
Leave the tracksuit at home and dress up a little — either full-on formal or business casual should do the trick
Try Your Luck!
Don’t be afraid to simply ask for a free flight upgrade — just be polite, respectful and kind. Of course, they can always say no, but what have you got to lose? If you don’t try, you'll never know!
Best Practices to Secure a Complimentary Flight Upgrade
Can you get upgraded from economy to a higher flight class for free? The answer is yes, however, it's quite rare and it's certainly not a guarantee. However, try as we may, here are our top tips that might just secure you the free upgrade
Join Airline Reward Programmes
You can collect points and move up the tiers when you join certain reward programmes such as British Airways. People in the higher tiers are more likely to be selected for a random free upgrade
Ask Politely at the Check-in Desk
If you're feeling brave, just be nice and ask, the worst that can happen is that they say no. Let the airline know about a special occasion. It has been known for newlyweds and birthday celebrants to be upgraded as a treat, although it's pretty rare and depends on availability
Travel Solo
There's more chance of bagging a free upgrade if you're travelling alone, as they only need to upgrade one person
Travel With An Airline Staff Member
Staff members get all kind of perks that still remain after they retire in some cases. There is a person who has been retired from BA for almost 10 years and is still getting free flights which almost always get upgraded. If you are travelling as their companion, chances are you'll be upgraded too
Bid For An Upgrade
Some airlines offer passengers the chance to bid for an upgrade to a higher class in the weeks before departure. You can bid the amount that you're willing to pay for the upgrade, which is often at a fraction of the regular price of that seat. If your bid wins, you'll be upgraded to the higher class and can enjoy all the benefits without the hefty price tag