Everyone that’s taken a long haul flight has at some point
wished to be given a free upgrade, or maybe you've just taken a fair few short
haul flights and wished that just one time the air hostess would beckon you to
the front into business class. Either way, if you've been passed over for an
upgrade you know how frustrating it can be – so what is the best way to get an
upgrade? Is it really best to ask outright for one or just wait for it to be
offered? Asking can’t really hurt, however it can make you seem overbearing and
expectant, there are other ways to make it more likely that the airline will
say yes if you request a free upgrade, or even offer you one without you
asking. These are outlined below.
It’s risky. Check in early and don’t get offered it and you
have to kill time in the airport; check in last minute and miss the flight and
you’ll be kicking yourself for being greedy. However; if you check in first and
there are upgrades available on the flight they may offer you the upgrades as
you’re the first to arrive. If the flight is overbooked and you’re late but
there’s room in business class or above then they might let you on there for
the same price. However this only works if you haven’t reserved your seat in
economy class on the flight already, and the check in desk are feeling generous
as they could also just point blank refuse you entry to the plane.
2. Choose your flights carefully
If you’re serious about trying to get a free upgrade then
research your flight carefully. if you’re on a busy commuter flight at rush
hour times the chances of you being given a space in business class are fairly
low as in all likelihood they will be full. During school holidays economy
class on flights to standard holiday locations are usually full but business
class is fairly empty; if you’re travelling on these flights and you’re looking
for an upgrade; there’s more of a chance you might get one. If you’ve paid a
knockdown fare for the flight then it’s also unlikely you’ll be considered for
an upgrade; flights can track where you’ve bought your ticket from and for how
much, so if you’ve taken advantage of the last minute deal and got tickets to
New York for 50 quid then it’s unlikely you’ll be a high priority for an
upgrade. Travelling alone also means you’re more likely to be considered for an
upgrade; they only need to find one seat in business class rather than two
seated together.
3. First class behaviour
So you arrive at the airport dressed as if you’ve just
rolled out of bed (admittedly it might be 4 in the morning, but still…) If
you’re looking for that upgrade then you need to look and act the part. If you
look like you’re used to sitting in first class with the rest of them then
you’re more likely to be considered for it; if you look like you’re not really
bothered then airline staff will assume you’re not and might not even ask.
Along the same lines of dressing the part is also acting the part; being polite
and remembering your manners without being overbearing is important; no one
likes rudeness or pushiness, especially not during boarding. Expressing too
much emotion (i.e. being sad or angry) is unlikely to get you very far; it can
create an awkward situation for everyone involved and airline staff might mark
you out as a difficult customer. However; if the airline has made a mistake
(and by mistake we mean an error which has created a big inconvenience) then
you could be considered for an upgrade by making a little bit of a fuss and pointing
out the error- this does not mean shouting, making a scene and threatening to
give bad reviews on social networks/travel websites, but rather politely
explaining the issue and how you feel the problem could be rectified or
resolved. Demonstrating flexibility can also be rewarded; so if the flights overbooked and the airline is
looking to move people on to the next flight, offering your seat may be
rewarded by being given an upgrade. Finally, special meal requirements is a
guaranteed way for you not to be bumped up into the next class; flights often
don’t have spare meals for people who have specific dietary requirements so the
likelihood is that they won’t have your meal equivalent in the other classes
and so therefore you won’t get offered the upgrade.
4. The old fashioned way
If you know someone who works for the airline then this is
probably the most surefire way to get yourself an upgrade. A lot of airline
staff have the opportunity to put family or friends on to flyer lists which
means that they can buy tickets for business and first class at a knockdown
price. Even if you’re not on their list, if you can persuade them to put a good
word in for you then you might find yourself on the upgrade list just by whom
you know. Another more likely way to get
an upgrade is by using Frequent Flyer Schemes (obviously this only works if you
are a frequent flyer and not just travelling once a year on your summer
holidays). The schemes are often quite complicated to utilize (specifically so
people have to pay more money) but even being a member of these schemes may
give you an advantage as it demonstrates loyalty to the airline who may choose
to reward their customers.
5. Use your title
Whether you’re a doctor, a judge or a diplomat, or maybe
just a minor celebrity, using your title might just get you an upgrade. This
has become less common in the last few years; however letting the airline know
that you hold a title (okay, if you’re a diplomat you’re probably going to be
travelling first class anyway) may put you in the running for an upgrade. If
it’s on your passport then that’s great but letting the airline know ahead of
time that you hold a title will put you in the front running; get your travel
agent to give them a call and they might just offer an upgrade.
So there you have it; how to improve your chances of a free
upgrade. At the end of the day if none of these work you may as well ask – if you don’t ask,
you don’t get!
Source: Aluxurytravelblog
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