Upgrades ...

Introduction to upgrades – flying in first class on an economy ticket
If your company polices require you to travel economy, you may be upgraded. (Just to make sure we are aligned – travel in first/business class is much better then traveling in economy!) This section will give you an overview of the two types of upgrades typically used by business travelers:




Free upgrade (differs by airline)
Receiving this type of upgrade is great as you get to travel business/first at no cost to you

  1. Limited status and a full fare economy ticketing–in many cases if you are traveling on a full fare economy, your upgrades will be free if you have some statues (AA is gold or platinum)
  2. Traveling on an AirPass (or equivalent programs) ticket–in many cases one of the perks in these programs is free upgrades
  3. High tier status (e.g. Executive platinum on AA) and most fare types. On most airlines, with higher status tier you will receive free upgrades in more classes of service
  4. If you smile nicely at the right person – this goes to my second rule of travel ALWAYS BE NICE TO EVERYONE, you’ll be surprised how much power airline employees have, especially on international airlines




Paid upgrades
These would be upgrades for which you pay either with money, miles or upgrade vouchers.

  1. Using miles–depending on the original class of the ticket additional miles (usually the same amount as a one way ticket) are needed. This is not possible on all fares, and in some cases also requires a cash change fee
  2. Using upgrade vouchers–on many airlines you can use upgrade vouchers, these may be bought, earned for travel, or received as a bonus (e.g., when achieving a certain status). Check your carrier for ways to earn and use upgrades



Getting on the upgrade list
To get an upgrade you must request one. Upgrades are given depending on availability. Once you request an upgrade you will be put on a list (see below for types of lists). There are two factors that will determine your chances of getting an upgrade: when you get put on the list and your status. Higher status gets preference, but timing determines preference within a status group.At some point in time depending on what list you are on, the available seats in first class will be given out:

  1. When booking – is probably the best time to request an upgrade, the longer the lead time the better. Depending on the airline and your status, you will be notified if you are upgraded anywhere from >72 hours to a few hours before the flight
  2. At the airport – if you have not got an upgrade by the time you reach the airport (or have not yet requested one) all is not lost. All prior lists are void and new list is established. You must request to be on the airport upgrade list, when checking in (see below for best ways to get on this list). This means that even if you have requested an upgrade when booking or at any other time before reaching the airport, it does not matter. You must be put on the airport list when you are physically in the airport

Once you are on the airport list, about 5-15 min before the end of boarding the upgrades will be given out – you must be at the gate when they call your name to receive the upgrade. If you board you will lose your spot on the upgrade list. It is a choice you have to make between the danger of not having overhead space for your carry-on and getting the upgrade.




Tips for getting on the list at the airport
There are a few options to get on the airport list. You can get on a list at the check-in counter, at the gate or in the club lounge (e.g. Admirals club or presidents club). Lets dig into the pros and cons of each

  1. Check-in – when arriving at the airport this is the easiest place to get on the list. However it requires you to stand in line (vs. online or check-in machines). It is a good idea to double-check that you are on the list, as sometimes the agent at this point is not detail oriented. A good way to do this is to ask what number are you on the list, this will also forecast your chances
  2. Gate–if you are already at the gate you can also get on the list there. You should do this if you do not have club access. The gate may be that faster choice if the check-in line is really long, but it is my least favorite place for a number of reasons. The gates only open about30 minutes before your flight and if there are any delays, these lines get pretty long with people trying to get standby and better seats
  3. Club check-in–this is probably my favorite place to try and change seats, get on standby and upgrades lists. Most of the time the folks behind the counter are very nice, attentive and helpful. In some cases they also have more power then the check-in counter to make seats available. This requires you to go through security and you should evaluate when you get in which would be faster: getting through security and walking to the club or getting on the list at check-in – remember time counts (I think that club check-in would be faster 60%-70% of the time)


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Boosting probablity of getting upgraded