Hints for getting an upgrade????
 

I am booked in coach for a flight from Chicago to London in two weeks. I would love to get upgraded to first class if possible. I have heard that sometimes you can just ask nicely and if there are seats you might get upgraded for FREE! Anyone ever done this? What is the best way to go about asking? Any hints to share? It would be SO cool to ride in the front in those big roomy seats so I really want to do the right thing to get an upgrade.<BR><BR>Thanks to all!

Dream on kid....you will be competing againg a zillion frequent fliers. Not only that but the elite frequent fliers who get complimentary upgrades..<BR>Dream on kid

It will never happen. The airlines get people to use up a lot of frequent flyer miles to upgrade. And there are a lot of people who also want to travel in first class, so they will use their FF miles to upgrade.<BR><BR>Never will you get to do it for free.<BR><BR>Maybe a long long time ago, but not nowadays.

Last May my dghtr, her husband, and I were flying to CDG from PIT the eve of his b-day; the agent checking us in noted it and said she should tell crew to sing Happy B-Day to him at midnite. I jokingly (ha,ha) said wouldn't it be nice to celebrate by giving us all an upgrade, pointing out that my own b-day had been 2 days earlier. She laughed and said something like "Sure, give you $5000 seats for what you've paid; I don't think so!"

Macy, It's even tough to get exit row seat these days, let alone an upgrade! Those with large FF accounts get preferred treatment while the rest are sardine class.

You have to be positively nuts if you think anyone here is going to give you "hints". Lets see, there are ten times as many "coach" seats as first class. And, you want to get upgraded to first class for FREE?

We use a travel agency who meets us at the gate and tries to get us an upgrade. Alot of times it works, but we haven't tried it post 9/11.

September 20 last year my wife and I were to travel Air France ATL-CDG tourista. AF changed equipment due to the downturn caused by 9/11. We had bulkhead seats reserved on the scheduled 747 (long legs) but couldn't get same on the 767. I gently lamented this circumstance to the woman at the gate and (to my amazement) she printed out biz elite tickets and initialed them. Pleasant trip.

My husband and I were flying to Italy to get married last March. I mentioned to them that we were getting married and asked them to consider us if they had to upgrade anyone. The woman at the desk didn't seem to pleasant and we were sure we had been dismissed until they called our names. Guess who got to fly first class. It was great. I tried it on the way back mentioning that we were coming home from our wedding but no upgrade. We did get a bottle of champagne though. I totally think that it depends on the person, the way that you ask and the special circumstances. Good luck

.<BR>1) <BR>http://www.airlineslounge.com/site/travel_tips/air_travel.htm<BR><BR><BR>2)<BR>Call your airline and ask if they offer discounted upgrades when you check in for your flight. About a month ago, I'd read something that Delta & American would sell you an upgrade on domestic flights at very reasonable prices --- ~$80, should there be availability. It didn't mention transatlantic flights. Certainly worth checking into.<BR>

If the airline has inconvenienced you in any way recently, be sure to mention it. It could get you an upgrade.<BR><BR>Last year, I got stuck overnight in Chicago on my way from Indianapolis to L.A. because the plane in Indy apparently hit a mechanic on the ground while pulling away from the gate. They said the mechanic was o.k., but that reports needed to be filled out for the FAA so we were delayed several hours and I missed the last flight to L.A.<BR><BR>When I got to the counter in the morning for my Chicago to L.A. leg I explained the situation, asked for first class (aim high!) and was given business class without any problem.<BR><BR>It can never hurt to ask, but unless you have something going for you (FF status,etc.) or at least a good story, its unlikely especially now that most airlines have cut down their flight schedules.

Macy:<BR>Your best bet is with the ticket agent at check-in. The flight crew will be absolutely no help.<BR>I have had no luck on international flights but have had a good deal of luck on domestic flights. Depends on the passenger load. I always ask. All they can do is say no.

1) book a series of flights that are delayed and cancelled due to bad weather at all points.<BR>2) when a hoard of angry Belgian tourists scream at the gate attendants for letting the last flight depart without them, ask them (in bad flemish) to take it easy since the airline employees don't make weather.<BR>3) get an upgrade on the next transatlantic flight, and a $60.00 charge for delaying your return flights by one day so you don't loose a day of touring, uprgaded as well.<BR><BR>It worked for me. I'd have gladly bought the Belgians a beer...

Whether or not you are able to wrangle an upgrade depends on what airline<BR>you're flying, how many elites are on board, whether coach is overbooked,<BR>and the mood of the person you deal with. The check-in agent is likely to be the one who makes or breaks it for you.<BR><BR>United out of Chicago would probably be tough because they issue SWU certs<BR>to their elites (system-wide upgrades). If you're flying another airline, maybe you have a better shot; it would vary by the carrier. The nature of overseas flights is that anyone who takes more than a couple each year is probably an elite class flyer and that would tend to give them an edge. <BR><BR>I recently picked up a complimentary upgrade from Paris by checking in early and noting that I thought coach was probably overbooked, "so if you need my seat, I'll trade it to you for a business class". The gate agent laughed, but put me on the waitlist and I received the upgrade (I'm elite, but that doesn't convey complimentary<BR>upgrades on international flights). <BR><BR>The thing is that it's typical for coach seats to be overbooked and<BR>biz/first class to be underbooked (that's just the nature of the travel<BR>slow-down right now). When that happens, SOMEBODY is going to be upgraded and it's going to be done very discreetly. If you are traveling solo, I think your chances are probably better. It's worth a try because the difference really is night and day -- it is NOT like domestic first class at all. <BR><BR>Good luck!<BR>

Yikes. We booked two tickets on NW airlines for a trip to Rome in November. It was a good price but not sold as being on sale. Then we tried to use FF miles to upgrade to Biz Class and they sorta laughed in our faces. They won't even let us use our own FF miles to upgrade, so forget getting it for free! Although we were upgraded on an international flight for free in the mid 80's!

Sheepishly, I admit to a ploy I used in the past. <BR><BR>I had been skiing in Utah, it was glorious, and I met a girl. I threw all caution to the wind, and stayed an extra day, even though the airline told me on the phone to not even go to the airport the next day to try for stand-by. No way I was told.<BR><BR>Well, at the time I was skiing with a bulky knee brace. I brazenly strapped it on over my jeans once at the airport. When I limped up to the counter, not only did I not stand in line, they put me on the flight, in first class! Oh, the things we do for love (or even just a little hanky-panky).

Five years ago we went to Paris on a Continental Airlines vacation special. Arriving at our gate in Houston early, I good-naturedly volunteered for an upgrade to business class "if they needed someone" (the flight happened to be overbooked in coach. Voila! Our names were called shortly before departure--and we both enjoyed the comforts of business class. And the story gets better. Tried the same tactics on the return from Paris--and got upgraded again! It never hurts to ask. Jinx Hoover

Join the clergy. On a number of transAtlantic flights I have seen a clergyman quietly taken from steerage and ushered up to business class. I suppose this happens when too many people are booked in coach and not enough in business, like the other poster said.

My friend, who is a well dressed, trim, middle aged British lady, was asked by a stew. on a flight to England if she would mind sitting in business class. She was told it was because she was dressed so "sharp" and they needed the room in coach.

So is that what it's come to now? Maybe many of us should buy nun's habits and priest's vestments. Then we may be able to get a good seat!