Well, I would like to know what methods you have used to get upgraded besides using FF miles /or points. Rental car, hotel rooms, air line seating, let your imagination be your guide.

Because it is almost always true-I say it is 1-my birthday 2- our anniversary. That almost always gets us an upgraded room or some treat.
Rental car was upgraded in the US when I joked with the rental person and said that I really could not be seen in a car that looked like that...who knew he would take it to heart?
Airline seating, a few times I have checked in early, asked if there were empty seats in First Class and then I mention that I want to know because my pinched nerve (true) is acting up..(well, it could at any time!!)
There you have it!

I've used manners worthy of a true Southern Belle and received an upgrade for all of us to Business Class on Alitalia - leaving from Milan. I just love the way Italians feel empowered to do things like that.

I used to get upgraded all the time returning to the US from London or Tokyo on American. All I had to do was ask, and point out my gazillion miles as a frequent flyer. So I <i>would</i> have advised racking up as many miles as possible on one airline. But the days when the check-in agent and the gate agent had a lot of leeway seem to be long gone, alas!

I've had similar luck to Scarlett on car upgrades -- kidding around with the agent has gotten me a cooler car. More likely when they're not booked for every car on the lot, however.

I told a woman of a &quot;certain age&quot; who had a real bad dye-job, that her bright red hair made her green eyes sparkle like a young maid from Ireland. She looked at me real funny, said nothing and then gave me 31E. Hey, I thought it was worth a try. Just prior to first boarding call, she motioned me over and handed me 2B. That was one pretty woman.

She was perhaps impressed by the rhinestone red white and blue belt buckle.

Perhaps it was your Sunday GoTo Meeting red white and blue bow tie?

or the white loafers and suspenders.

Laugh if you must, but I'd like to think it was my powerful body, thick, wavy hair and cat-like moves.

We most definately are not laughing at you Mssr. Degas. I bet you really know your way around a dance floor.

One time I went to the gate desk to get my boarding pass and I very descreatly pulled down the side of my shirt and showed my right tit as if I was nervous and looking for my ticket. She locked her eyes on my tit. She gave me a first class upgrade.

Since this is obviously a &quot;fantasy&quot; thread then I guess the following bears repeating:
Last week a well-dressed man pushed his way to the front of the line at one of United's international gate desks at Dulles International Aiport and demanded that the clerk &quot;upgrade&quot; his ticket to First Class due to a &quot;mistake&quot; the airline had made when the reservation was booked.

The clerk replied, very pleasantly, &quot;I'm sorry, Sir, but you'll have to wait in line like everyone else.&quot;

The man became very indignant and replied, &quot;Wait in line? Do you know WHO I am and how many frequent flyer miles I have?&quot;

The clerk smiled again and said to the man, &quot;Oh, I'm sorry, Sir. One moment please.&quot;

The clerk then picked up the gate area microphone and announced, &quot;Attention in the gate area. We have a passenger at the desk who doesn't know who he is. Can someone please help him identify himself?&quot;

The man, now absolutely outraged, screamed at the clerk, &quot;F*** You!&quot;

The clerk, still smiling, replied, &quot;I'm sorry, Sir, but you'll have to get in line for that, too.&quot;

My husband is the one who has a bazillion FF miles. He shares them with me ( who has a paltry number of miles compared with his stash). His generosity is what allows me to travel biz class when I am flying solo to London each year.
This year a friend decided ,after I already had my biz class reservation and seat assignments for both legs of my trip to Gatwick, that she'd like to go to London with me for a few days. She would be returning on her own.
We knew that she'd be flying coach and I'd be in the pointy end of the plane, but she didn't mind at all.
On the initial leg of our trip, my friend arrived at the airport first and checked in, I checked in about 30 minutes later.
I casually asked the ticket agent if she could move me to a seat, in coach, next to my friend so that we could chat for at least the first leg of our trip.
&quot; Hummmm&quot;she said. And then she asked my friend for her boarding passes. The agent tinkered around with her computer for a few seconds..she looked up at me and smiled and then she handed my friend new boarding passes... upgraded for both legs of the trip.
I believe it was this agent's random act of kindness.., it was a lovely thing for her to have done. My friend was thrilled, she'd never flown biz class domestically, much less internationally.

JonJon: Now THAT's funny.

But, what about the repeating bears?

starspinners, I would say the gate agent was impressed by YOUR graciousness and willingness to sacrifice your comfort to spend time with your friend. That's a lovely story!

JonJon, I'm still laughing!!! Could be even funnier if the cleck was a Man.

Before 9/11, I was successful about one in four times that I asked to be upgraded on an airline (no FF miles) by just asking nicely and being pleasant to the agent. Hasn't happened since (planes more crowded, less interactions wiht agents).

I used to use a VIP travel agency who had made contacts with certain airlines and they would send one of their agents who would wait at the boarding gate until the plane was full and through the gate agents somehow get us upgrades.
It was nice until 9/11, then they couldnt do it any more. For the time though I rode many first and business class flights.

JonJon -
Loved your story! Talk about a cool cat!

Scarlett:

I tried the &quot;it's our anniversary&quot; in Eze, France last summer to try to get a good room at the Chateau de la Chevre d'Or. I also made a dinner reservation in their restaurant overlooking the sea. We did get a room with an incredible view and a window table for dinner in the restaurant, but the topper was that when we asked for the check the waiter said &quot;you never know when you're done with dinner.&quot; I then saw out of the corner of my eye several waiters coming toward us shielding something with a menu. The waiters began to sing (apparently a Happy Anniversary song, in French) and put in front of us a beautiful little chocolate cake with a chocolate &quot;Happy Anniversary&quot; on top of it. We both had a difficult time containing our laughter, but we figured it never hurts to celebrate an anniversary, even if it was several months early. It really made our last night in France memorable.