Fair enough. It's against your airline's policy. I can't argue that, obviously you would know better.

Just so I don't ever become a frequent flyer with an airline that will not upgrade me at the ticket counter, will you please tell us which airline you do work for?

Thanks.

AAFF-we always upgrade for domestic at the last minute but the policy on international flights since 9/11 is a different ballgame.Shall we end this thread now and get onto something more interesting ?-I know that I am.

I'm talking about international flights. Still would love to know what airline has this policy.

Okay, I'll share my latest upgrade story. Yesterday, I called AA to buy two coach tickets, DC to Madrid, and then upgrade to business class with FF miles. There are no direct AA flights to Madrid, so I wanted to fly through NYC. The agent said that I couldn't upgrade, because the NYC flight was on Iberia--no upgrades on code shares. I asked if I could upgrade on the other routes and was told yes via Miami, but there were no upgrades available for the day I want. I then asked--for no particular reason--if I could use FF miles for two business class tickets on the NYC flight. Yes, for 90,000 miles each because it was then a free flight.

Okay, fine, I have 83,000 and my wife has 170,000 FF miles. No go, because you can't pool miles. Instead, you have to formally transfer them. Okay, so I get transferred to the AA computer help desk and the person talks me through transferring 10,000 miles from one account to the other online, at a charge of $126.

Now I want to book the tickets. No go. It takes 7 days for the transfer to register. Stay tuned, I'll find out next Sunday if AA is still flying NYC-Madrid and, if so, whether there are any business class seats on my date.

To provide a little context: the coach fare on the AA website yesterday, NYC-Madrid, was $530; the fare for the longer DC-Madrid trip was $508. I will only add that I don't even try to conceal my jealousy toward people who get free upgrades on international flights. I take international flights once or, occasionally, twice a year and it's never happened here.

Very interesting (and strangely passionate) subject this is turning out to be! To get back to Kimerley's original question, I think she's on the right track being polite and dresing well. But, I wonder if maybe it depends on the airline. I just wanted to give my experience: never been bumped from economy to business. However, I am on a streak with the business class to first class upgrades. So far, I'm 10/10. Now, I usually fly to London, and on Virgin Atlantic, so I don't know about BA or AA. I do have a long standing FF card and so does my husband, but I think it has something to do with the following 1) Generally easier to be bumped from business to first, 2) Being extremely polite and have a good sense of humor with staff (several times we've been told no, only to be bumped up at the gate) and 3)flying on weekdays as opposed to weekend crowded flights, 4) dressing somewhat stylishly. Now, based on the other posts regarding dress, I'm sure to get a response to this, but I have to say, I am a true believer in the dress code thing. You can wear jeans, its HOW you wear them. If you look reasonably put together and well groomed, then you look as though you "belong" in first/upper class. And, more practically for the airline, if they stick you in first class for free, then they're probably hoping that once you see what it is like, you'll never go back to business again. So, if you don't look like you could ever afford anything other than economy in the first place, then why would they bother when they could upgrade someone who they think will come back later and buy a full fare first class ticket? Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I agree with any of this, or that it is a good idea to go around judging people on what they look like, I'm just saying I think there's something to it. So, Kimerley, if all else fails and you still remind the desk agent of the girl her first husband ran away with, then well, consider treating yourself to a business class ticket. Sometimes, they end up being only a few hundred dollars more than a full fare economy, and then you finally decide if you think it lives up to all the hype! Good luck!

I can speak to AA only - now to start I'm Platinum status...and I live in London fly between London and the States about 4-6 times per year and then inter European flights on BA twice a week.

For AA I have been getting bumped from economy to business - but I suspect my tix were at the top of the economy fares. Also I do tend to wear nice outfits - typically khaki long skirt boots and white shirt with some sort of pashmina so true don't look like a slouch but I do think asking and being nice and personable has to be more important than what I look like...my boyfriend who has almost zero miles - he only has really traveled with me gets bumped as well and he usually is in the all black thing - ...hmmm wonder if folks are onto something

My new husband and I will be honeymooning this October in Rome. Any thoughts on how to discreetly get bumped up? e.g. cheesy "bride" and "groom" t-shirts, ribbons tied to luggage, etc... I don't want to come out and say, "I'm on my honeymoon, can you bump me up?"

Just politely say, "We've just been married. Is there any chance of an upgrade for our special trip?" That's all. Don't be embarrassed. If they say no, I am certain they'll still be nice about it. Bottom line: if you don't ask, you don't give them a chance to give you the upgrade. Anyway, I'm sure they'll be able to tell from your ear to ear grins that you really were just married.

I can't imagine what some of the posters here would think of my DH if they saw him in his first class seat. He's chairman level US Air (the highest), due to his making at least 100 flights a year. This entitles him to an automatic first-class upgrade for him and one travel companion, if it's available, which it almost always is. He's a culinary director for a family of restaurants, so he travels in his chef pants and black workboots, as he always heads straight to the restaurants. He doesn't wear his chef coat, so he usually has on a t-shirt or fleece pullover and a baseball hat. Plus, he falls asleep before his plane even leaves the terminal. (I just hope he doesn't snore!) I don't think he fits the image that some have of your typical first-class traveler!

In reference to the question that some had about what it takes to get an upgrade when so many people have a gazillion miles...perhaps many airlines work in the same way USAir does? You can stockpile miles for years and not use them, whereas he's rewarded for flying so frequently. Just a possibility...

One other thing. My DH and I recently flew to Orlando with our three kids and my mom. For various reasons, we ended up deciding that I should sit in first class with our 18-month-old daughter. We thought that if she was restless, she'd have more room to move around. So we strapped her car seat in and sat back. Boy did she get a lot of double takes (and envious looks)sitting in her seat, which took up only about half of the plane seat. Ironically, 10 minutes out of Providence, she fell asleep and didn't wake up until we landed in Orlando! At least I got to enjoy myself!