10 Top Tips for Getting a FREE Flight Upgrade
By: tmhogirl (19 January 2009)
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Do you fancy paying like a pauper and travelling like a prince or princess? We have mastered the art of paying like a pauper, and travelling in style. We are not talking about blagging, trickery, lying, we are strictly keeping it completely legit here after all, there is a thin line between getting something for nothing and being banged up for obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception.
In this series, we will examine tips for paying for standard travel be it flights, rooms, taxis, and being upgraded to the next class or even luxury rooms, and of course getting free gifts from hotels.
The flight – how to save money and bag a free upgrade!
Let's start with booking your holiday. My biggest travel tip is to spend your time searching for your holiday. You could save hundreds of pounds by booking through the right agent, making sure your agent is a member of travel agents ABTA and not some dodgy loony.
Never ever travel without appropriate travel insurance, you will be glad you did, should the shit hit the fan whilst on holiday.
When booking your holiday, that attractive package in the glossy brochure, with pathetic attempts at savings, may not be quite the attractive proposition being sold to you. You will probably find the same room type and flight being offered, for much cheaper by using the net to search for deals and by shopping around.
If booking through Expedia, I would go normally go through the cashback website Quidco.com. Quidco gives a 1% cashback for flights booked through Expedia, 5% for a package sale and 7.25% for a hotel booking.
Booking an economy flight and getting a FREE upgrade to business class or even first class, is not a myth or the Holy Grail, it happens everyday. The tips below of course assume that you are not a VIP who will get easy upgrades or best friends with the airline staff in charge of upgrades!
Here are a few tips:
1. Travel alone
As a single traveller, I have been upgraded on numerous occasions. But if you are travelling with a partner, your chances of an upgrade will diminish greatly. But I will rather cuddle up to my partner in cattle class, than sip champagne and eat caviar in upper class. Really.
If you are travelling with children, your chances of getting an upgrade are next to zero. However children travelling unaccompanied or ill children, may sometimes be upgraded.
2. Join the Frequent Flyer clubs
This is probably one of the best ways to get regular upgrades by building up your air miles or points. If you can get to a premier or gold level, even better, as most airlines would give you status that would allow free upgrades, where available. If you travel a lot on business and can choose your airline, use one consistently to build up your points.
3. Dress the part but don't overdo it!
It always helps to turn up for your flight looking the part and in casual smart clothes. Yes, we know that people who actually pay for business class travel, can turn up in faded dirty jeans and smelly rucksacks, but they\'ve paid for their flight, and can therefore afford to be scruffy, you are trying to get something for nothing!
Some would advocate wearing business suits to try and bag an upgrade, but I think this makes you look a little bit obvious, like you are trying too hard and you may feel rather foolish if the upgrade request is refused. Wearing a suit in crapped economy class if you do fail in your quest for an upgrade, isn't great fun! Having said all that, many companies have cut back on business class travels in the current financial market, so you won't be the only one in economy wearing a suit!
4. Be nice and polite to check in staff
Be especially nice to the travel agent and airline staff. Often the check-in staff may not actually have a right to upgrade people, but they can put in a good word with the powers that be!
5. Arrive early
Your chances of bagging an upgrade could be increased by arriving early!
6. Book a full flight
If you check before booking a flight and the economy section appears full or nearly full, then you might have a better chance of an upgrade.
7. Move if requested to do so
If you are asked by cabin crew to move to accommodate another traveller, do so! There is always a chance that you could be moved to an upgraded seat.
8. Avoid special meals if possible
This sounds awful but our spy tells us that aircrafts usually carry limited numbers of special meals. You could therefore be denied an upgrade simply because you have requested a meal type that is not available in the upgrade section.
9. If you are on a special trip, scream it out loud!
Ever wondered why people usually get upgraded on their honeymoon? Come on, we are all suckers for romance! If you are celebrating a special anniversary, going on your honeymoon, going away to get married or any other special occasion, make sure your travel agent knows it. If possible, make sure you tell the airline on time. You might just bag an upgrade or some other special treat!
10. Ask for an upgrade!
Most people are too shy to ask for an upgrade. Hello? If you don't ask you won't get! One of my motors in life, is ask and you might just get a yes. If you ask, the worst thing that could happen is that you get a "no" right? So what the hell is the big deal asking?
Have a great and safe trip!
Fancy paying for a standard room in a five star hotel and being upgraded to a luxury suite? Look out for a future article in the How to Pay Like a Pauper and Travel Like a Prince or Princess Series.
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Comments on this post:
"I've travelled 1st class simply because they (a certain airline) made me fall and I was "shook-up" and I enjoyed every bit of it. I looked the part and now when I go on holidays I try to obtain an upgrade of a sort, not always 1st class but something better than economy. "
serenebeauty (15 April 2009)
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"There is nothing quite as delicious as 1st class or business travel, especially when you haven't paid the full fare! I was once booted off a 1st class upgrade (after enjoying the 1st class lounge), because a paying customer booked at the last minute! Airlines can apparently do this. It was the most embarrassing travel nightmare and boy did I go to town with the complaint to the airline, and for my troubles, flowers and return business ticket."
tmhogirl (15 April 2009)
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