Until recently, getting upgraded from economy to business class or first class was standard for passengers with a mid-tier frequent flier card. Now with business and first class travel costing less there are fewer and fewer upgrades available to loyalty card holders for airlines. There are also auctions held by some forty airlines, including Singapore, Etihad, and Virgin Atlantic, are now offering up premium seats for auction through a bidding platform called Plusgrade. Most of them let you make a bid a week before the departure date and notify you within a few days if you've won. And unsurprisingly, each successful bidder claims a seat that might have once gone to a frequent flier—for free.
How to Become a VIP in the New Era of Upgrades
Understanding how airlines value customers and hand out upgrades is the key nowdays to unlock upgrades in the future. The following infographics highlight how different US carriers value each traveler based on a rating scheme that entitles them to more frequent upgrades.
DELTA
UNITED
American Airlines
American Airlines prioritizes elite upgrades based on the following:
- Elite status - This is the most important but booking early and requesting an immediate upgrade can help
- Time at which the flier is added to the upgrade waitlist.
- American Airlines Advantage Program prioritizes Dollars Spent to Miles Flown
How to Game the System
A few strategies:
Use miles: If you buy an economy fare, you can still use frequent-flier miles to buy an upgrade, though there can sometimes be cash co-pays. Plus, if you confirm your upgrade in advance, you won’t have to endure the nail-biting wait at the departure gate.
Bid on an upgrade: It’s an especially attractive option for international travelers, given the breadth of carriers that have signed up. Policies and pricing vary from airline to airline and route to route, but you can often score deep discounts on otherwise unaffordable tickets.
Pick your plane: Airlines fly a variety of aircraft, even on the same routes, so you can alter your strategy based on the number of premium seats aboard your flight. Think both in terms of absolute numbers as well as the proportion of the plane they take up. High numbers and proportions translate to better odds.
Avoid business routes: Flights with a lot of business travelers tend to have the most elite upgrade competition, so avoid those to improve your chances. “Don’t fly when most business travelers do, such as early flights on Monday mornings and Thursday and Friday afternoons between 5:00-7:30pm," says Leff. "Middle of the day Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are your best bet. Fly during the holidays. There are fewer business travelers on the road.”
Track your flight capacity: Leff suggests using a paid service like ExpertFlyer.com to keep tabs on how quickly premium seats are being snatched up for your particular flight. Depending on how fast they’re flying off the shelf, you can purchase an upgrade, redeem some miles for one, or to take your chances in the elite queue.
Don’t want to deal with the headache? Here’s one last strategy: Buy a discounted premium fare.
Airlines are pushing those premium seats and often prompt economy fliers with the chance to “upgrade” for “just a little more.” The offers continue at check-in and at the airport. Compare those offers to online airfares on the same routes to determine whether they’re worth taking. If you’re getting that business- or first-class seat at a deep discount, you might as well purchase it outright and not worry about the upgrade game.