A long haul business class upgrade is the best upgrade. Let's take that further, especially on a overnight flight crossing an ocean, when seats aren't just bigger, they're bedder.
If there aren't any brilliant business class deals to be found, there's one great strategy for scoring free upgrades to business class that arguably works better than any other, other than paying for business class.
The catch? It's important to be a frequent flyer with status on the airline. It won't work every time.
The good news is that most of the work you need to do is already done. Premium economy is a good deal in the return of travel.
If you don't hold elite status with an airline, you're welcome to read on, but the chances of this strategy working are lower. It isn't saying it won't work, but it will be a lot less frequently.
This tip is for the savvy road warriors who have separated themselves from the general travel pack by putting too many airline seats. If you haven't already, this is a great guide to elite status and the fastest ways to get it.
If you don't have elite status, this strategy can still work, but if you are planning on buying premium economy, it may not be worth the extra investment. It's time to dive in now that that's out of the way.
Premium Economy fares are great value for travelers. The economy has reached full price in this summer rebirth of 2022. Premium brings a lot more than business class.
Premium economy means two checked bags for travelers, versus no free checked bags. Premium economy brings up to 10 inches of extra legroom or recline, improved food and beverage options, priority check in, boarding and all that stuff.
Any chance to avoid economy check in queue is worth something.
The smaller the cabin, the more passengers it can hold. Someone will need to move if the chance of a cabin filling up is higher than the chance it will be oversold.
Premium economy is a great investment if you want to be in a seat that airlines would love to sell twice.
Economy passengers are often tempted to peak through the curtain into premium, or to secure that extra six inches of recline and big wide seat. It starts to set in on the day of travel, when that long haul trip in the economy starts to feel real.
People want premium now that extra inches feel like they matter.
Even if premium economy is full, airlines will often send upgrade offers to economy passengers if they know there are still seats available. It is easy to double leapfrog people when they want people to trade up.
They have already made money from you in premium, and from the economy passenger, so why not make more from them by getting them to buy up again for your premium seat?
All they need to do is move a loyal customer like you from premium to business class to create the space needed, right? The answer is that they do this a lot. Premium economy is the cabin most likely to sell out. Premium is packed on long haul flights the way they used to, but airlines aren't yet filling economy.
Premium is more expensive than business, which makes it a good choice for more travelers. When the airline wants more money, they upgrade people for free.
If no one bites, a traveler with elite status on the airline almost always gets it for free, even if they offer the business class seat as a paid upgrade option first.
If you are an elite flyer, you will be at the top of the list.
There is a valuable resource at ExpertFlyer.com. Everyone who uses it loves it. You can see how full a flight is by setting seat and upgrade alert.
If you have flexibility, you can look at which flight has the best chance of filling up before you book it.
You increase the chance of passengers needing to be upgraded to make room for the big overflow if you seek full flights in your cabin or behind you.
Lots of people need to get bumped up to business because economy and premium economy are oversold.
These are the kind of upgrades that you can find when checking in online, or in the last minute at the boarding line, where they tear up your boarding pass and give you a brand new, better, business class pass.
This strategy is too risky if business class is important. Try to maximize your points or exhaust upgrade tools first. This is next if neither works or you are happy chancing it.
If you hold your elite status with the airline, you will almost always do better with upgrades when flying. There are exceptions.
Every airline has a system of ranking upgrade priority, so the more you travel and the more precious of a metal your frequent flyer card represents, the better the results.
Traveling with other passengers on the same reservation can make it harder for you to get a job here. If there is only one seat available, a lower ranking frequent flyer will get that seat over you.
If you want to make this strategy work, stay on your own reservation, even if you travel with friends, family or colleagues. If you are the type of person that would like to leave someone behind on the plane, then so be it.
Unless you have a true diet requirement, stick to standard meals, because special meals have been known on some airlines to hold up upgrades in the past. This is less of a problem than it was before, and some airlines are past this now.
The image was courtesy of Cathay Pacific.
It can be quite amusing to watch a person walk down the aisle of a plane. First class looks nice. Business class will do, premium, not shabby at all, but the big reveal in economy typically requires an exhale, and you can do that.
InAirline News.
Biggest spenders are the most valued. There are so many terms in travel that are incorrect. Frequent flyer miles can be attained without ever leaving the house, just by spending, and elite frequent flyers can now simply be people who spend.
In frequent flyer programs.
Premium Economy isn't a flat bed and sometimes it isn't even a different meal, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth a significant premium over economy. Premium now bridges the gap between the economy experience and the first class experience.
In travel advice.
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