ALWAYS dreamed of turning left as you board the aeroplane, but don’t have the cash to splash on business class flights?
Airlines will rarely dish out a swish upgrade for birthdays or weddings nowadays, but there are some clever ways of bagging one without spending a penny.
Or if you do have a little cash to spare, there are more affordable ways of doing it.
The below hacks have been tried and tested by regular travellers, including myself – and anyone can give them a go.
Here are the five best ways to score yourself a flight upgrade WITHOUT spending thousands.
1. START COLLECTING POINTS
Most people think airline points are just for frequent flyers, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
And if you accumulate enough points, you’ll be able to upgrade yourself essentially for free.
I’ve been collecting Avios for a couple of years now and I’ve accumulated enough points to upgrade on every one of my upcoming flights to both short and long haul destinations.
They can be spent on a fair few mega airlines, including British Airways, Qatar Airways and Iberia.
There’s truly no big secret, or catch, you can just collect points by doing your weekly shop, catching the train or filling up with petrol.
Start by reading my comprehensive guide on how to maximise your points.
Once you start incorporating points collection into your daily routine, you’ll be raking them in in a matter of months.
When it comes to Avios upgrades, you can only bump yourself up one cabin class (so if you’re flying economy, you can move up to premium) and not all flights can be upgraded.
There has to be availability, too. So if the flight is looking chocka block, you may not get the chance.
You won’t have to pay any cash for the actual upgrade, but you will have to pay the difference in taxes as it costs the airline more in mandatory charges to fly passengers in upper class cabins.
2. ALWAYS BOOK PREMIUM ECONOMY
If you have the money to book a premium economy seat, this massively boosts your chances of moving up.
According to a cabin crew member: “It’s the smallest cabin and the most likely to get oversold.
“And if you hold airline status or a credit card linked to the airline then you are typically the one that gets the operational bump up.”
The leap in price from premium economy to business can be pretty hefty if you’re paying for it outright at the beginning of the booking.
But by comparison, the price jump from economy up to premium economy is much smaller, so it’s certainly a more affordable way of doing it if you can spare that extra cash.
Get yourself an airline credit card, especially if you tend to fly with one specific airline (I have the British Airways AMEX), and climb the status ladder.
If you’re travelling solo, this only boosts your chances for logistical reasons. Airlines won’t just upgrade one member of a party.
If the flight is overbooked and there is only one seat left in business, the person travelling on their own is most likely to get the bump if several travellers have status.
It’s the easiest and most simple solution for the airline.
3. PLAY UPGRADE CHICKEN
Sometimes it pays to play the risk game, but it is a gamble.
If you’ve got a bit of spare cash and the flight is relatively empty, it might be worth leaving your upgrade until the last possible moment.
Regular traveller and boss of PR firm Florence & Fable, Florence Bate tried this hack when flying from Bermuda to London Gatwick with British Airways – and it paid off.
She said: “It was about four or five years ago. I asked to upgrade at the check-in desk when I first arrived at the airport.
“I think I remember it being around £200 at that time.
“Then I waited until the gate, just before boarding the plane, and it was £60. I upgraded there and then to premium economy, nothing fancy.
“I just think if you never ask, you’ll never know. Ask at all check-in points and hope for the best!”
4. FLY AT QUIET TIMES OR BE FLEXIBLE
Having some movement to your travel plans, or intentionally selecting a less popular time to fly or month to visit that destination can sometimes pay off.
If your flight is overbooked and you volunteer to take a later flight, the airline and ground staff will be extremely grateful – because you’ve put yourself out, they’ll be more likely to put you at the top of the list for a space available upgrade, or at the very least give you a free glass of champers on board.
If there’s plenty of space, then your chances are higher, too.
Skyscanner’s travel expert Laura Lindsay said: “There’s no hard or fast rule and it will all depend on the airline operator and availability.
“Travelling at quieter times, arriving early, or maintaining airline loyalty may help your chances.”
5. KINDNESS IS KEY
Although it’s far rarer these days to see spontaneous upgrades, it still pays to be kind. You never know how your generosity may be rewarded.
Frequent flyer Sally Jones is a regular at this hack and claims she’s benefited from it every time she’s flown.
She said: “Bringing chocolate, sweets or a gift for the cabin crew always does the trick.
“It might not necessarily get you the full upgrade but it does regularly get you perks.
“My family does this a lot and we often get a free glass of bubbly or special treatment.”
One Sun reader reports to have actually bagged the upgrade, but only after doing some extensive digging.
They said: “I found out which crew were on board the plane and had gotten some advice from a friend.
“This friend does work at the airline I was flying with, so I’d had a tip off that one particular staff member liked those Tony’s chocolate bars.
“I asked for them my name when I stepped on board and handed them the chocolate, next thing I know I was being whisked to the front of the plane. It was only a very short flight, but it still felt glam.”