Never Fly Economy Again — 15 Airline Hacks for Free Upgrades!

what a load of BS. The old myth of dressing nice will get you an upgrade-not true. I always fly business and it's always sold out, with an upgrade list posted full of frequent flyers. In fact on many of my flights, the flight is sold out and they're asking for volunteers to get bumped.

You should always be kind, because everyone deserves respect

I always dress nice. Ive never been given a free upgrade. Im not lucky like that😢

I’ve been upgraded twice in my lifetime. Both times I was traveling alone. I think that was the reason I was upgraded because it seemed quite random. I didn’t do anything else on the list you mentioned. I was dressed normally, not super well dressed and I’m always polite to the crew and staff but it was a huge crowded flight so I don’t think they even noticed me. My name was called right before boarding. It was the very first time I was flying with that airline and I had no points or anything. I was grateful because the flight was 9 hours and I had another 7 hour flight after that one.

This actually brought back a memory from a delayed flight I had last year. Everyone around the gate was angry and loud, and I just walked up calmly and asked what my options were if I waited for the next flight. Ended up getting rebooked into a much better seat and a meal voucher. Patience really does change how staff treat you.

Decades of flying internationally on work-related trips I was often upgraded without ever asking. A family member who works with a European airline told me that both check-in and cabin crew take note of polite, well spoken and appropriately dressed passengers when an opportunity for upgrade comes up. So, it’s true not piffle.

There are NO free upgrades. You have to pay for them with either money or "points". And you have 50 people ahead of you with more miles.

We bought long haul flights in Premium economy with Cathay Pacific. At checkin we have been upgraded with a large smile to business class. 20 minutes before boarding, the flight was cancelled. We were sent home with new connections for the following day, on Turkish Airline ECONOMY. On our return, our agent received a tiny refund of $500. ( tickets cost us originally $13,800). From that day on, Cathay pacific no longer exist in our family even at half the price.

That use to work but nowadays the airlines will leave economy completely overflowing than upgrade passengers to business class. I flew home 7/11 Delhi to Sydney 16 seats in business class but only 8 of us, yet economy was overflowing, no one got an upgrade free. Trying to use points for upgrading is also impossible they release so few seats and they are booked out as soon as they are released and the airlines won’t advise you when the next of points seats are available.

A load of crap. clickbait. She prepared a script and reading like a moron that does not really know what she is talking about. I have logged over 2 million flying miles. This is bull.

I’ve noticed upgrade prices quietly drop late at night before a flight, especially when business class isn’t full. Most people check once and forget, but timing really seems to be everything.

I must say that I have been so lucky to receive an upgrades with most of these hacks. 5 upgrades with British airways with loyalty points. One upgrade with Emirates ( had to pay small fee), one completely free with Turkish airlines. Austrian airlines offered me an upgrade on a later flights, as my scheduled fight was overbooked ( they wanted to accommodate an elderly woman) and I didn’t mind to wait for 2 hours. United airlines offered better food and complementary travel bags from first class just for been nice to the crew. 2 other upgrades that I was offered in flight as I had to help the crew with sick passengers ( I am a doctor ), but I had to turn down as I was travelling with friends- I still got better food for me and my friends. I have always dressed smart when travelling, So it really does help.

This doesnt work with united with seats upgrades, computer tells order of upgrades

This video is full of false information. Airlines do their best to sell every seat prior to the flight. If they have room for upgrades they will sell/give them to their high mileage customers. Nothing is given for free anymore. Stop believing these myths!

Yes you can follow this advice however these tips don’t guarantee an upgrade by any means. It’s like a lottery, the luck of the draw. Also on many routes there are simply no upgrade seats available. My first upgrade to Business class happened when economy was overbooked and not being aware of this offered to pay for Business simply because I didn’t want to wait in an interminable line at check in. The airline assistant just smiled and said, certainly and there is no extra charge 😊

Does not work that way, you pay and you get the upgrade if any only available, you won't get a free bee even if you look like King Charles. Sorry

Gate staff is full of racism

I should respect first myself by excellent attitude and manners

I've done most of these. I even bring Starbucks gift cards for the whole crew sometimes (just $5 cards, but that will at least get them a better coffee in between flights!) and even for the gate agents, I always dress nice (even EXTRA nice!), I'm ALWAYS friendly and patient and helpful, I've traveled for special occasions and mentioned such, I've volunteered to be bumped to other flights (and then got bumped), and I have traveled alone at least 90% of all my trips. I have to say, I have NEVER, NOT ONCE, NOT A SINGLE SOLITARY TIME been upgraded or given ANYTHING, not for free or even for a "small fee"...only when I've paid full price for upgrades (which I only did one time). Not a single free ANYTHING. To give a perspective, I've taken at least 500 domestic flights and at least 100 international flights in my life. (Wait...I take that back. One flight attendant said, as a thank you for the Starbucks card I gave her, she gave me a Ziplock bag of little candies that ANOTHER passenger gave HER that she made for her child's birthday giveaways, then asked me to keep it secret so the other passenger she got it from wouldn't see. Big whoop). I'm vegetarian and when there are meals on flights, I always request one (no meat in 30+ years). I've even been told "Sorry, we ran out of vegetarian meals" on occasion, but no upgrades or perks or ANYTHING, even when THEY screw up. This makes the airline industry employees sound like really sweet humans, but they aren't. They are just doing a job like everyone else.

None of the 15 tips work on Star Alliance! Just the Opposition!