Dreamed of flying first class? If premium tickets are out of your price range, the best chance of scoring a luxury plane seat might be a free upgrade.
But how can you increase your chances of a free flight upgrade?
Immanuel Debeer, a travel expert from Flight Hacks, has shared his best tips to get a free upgrade on a plane and according to him, there’s one type of traveller that might be favoured by flight attendants.
Immanuel said: “Airlines don’t offer free upgrades out of the goodness of their hearts, they do it to gain customer loyalty. Dressing smartly and looking like a frequent flyer is a great tactic to maximise your chances of getting an upgrade.
“Business travellers are an airline’s favourite type of passenger as they fly regularly and are more likely to spend freely on their company cards.
“Wearing business attire is a good strategy for presenting yourself as a customer they want to keep happy and loyal.”
Smartly dressed passengers might be more likely to get an upgrade as attendants may assume they are business travellers.
Frequent flyers are much more likely to be upgraded but dressing smartly could make you appear as though you travel regularly.
But what other tips could help you get a free upgrade?
Travel alone
Immanuel said: “This tip might seem obvious once you think about it, but a single person on an empty flight is much more likely to get an upgrade than a family of six on a booked-out plane.
“Flying in the middle of the week or at off-peak times increases the chance of a seat upgrade, as the plane is less likely to be full.”
There will usually only be one available seat in first class so a solo traveller is much more likely to be upgraded.
Don’t be afraid to ask
He added: “It may seem simple, but one of the best ways to secure a free upgrade is to ask politely.
“It doesn’t hurt to simply inquire if there is any possibility of an upgrade, especially if you are flying alone – your chances are significantly increased by just asking.”
A polite request for a free upgrade may be rewarded if there does happen to be a spare seat available.
