Flight Upgrade Methods With a Lower Success Rate

We all want one, but we can’t always get one; an upgrade. In our smart traveler series we’ve looked at some ways you can try to improve your chances of getting an upgraded seat on the plane. The below, are some of the lesser known, but also significantly less successful ways of scoring that plush seat in the front; but it may give you some ideas of how upgrades work and why you may or may not get one.

1
Book with a Travel Agent. Agents are routinely allotted a certain number of upgrade vouchers. This will not come free but you can persuade your agent for a business class flight voucher if they have any available. If you’re not a frequent user of a particular travel agent, they have very little incentive to try and get you an upgrade. Whatever discretionary vouchers they may have will most certainly go to the people who have contributed the most to their agency.

Travel agents have much less input regarding your status now than they used to. Your seat assignments are done via computer now, and computers don’t take into account notes that a travel agent may have added to your record. Computers are quite content to simply count the miles and use your earned status.

2
Use a mileage broker. Mileage brokers buy mileage from frequent fliers, and resell those miles to other travelers. This is very risky. Airlines have very strict policies against buying frequent flier miles from a 3rd party. If they catch you doing this, you will likely lose your ticket, and you may also lose all your miles, earned or purchased. As a result of strict airline policies, brokers are hard to come by.

3
Ask the ticket counter agent nicely. This will almost never work. In most cases, on most airlines, the ticket agent is not authorized to upgrade. Only the manager is, so if there is only one person at the ticketing counter, you are talking to them. You will most likely need to use miles to get your upgrade. However, you might be able to ask the ticket counter agent to kindly add a code to your ticket. That signifies to the gate agent that you are potentially eligible for an upgrade.

4
If you were late because of a partner airline, make sure the airline is aware of that: it is their fault and they need to fix it. Both airlines need to be on the same E-ticket number, so both airlines are responsible for getting you to your destination. If they can’t get you to your destination on time, that’s a great time to ask—as nicely as possible—for another flight, plus an upgrade voucher for your troubles.

5
If you happen to be a travel agent, show your Iata or ARC ID. Again, if and only if seats are available will an airline offer a free upgrade and even though a travel agent might have some pull (this pull ended in the late 90’s), you always have to assume that frequent flyer status will help more than just travel agent status. If you have both, you will only improve your chances of an upgrade. It certainly does not hurt to try.