Up and Away: Expert Tips On Airline Upgrades
By
Fred Cohn
You’ve had a grueling day on one coast; tomorrow you’re due for the same on the other. Wouldn’t it be nice to get some “me time” on the flight? But in coach, you’ve got about as much chance of finding relaxation as the Mariners do of winning the 2008 World Series. It’s times like these when upgrades seem awfully enticing. They aren’t always easy to come by, but they do happen. Here’s how to work the system:
1. Sign Up. If you use the airline’s frequent flyer program, it gives you automatic priority when they’re assigning upgrades. “It doesn’t make sense not to be on it,” says Brice Gosnell, regional publisher for Lonely Planet America.
2. Cash In Those Miles. If you’re saving your points for your personal travel, loosen up—and use them for upgrades. “Have you tried to use your miles for your European vacation?” asks Kathleen Ameche, author of The Woman Road Warrior. “It isn’t always that available.”
3. Plan Ahead. Put in your upgrade request 24 to 72 hours before the flight. You’ll be ahead of the Johnny-come-latelies on the list. And although some business travelers like to reach the gate minutes before boarding, that’s not a good tactic for upgrades. “For long flights, like San Francisco–to–Beijing, I’ve gone an hour early, just to get on the list,” says Gosnell. “It has worked—and taking that extra hour beats spending 15 to 16 hours in coach.”
4. Know the Territory. The more you know about an airline’s rules for upgrades, the better you’ll be able to work the angles. Check out the website and find out how it works. Some airlines send out emails about last-minute bargains. “On Wednesday, a lot of major airlines will be dumping seats for the weekend,” says Ameche. “I always like to get on that list.”
5. Play Nice. Raising a stink is never going to get you an upgrade. The people at the gate are human, and they’ll reward people who’ve treated them respectfully. “Don’t be a jerk; just say, ‘Hey, I’ve been in meetings all day and I’m tired—if there’s any way I can get an upgrade, I’d really appreciate it,” says Gosnell. According to Ameche: “The six worst words you can use are ‘Do you know who I am?’”
6. Dress the Part. “If you go to the airport in sweats and flip-flops, they aren’t going to put you in business class,” says Gosnell. “Present yourself as businesspeople would anywhere. And that includes shaving and body odor!”
MBA Jungle, August 2008