Plane tickets can get very pricey, especially if you are flying first class or business class
. You can save yourself some money if you buy a regular economy or general class and get an upgrade. The main way to upgrade your ticket is to pay the difference in price but if you know how to work the system, you can get your ticket upgraded without having to spend the extra money. Below are a few tips to help you get an upgrade on your ticket the next time you fly with any airline.
Always be willing to change seats. There may be a time when the airline finds it necessary to ask some passengers if they would be willing to change their assigned seat. It is very important to be flexible as the seat they may be offering could be in first class. Some people actually get upset when they are asked to give up their window seat. The airline will not make the first class offer so that every passenger can hear so they may not disclose this information when they ask you if you are willing to change your seat. You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that your new seat will be your ticket to sitting in first class.
Dress appropriately and be polite. The saying about catching more flies with honey then vinegar holds some truth to it. If you are dressed sloppy and you are rude to the airline staff you will not likely be one of their choices when it comes to moving passengers to first or business class.
If you are looking for the best situation for being bumped up to first or business class then you should try to book early flights and arrive early. It is common for flights to get overbooked in economy class and when this happens they will bump economy class seats up to first class if there are open seats. If you have an early flight, airline staff will be fresh just starting their day so they will be more friendly and willing to go the extra mile for friendly passengers.
If all else fails and you just cant seem to get an upgrade with the above methods, you can always see how much it will cost to pay the difference in the ticket or see if you can cash in some frequent flyer miles to get you in the seat that you want.