YOUR MONEY
Don’t Waste Time on These Ploys
A
lot of people think they know how to score an airline upgrade,
but times have changed and some of the methods that used to work no longer fly. These include:
1. Dressing to the nines. A few decades ago, airline agents had far more empty seats available and far more discretion over how to dole them out, says Scott Keyes, founder and chief flight expert at travel deals site
Going.com. Nowadays, empty premium seats are far rarer, and it’s much more systematized. Your outfit won’t factor in.
Travel in
T 1
Style for Less
5 ways to score first-class upgrade on next flight. :: BY JILL SCHILDHOUSE
he only thing better than going on vacation is getting there in a first- class seat you didn’t have
to pay extra for. Yes, this is possible. Climbing
from coach to first class, in fact, largely comes down to the simple law of supply and demand, plus a few tricks of the trade. Here are five to keep in mind.
ELITE STATUS IS EVERYTHING, SO STAY LOYAL
“Airlines offer complimentary upgrades as a perk for travelers with elite status,” says Scott Keyes, founder and chief flight expert at
travel deals site
Going.com. “It’s one of the primary
selling points an airline uses to encourage travelers to be loyal over competitors.” Each airline has a slightly different
system, but in general, passengers are prioritized by the level of elite status: The higher your level, the more likely you’ll receive an upgrade. However, the airlines don’t offer complimentary upgrades willy- nilly, because when they do, they lose revenue. “Every airline wants to sell as
many premium seats as possible and give away as few as possible,” Keyes says. “The main variable is just how good an airline is at selling premium seats on any given flight.”
Make no mistake about it: If you want a free first-class upgrade, it’s nearly impossible to get one without elite status.
76 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | AUGUST 2025
2. Purchasing a higher class than economy. A higher-fare class like premium economy can marginally improve your odds, but it’s rare that this will make the difference. Keyes advises against buying higher-class fares solely in the hope of a first-class upgrade; in most cases, you’ll be wasting your money.
3. Being sugary sweet. You should always be polite, but laying it on thick won’t earn you anything extra. Likewise, there’s no secret password to utter that’ll make a difference.
4. Having the right credit card. There might be some situations where having the airline’s credit card would help you get an upgrade, but those situations are few and far between. And unless you like the point structure or interest rate, getting a credit card just for this reason doesn’t make sense.
Make no mistake about it: If you
want a free first-class upgrade, it’s nearly impossible to get one without elite status.
2
TIMING MATTERS The less popular the flight, the better your odds of an upgrade. “The most popular days to travel
are Sundays and Mondays, whereas Tuesdays and Wednesdays are least popular,” explains Keyes. “In general, your odds of an
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