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Making the upgrade
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June 15, 1998: 1:54 p.m. ET
Elite frequent flyers have the best chance at snagging a free first class seat
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NEW YORK (biztravel.com) - Airline upgrades are awarded to passengers based upon available space, your frequent-flyer status and the fare you paid. That's all.
Checking in early won't get you anywhere. Claiming an injury that would make coach seating uncomfortable rarely works. And giving the ticket agent a box of chocolates or a bouquet of long-stem roses usually won't help you either (though there are scattered success stories of the power of charm).
The best way for travelers to get to first class is to be an elite member of the airline's frequent flyer program. If there are seats available, you may receive a free upgrade.
Some airline frequent flyer programs will accept requests in advance, while others only take them at the gate. But the rule of thumb is: The higher your frequent flyer status, the better chance you have of receiving the upgrade.
If you are a lower level frequent flyer member -- and you paid full fare for your coach seat -- you can sometimes pay for an upgrade. The cost of upgrading is much lower than if you purchased a First Class ticket.
Alaska (ALK), America West (AWA), Continental (CAI.A), KLM (KLM), Northwest (NWAC), TWA (TWA), USAir (U) and Virgin Atlantic all offer low-cost upgrades. The cost generally corresponds to the length of the flight.
You can also trade in frequent flyer miles for an upgrade. The amount of miles needed for an upgrade depends upon the frequent flyer program to which you belong, but most airlines charge a minimum of 10,000 miles.
Many airline frequent flyer programs offer special deals to their members. For example, Continental One Pass offers two upgrade option plans for members in their first year of enrollment. The Executive Pack, which costs $64.95, gives you 5,000 miles, four one-segment, one-class upgrades, a $99 companion ticket for anywhere in the U.S. or Canada, two free visits to the Presidential Club and rental car coupons at Thrifty and National.
Continental's Prestige Pack, which costs $99, gives you 7,500 miles, 6 one-segment, one-class upgrades, a $99 companion ticket for anywhere in the U.S. or Canada, ticket discount certificates, two free visits to the Presidential Club, rental car coupons at Thrifty and National, hotel coupons at Radisson, three free months of Inside Flyer magazine, three free months of MCI service.
US Airways Dividend Miles offers a pack of 11 coupons for $300. The coupons can be used by the purchaser of the coupons or transferred to another party. The coupons are used based upon the length of the flight, with longer flights requiring more coupons. The coupons can be used in North America only, and can be used for full fare or discounted fare tickets. When you use a coupon and get upgraded to first class, you will accrue first class mileage for that flight.
Membership in a hotel frequency program grants you a variety of bonuses. You can get discounts, extra amenities (such as free meals), coupons and upgrades. Frequency program members accrue an average value of $10 per visit, but keep in mind that many hotel programs' points will expire one year after earning them.
Some hotels have no expiration date for their points, but require you to stay at a member hotel at least once during the year or you will lose your account.
Several hotel frequency programs also allow guests to earn airline bonus miles instead of hotel points. Hotels affiliated with airline programs typically offer 500 to 1,000 miles per stay.
Some hotels require you to fly a particular airline combined with your stay in order to qualify for miles, and most hotels make you choose between hotel points or miles. However, Hilton (HLT) and Westin allow you to receive both hotel points and airline miles for the same stay as long as you pay a qualifying room rate.
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