It’s time for my annual “you can’t get an upgrade by dressing nice or flirting with the flight attendant” post. No, that simply will not work. The best upgrade advice remains to be loyal to your airline or at...
Bewildering Upgrade Pricing On Delta Air Lines
A passenger wonders why he received a “crazy” upgrade offer to business class on an upcoming trip. The answer is quite simple: supply and demand. Delta Air Lines Upgrade Pricing: There Is Not Necessarily Correlation Between Distance, Product, And...
United Airlines Premier 1K Upgrades: A Reality Check
In my experience, the days of complimentary upgrades for Premier 1K members on United Airlines continue to wane, changing my loyalty valuation. Why United Airlines First Class Upgrades Are Harder For Premier 1K Members My friend Ben from One...
Upgrade To Business Class On United Airlines For Only 25K DOLLARS (Not Miles) Each Way…
Yes, it’s clearly a glitch, but I am still amused at how much United Airlines is asking for a Polaris Business Class upgrade to Scotland…hurry, this offer won’t last! It’s A Steal: Business Class Upgrade On United Airlines For...
Black American Airlines Passenger Claims White Woman “Stole” Her Seat
A black passenger claimed a white woman “stole her seat” in premium economy class due to “white privilege,” but dismissed a more likely explanation and misled the public. And yet American Airlines ultimately refunded her upgrade fee even though...
Lovely Husband Always Takes The Last First Class Upgrade, Leaving Wife Behind
I’m re-running this classic piece from 2019 today on a spousal fight over a first class upgrade. I’ve flown a lot of flights in economy class with my wife and kids since this story was written, but otherwise my...
Unreal: Entitled Wife Demands Business Class Passenger Give Up His Seat So Husband Can Move Up From Economy Class And Sit Next To Her
I have to laugh at many of the seat swapping demands that are made, but nothing takes the cake like asking a seatmate to move from business class to economy class so that spouses can be seated next to...
No, The Pilot Did Not Steal Your First Class Upgrade…
When I hear folks says that a pilot stole their first class upgrade, I am sympathetic, but I don’t blame the pilot nor would I ever call it stealing. Pilots Don’t “Steal” Upgrades From Frequent Flyers With American Airlines...
It’s The Giving Season… For Upgrades And Extras
As we close the year, we are reminded to give especially in the case of expiring upgrades, instruments, and extras we may not be able to use ourselves. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit...
American Airlines Pushes Pilots To Top Of Upgrade List
American Airlines will start upgrading deadheading pilots ahead of revenue passengers within 24 hours of travel, a contractual policy change that will reduce battlefield upgrades for AAdvantage elites. American Airlines Pilots Will Be Ahead Of Customers On Upgrade List...
Flying United The Next Two Days? I Have PlusPoints Expiring
Readers and friends, I have 220 PlusPoints good for United Airlines flights in the next two days. If you want your trip upgraded, let’s make it happen. If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card...
American Airlines Agent Slips Free First Class Upgrade To Popular Pastor
The idea that one hand washes the other is about as old as time itself, but usually this is not something that you choose to broadcast so publicly. When an American Airlines ticketing agent recognized a pastor heading to...
American Airlines Will Offer All Elite Members Complimentary Upgrades On Award Tickets
American Airlines will offer space-available complimentary upgrades on “domestic” award tickets to all elite members, not just AAdvantage Executive Platinum members, starting on June 9, 2023. Currently, only Executive Platinum and Concierge Key members of the American Airlines AAdvantage...
Why Did United Premier Silver Get Upgrade Ahead Of Premier Platinum?
The whole “dress up nice” or “flirt” to get an upgrade scheme is a fool’s errand, but being seated in an oversold cabin greatly increases your odds of a “free” upgrade to the next higher cabin. But why did...
How To Bid For An Upgrade On Amtrak
Amtrak offers upgrade bidding that I successfully used to upgrade from business class to first class on Acela for less than half the retail price of a first class ticket. Perhaps even more lucrative, you can also bid for...
The Self-Upgrading Imbecile On My Gulf Air Flight…
Some people just don’t know when to stop, like the imbecile who would not take no for an answer as he tried to self-upgrade to business class on my Gulf Air flight to Bahrain. A Portrait Of Stupidity: Self-Upgrading...
Upgrade “Sale” At Delta Air Lines: Only 499,500 Miles For Business Class Upgrade…Each Way
It’s really quite absurd how the Delta Air Lines SkyMiles program has gone from bad to downright horrible when it comes to aspirational travel. Want to use your miles to upgrade? Be prepared to pony up…to the tune of...
Mother Tries To Ditch Her Kids In Economy Class, Gate Agent Downgrades Her
I witnessed something that made me laugh the other day, but it merits a bit of discussion. When are children old enough to be “ditched” in economy class? Ditching Children In Economy Class The airline or flight wasn’t important,...
Idiocy: Selling United Airlines Business Class Upgrades On eBay…
A word of wisdom: don’t sell your United Airlines PlusPoints (upgrades). Don’t buy them either. It’s one of the quickest ways to ensure your MileagePlus account will be shut down and your status and miles forfeited. One chef may...
Miles, The Alternative To Sneaking Into Business Class
My post on a woman sneaking up to business class on my Singapore Airlines flight caused quite a stir, with many indignant about me calling her out. But she could have avoided the embarrassment of being marched back to...
