How To Upgrade to First Class Without Paying Extra Fees

Imagine if every time you rented a Nissan you had to walk past a row of Porsches. Or, if every time you ordered fast food, you had to walk past a buffet of steak and lobster. 

Sounds nutty, but that’s basically how boarding an airplane works — you have to walk past the superior product (first class) just to get to the one you paid for. And while we all long for the Porsche/steak/wider seat, it often feels too expensive to justify. 

Or is it? 

Because unlike a new Porsche, there are simple ways you can score massive discounts on first-class fares. Heck, it’s even possible to talk your way into a first-class seat for free!

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1. Book a Weird Flight Time

One of the secrets to booking a cheap business-class flight is hidden right inside the name itself: business class. 

Business-class flyers are more likely to be traveling for work than your average coach passenger, meaning you’ll typically encounter higher demand (and thus higher rates) on Mondays and Fridays.

But according to KAYAK, that leaves plenty of vacant first- and business-class seats on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, when rates are more likely to be lower. 

Similarly, try to avoid times of day favored by business-class travelers. Instead of Monday at 6am, look for a flight at 11pm and compare the cost. Even if you have to catch a red-eye, it could be worth it for the $500+ in savings (and it’s easier to sleep in first class, too). 

2. Piggyback On Your Friend or Family Member’s Status

Everyone knows that you can share your friend’s Spotify or Hulu account. But did you know they can “share” their airline status with you, too? 

In Delta’s own words, “You can book Award Travel for yourself or for someone else — even if you’re not flying with them.” 

That means if you ask nicely, your friend with Diamond Medallion status and 972,131 SkyMiles might be willing to book a flight for you for a small bit of cash or as an early birthday present.

They don’t necessarily need to book you directly in first class, either, since their status may grant them complimentary upgrades. 

3. Spend (or Convert) Your Credit Card Points

Another great way to book a first-class ticket (without having to pay piles of cash) is to use credit card points instead. 

If you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred® account, for example, you can redeem your Chase Ultimate Rewards® points through Chase Travel℠ for a 25% bonus — meaning 50,000 points worth $500 cash will be worth $625 towards a first-class flight. 

But before you book a first-class flight through Chase/Amex/Capital One, consider that you can also transfer most credit card points directly to the airline first, and then book through the airline for an even cheaper fare. 

For example, 10,000 Amex Membership Rewards® points may only be worth $100 in airfare via Amex Travel, but if you convert them to Delta SkyMiles first, they could be worth $120 or more. 

COMPARE: Best Travel Credit Cards

4. Ask the Gate Agent (Early and Politely)

Once you’re in the airport, it’s still possible to get upgraded to first class or business class at a discount. If you’re really lucky, you might even get a bigger seat for free. 

On an episode of the Erika Taught Me Podcast, The Points Guy founder Brian Kelly told us about a time he scored a business-class upgrade on a 10-hour flight just by being kind, charming, and most importantly, unentitled. 

“I went up to the gate agent, and I’m 6’7”… and I was like, ‘Hey… if there’s a need, I’m here to fall on a sword if you really need to open up a coach seat. I’m happy to sit in business class.’”

Brian claims she laughed and said she couldn’t promise anything (no surprise there). But later, when he boarded the plane, Brian heard the magical sound of a fresh boarding pass being printed. 

“Probably the best upgrade of my life.” 

Another way to potentially score a free or discounted upgrade is to approach the gate agent as early as you can (i.e., before others try this) and simply ask:

1. Is the flight full, and if not, 
2. Do you have a more comfortable seat option available? 

Chances are, you’ll get some variation of, “Sorry, it’s full” or “Yes, 1C is available for [insert full price].” 

But on one occasion out of 10, you may get lucky. 

“You’ll sometimes benefit from discounted fares if first-class seats are unsold right before departure, but there’s no guarantee,” reports Booking.com. 

5. Ask a Flight Attendant (the Right Way)

To preface, please don’t make the mistake of “sneaking” into first class and hoping you won’t be noticed. 

Flight attendants are highly trained and observant professionals — they know which first-class seats are supposed to be empty on a flight, and assuming they won’t notice or care that you stole a seat is disrespectful. 

Instead, you can give yourself a real-world chance of being upgraded once the doors close by simply asking a flight attendant. Your chances are significantly better if you have a valid reason to ask, too: 

“Excuse me sir, but my seat won’t recline/my screen doesn’t work/I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep with all the nearby noise. Is there another seat available?” 

If the only alternatives are an upgrade from your current fare, don’t be surprised if they ask you to cover the difference with your credit card. But if they truly empathize with your situation, you may very well get sent to the front of the plane!

BONUS: If You’re Bumped, Ask for Business Class on the Next Flight

Finally, one of the “easiest” ways to get a free upgrade is to ask for one when you get bumped. 

Bumping, aka “involuntary denied boarding,” is when an airline forces a passenger to give up their seat before a flight, usually because they sold too many tickets. 

Bumping isn’t illegal, but according to federal regulations, airlines who bump you are required to: 

1. Rebook you on the next flight, and
2. Automatically refund you up to 400% of your one-way fare.

In a nutshell, “The airline has to take care of you,” Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on an episode of Erika Taught Me. 

But believe it or not, airlines would rather pay you $3,000, $5,000, sometimes $10,000+, to voluntarily give up your seat instead of bumping you and paying you $1,000. Because the way they see it, folks who volunteer are far less likely to complain online and hurt the airline’s brand image. 

So if you hear a gate agent ask for “volunteers” to give up their seat, follow these tips to maximize a cash payout — and then ask for business class on your rebooked flight. 

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