5 Steps to Free First Class Tickets

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I love to travel but I don’t always love the flight to my destination. Sitting in a cramped plane can be uncomfortable and noisy – and the food isn’t all that great either! 

If you’re like me, you love flying first class, but hate paying first class prices. But what if I said you could fly first class without having to pay full price? In some cases, you can even fly first class for free.

Here are the five steps to free first-class upgrades:

1. Book Early

Search for flights as early as possible. Most people book flights at the last minute. This means the airlines have the advantage with pricing because there are more people wanting seats than there are seats available. 

However, far fewer folks book a flight months in advance. Prices will be in your favor. You might be able to get first-class seats at much lower prices than normal. 

2. Check In Early

Sensing a theme here? The early bird has more opportunities for first class seating. Instead of checking in at the last-minute, go online to check-in as early as possible.

Online check-in usually begins 24 hours before your flight departs. If you check in early, you might be able to score a free or heavily discounted upgrade to first class. Other fliers might have made last-minute cancellations which you can swoop in and grab. 

3. Ask at the Airport

When you first arrive at the airport and are checking in your baggage, use the check-in kiosk to see if any first class upgrades are available. If not, ask the agent when you’re at your gate. 

Airlines actually have a strong incentive to upgrade passengers to first class for free, especially as the flight gets closer to take-off.  Airlines want to fill every seat on a plane.

If a plane has empty seats in first class, the airline might want to upgrade a few passengers to first class. Why? Because selling an economy seat is often easier, so they want to free up a few if they can.  

4. Be Willing to Be Bumped

A significant majority of flights are overbooked. This means more tickets are sold than there are seats open on the plane. The airlines plan on a few cancellations, but if all the passengers show up, then the airline has to bump a few people onto other flights. 

If you’re willing to be bumped, you’re actually in a great bargaining position. Tell the gate agent you’re willing to be bumped, but only if you’re upgraded to a first class seat.    

Bumping passengers is one of the gate agent’s most difficult jobs. So remember to always remain polite and charming when negotiating your upgrade. 

Additionally, your chances of getting bumped (voluntarily) increase if you don’t have any checked luggage. Dealing with luggage is usually a hassle for the airlines when bumping passengers, so the less luggage you have, the easier. 

5. Be a Frequent Flier

When you become join a frequent flier or mileage rewards program for an airline, you’ll be able to earn a variety of upgrades and perks. These can include bonus miles, quick check-ins, in-flight treats and even upgrades to first class. 

Frequent fliers are great for anyone who travels often. Ideally, you want to fly at least 50 thousand miles a year. That’s the “elite” zone where you’ll get the best rewards. 

If you’re close to 50 thousand miles, but not quite there, consider “mileage running.” This is when you buy cheap flights in order to run up your mileage points. The destination doesn’t matter, you’re just interested in the miles. Typically, a mileage run will work out if the price-per-mile is $.02 or less.      

Another way to add miles is to purchase them directly from the airline. They’re usually located on the airline’s website in the frequent flier section. 

Buying miles and performing mileage runs often makes more financial sense than buying a first class ticket outright. The key is to avoid spending your points on smaller items. The first class upgrade requires a bit of patience but can really pay off.  

Final Thoughts

Airlines actually do have incentives to upgrade you to first class. You want to take advantage of that fact and reach for upgrades at every opportunity. Join the frequent flier club, check in early and don’t be afraid to ask for a first class seat directly. 

Always remember to be polite. Airline workers must constantly deal with angry customers with all sorts of demands. If you’re polite, charming and patient, you’ll stand out in a good way. 

No matter where you’re next vacation destination is, you deserve to arrive in style. Free or reduced first class upgrades are more obtainable than you may have thought. Happy travels! 

Author Bio:

Luke runs BeachRated – a beach and travel blog dedicated to helping his readers prepare for upcoming trips and getaways through in-depth guides.