Through the upgrade looking glass
Our philosophy here at FCF is that there are many more ways to upgrade than merely winning the “gate lottery” (i.e. where an airline employee decides to move you up a cabin).
Bypassing the gate upgrade may seem counter-intuitive (excuse the pun), but not to savvy travelers (many of whom read these pages) who fly better, smarter, cheaper, more comfortably, and more rested.
We’ve written about this subject before (most recently here and here) because we’re passionate about opening travelers’ eyes to the possibilities we see every day. They don’t call me Mr. Upgrade for getting lucky at the gate, they call me Mr. Upgrade because of all the different ways I upgrade. Let’s look at 10 examples of these hidden upgrade possibilities.
Upgrade Example #1: Shopping in the Right Store
Many travelers, especially “elite” travelers, go to their favorite airline websites and end up missing great flight opportunities as a result. For example, if you shop on Google Flights, look at the difference between these two Chicago-Prague Business Class fares: $2,955 on Lufthansa, and $5,097 on KLM. It’s nearly the same itinerary, but if you are a one-eyed SkyTeam alliance loyalist, you’d be paying $2,142 more.
Chicago to Prague IN Business Class
on KLM for $5,097
Chicago to Prague IN Business Class
on Lufthansa for $2,955
Upgrade Example #2: Better Airline Seat
Most people don’t think about seat specifics when they’re booking flights, but a little inside knowledge makes a big difference in comfort, particularly when it’s a long-ish flight. Quick example: JetBlue’s EvenMore Space seats are roomier. They offer 38 inches of legroom while Virgin Atlantic’s Economy Delight is only 34 inches. As every hour ticks by, that extra legroom equals great value.
Upgrade Example #3: Destination Blindness
Most would think that flying to Venice is way more expensive than Milan, but that’s not necessarily the case, as in this example. You can fly from Chicago to Milan for $4,737, or to Venice and pay $3,202, a $1,535 savings for each person. Multiply that for a family trip and it covers a lot of gondola rides. And if it is Milan you want to visit, consider a train ride from Venice that rolls through scenic Veneto and Lombardy. The high-speed rail option takes right around a couple of hours.
Upgrade Example #4: Class of Service
Keep an eye on FCF’s flash fares to get First Class fares for less than Business Class. As seen in the screenshots below, United’s Business Class from New York to Rome goes for $3,238, while American’s First Class goes for $3,014. That’s an upgrade they’re paying you to get.
Newark to Rome in Business Class
on United for $3,238
New York to Rome in FIRST Class
on American for $3,014
Upgrade Example #5: What a Difference a Day Makes
Fly in Business Class on British Airways from Dallas to Copenhagen on Wednesday, September 25, and pay $4,082. Or you could fly on Tuesday or Thursday (September 24 or 26) and pay $2,819-$2,849. That’s what Doctor Seuss would call “Wacky Wednesday” because you’d be wacky to fly on that day if you could choose the days around it.
Google Flights fare calendar from Dallas to Copenhagen in Business Class
Upgrade Example #6: Make a Connection
United’s Newark-Mallorca nonstop goes for $3,837, while Air France’s New York (JFK)-Mallorca goes for $3,075. So, if you’re not all that bothered by a short stop in Paris on the way to Mallorca, you get upgrade-worthy savings of almost $800 per traveler.
Newark to Palma de Mallorca in Business Class
on United for $3,837
New York to Palma de Mallorca via Paris
in Business Class on Air France for $3,075
[aside headline="" alignment="aligncenter" width="big" headline_size="big"]FCF’s Special Fare Finder makes it easier to find extraordinary flash and anomaly fare deals. How to Leverage FCF’s Special Fare Finder[/aside]
Upgrade Example #7: Time Is Merely a Construct
Depart at 8:30 am and pay $2,446 or depart at 6:40 am and pay $1,804. Everything else on this Newark-Los Angeles flight is the same.
Newark to Los Angeles in Business Class on United departing at 8:30 am for $2,446
Newark to Los Angeles in Business Class
on United departing at 6:40 am for $1,804
Upgrade Example #8: Don’t Overlook Lesser-Known Airlines
This is a beauty. Fly Business Class nonstop, round trip from San Francisco to Tokyo on JAL and pay $6,261, OR fly Zipair Business Class nonstop, round trip for $2,263. What’s that you say? Zipair ain’t no JAL? Well, that’s a fair point. But is JAL’s Business Class worth paying $3,998 MORE for than Zipair’s? Fun fact: JAL owns Zipair, so in effect, you can pay JAL $6,261 or $2,263.
San Francisco to Tokyo in Business Class
on Japan Airlines for $6,261
San Francisco to Tokyo in Business Class
on Zipair for $2,263
Upgrade Example #9: Add a Stop
With FCF’s Hula Loophole, sometimes you can get two domestic destinations for the price of one with a free stopover. The key is to find a low-fare route that allows a free stopover. On the transcontinental route, you can make a free stop in Hawaii going west and stop in the Caribbean going east. If you have to stop, those are the places to do so. More about it here.
For international destinations, we love the Leg Stretch Strategy (LSS), the Stopover Loophole Strategy (SLS), and the U-Turn Strategy.
The LSS makes use of round-trip itineraries between two continents with free stopovers each way on a third continent.
With the SLS you can often add a side trip that can lower your total airfare cost. That means you’re actually getting paid to sneak in a great vacation in the middle of your trip! Sometimes, your side trip will come at a small additional cost (but it’s still worth it).
Upgrade Example #10: Explore Post-Booking Upgrades
FCF always recommends grabbing your ticket when you come across a good deal or something you can live with — and if it’s not perfect, upgrade later. Oftentimes, canceling and rebooking without penalty is a go-to play for savvy travelers.
A Perfect 10
There you have it, 10 ways to upgrade that you may not have considered. Just like having a menu full of destinations, it’s best to have a quiver full of upgrade tactics and use the one that suits the moment. Pretty soon you’ll become a bullseye traveler, nailing Olympic-level travel deals that will inspire the envy of your friends.
Now more than ever, I’ll see you up front.