AN EX-FLIGHT attendant has revealed how to get a first-class upgrade for free – and it all comes down to being more patient.
The hack involves listening out for gate agents making announcements that the flight is overbooked and that they need volunteers to be rebooked.
Bobby Laurie, the host of The Jet Set and a former flight attendant, revealed the hack in an interview with Travel + Leisure, divulging how volunteering to take a later flight when your flight has been overbooked could bag you a first-class seat.
While quite rare, a flight may be oversold in the economy cabin and there could be some space in first or business class.
When this happens, some lucky passengers might be bumped up to first or business class for free in what's known as an ‘operational upgrade’.
Although in those circumstances, airlines will usually pick passengers who are members of their frequent flyer programs.
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However, if your plane is overbooked and the airline is asking for volunteers to take a later flight, Laurie says that passengers willing to do so might have some negotiating power to score an upgrade.
"If you volunteer to take a 'bump' to the next flight, you can negotiate your way into a first-class seat. I did it for a flight from Phoenix to San Diego," he said.
"I took a flight two hours later, got upgraded, and got a lounge pass to eat and pass the time."
This isn’t the only hack that could bag you a free flight upgrade.
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A flight attendant on TikTok revealed how to get a first-class upgrade by, bizarrely, choosing a specific seat.
The airline worker took to social media to explain to customers how they can take advantage of the hack.
She said: "Here's how to get first class for free on your next flight…sit in the very last row.
"You might think that is very weird but let me tell you why.
"On flights that are not full, we have to move passengers for weight and balance issues and when we do that it's normally from back to the front.
"If that is the case, flight attendants are going to choose the people at the very back because then they can sit down after their service.
"And it is a lot more comfy to sit in those seats than the jump seat."
Another hack to secure an upgrade by simply pretending to be your own personal assistant when booking flights and hotels or making restaurant reservations.
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A woman, known as blackbarbie49, recently shared the sneaky wayshe bags free upgrades via TikTok.
In the video, she explained that she pretends to be her own personal assistant in order to receive upgrades for free.
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