Visions of champagne and lie-flat seats danced in my head when Azores Airlines accepted my 500-euro bid to upgrade my husband and me to business class during our kid-free vacation this past August.
But the reality was far less cushy: Our seats reclined only a few inches more than regular coach seats. There was no screen for TV or movies. We ate exactly the same meal they served at the back of the plane. And that bubbly? A bust.
There are more of us cabin climbers than ever, and many of us make the same rookie mistake I did, said Anthony Berklich, the founder of the luxury New York-based travel agency Inspired Citizen. Access to first and business class, once almost exclusively reserved for big spenders or as a perk for frequent fliers, is now open to a growing number of travelers willing to bid for an upgrade, spend loyalty points or shell out extra cash.
Two decades ago, Delta Air Lines typically filled much of its first-class cabin with high-status frequent fliers. But now, more than 70 percent of seats are taken by eager customers who have paid for the privilege of sitting up front, both through paid upgrades and the purchase of a full-price fare, according to Glen Hauenstein, the president of Delta. Airlines are responding to this hunger by expanding first-class and business-class cabins — which in turn creates even more opportunities for upgrades.
But choose wisely: Not all premium cabins pamper the same, and “if you don’t have the facts, you absolutely can be robbed,” Mr. Berklich said.
Here are some tips for making your lie-flat dreams come true.
Research the routes
The quality — and extravagance — of your first-class experience is going to depend on where you’re flying to and from.
That’s because “there’s actually two types of first class,” said Brian Kelly, founder of the Points Guy, a website dedicated to maximizing airline and credit-card loyalty programs. If you’re flying within the United States, you’re almost definitely getting a “domestic first class” product that more closely resembles international business class.
In other words, did you book first class on Delta from Kennedy Airport to Houston? You might get a meal with linen, a bit more legroom and a cocktail before takeoff, but don’t expect to be blown away. First class on Air France from Paris to Kennedy, however, comes with chauffeur service to the airport, a concierge to handle your luggage, amenities like pajamas and Sisley toiletries, and yes, champagne.
On carriers like Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines and Emirates, a first-class ticket can unlock three-room suites, showers and unlimited caviar.
Book in the next lowest class
Being bumped up from seat 47B to 1A is next to impossible, said Mr. Berklich, because airlines allow upgrades one tier at a time. So set yourself up for success by first booking in business class if you want to make it to first class, or in premium economy if you want to move to business.
“That will be much less expensive, and then you can utilize credit card points or miles” to bridge the gap, Mr. Berklich said.
Combine cash and credit card points
Points, miles and dollars can be combined to get into first class, as long as you use the right tools. Points from credit cards like Chase Sapphire and American Express, for example, can be transferred to airline mileage programs, often at a one-to-one ratio. You can combine those miles and points to book a first-class award ticket.
Websites like Point.me, Roame.travel and Pointhound can help you search for a flight route and see which airline programs will give you the best deal if you transfer, while Points Path, a free browser extension, will show you award pricing alongside cash pricing when you search for a ticket in Google Flights.
Check the seat map
Before you splurge, always peek at the seating chart for your aircraft. On some airlines, including Lufthansa, Emirates and American, you can book first class and still end up with a neighbor directly next to you.
“You can have a wildly different experience depending on the plane you’re on,” Mr. Kelly said.
The type of plane will be listed in your ticket confirmation, and a quick Google search of that plane type and the airline name will reveal a seat map. Sites like SeatGuru give information about each seat, including whether or not it is lie-flat, if you hover the cursor over it.
Reddit threads and forums also offer plenty of tips about both first-class and business-class cabins: On Emirates Airbus A380s, for example, travelers say the window seats in business class behind the bulkhead are the quietest; in United’s Polaris business-class cabin on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, travelers say seats 9A and 9L have the largest footwells, making them attractive for tall passengers seeking extra legroom.
Be patient, but ready to pounce
How much it costs to upgrade, and when those prices change, depends on a lot: route, demand, even how much people have historically been willing to pay.
So is it better to upgrade when you book, or wait until the day of your flight?
There’s no hard and fast rule, Mr. Kelly said. Instead, check in on your airline app every few days to see if costs have budged. And when they do, be prepared to jump at the offer — and to be spoiled for every future flight.
“You can’t unsee what you’ve seen when you get to fly in the front of the plane,” Mr. Kelly said.
For more travel advice, visit our collection of Travel 101 tips and hacks.
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