upgrading my ticket

[cforst513]

hey all, for my flight out to L.A. on a 767 (american airlines) how do i go about seeing if a first class upgrade is available? when is the best time to ask, and how much do they typically cost?

 

[minitour]

I usually ask at check in...if it's available, great...if not...I'll sit in cattle er uh..coach

-mini

 

[cforst513]

ok, but any idea on prices, usually? are we talking like $50 or hundreds of dollars?

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

if it were only a 50$ upgrade to first class then it would never be available... the only company i know of that does cheap first class upgrades with seats available is AWA. I used that program a few times but now I just book the first class seats in advanced. First class kind of sucks though, but its better then coach!

 

[cforst513]

First class kind of sucks though

there's something you don't hear every day...

my main question is this: i paid $338 roundtrip from CMH to FAT. First class was significantly higher. I'm just curious if, by asking to upgrade at the gate, i'll save any $$$ or if the price of the upgrade roughly equals what the price would have been had i bought the first class ticket originally. hey, i'm just a cheap college kid trying live the life of a high-roller w/out actually paying my dues i've never experienced first class before, and since i'm traveling by myself, i thought i might try it on for size.

 

[Art Vandalay]

It helps if you are frequent flyer on the airline. By seeing your series of dumb questions on airline travel, I can see that you are not. Expect an upgrade only if they 'f' something up with your travel plans, or if you dish out an extra $300 clams.


Art V.

 

[cforst513]

By seeing your series of dumb questions on airline travel...

hey art, don't take your fat aggression out on me, ok, man? with your elitist, holier-than-thou response, i guess that i should consider myself lucky you even bothered to reply. i'm sorry that i hardly ever travel by air, i apologize for being excited to travel by myself for the first time, flying on several aircraft i've never had the opportunity to see, let alone fly in, and i'm terribly sorry for asking questions on this forum. i just assumed that, perhaps, the more mature members on this board might be so kind as to answer my inquiries. a few have, and then again, so have you. oh well. you win some, you lose some, i guess. can i shine your shoes, sir, for a nickel?

 

[mayday1]

upgrading with frequent flier miles is the best bet, IMO, unless you have a lot of extra $$$. The upgrade will not be cheap. For example, a one-way domestic upgrade on United is 15,000 miles.. at $.02 a mile (which I believe is what they cost) that will be ~$300.

 

[minitour]

ok, but any idea on prices, usually? are we talking like $50 or hundreds of dollars?

I think at AirTran it's $70...it might be $50 for direct flight and $70 for connecting flights, I can't remember...but that's only to "Business class" whatever that means. It's at the front of the plane and the seats and legroom is huge, so I call it "first class".

My wife and I were able to save a ton of money on our honeymoon by booking cheap coach seats, showing up a few hours early and "upgrading"...it hardly cost us anything compared to the "book me now" business class price.

Not sure if anyone else does it that way, but it can't hurt to ask.

-mini

PS
WRT the "effing" up your travel plans. The last two times I needed to travel, I had 3 flights cancelled due to mx (twice) and "the crew can't fly anymore today" (once) and only one time was I even offered first class for the inconvenience. It wasn't a real big deal so I told them coach was fine unless they didn't have any coach seats available, but just because something gets effed, don't expect first...

I find it you're really sweet to the lady at the ticket counter and tell her "oh don't worry, it happens...whatever you have I'll take" and act like it doesn't bother you, you're more likely to get offered the first class ticket...at least in my experience.

Good luck