The business class in-flight experience offers passengers the luxury of a lie-flat seat to relax like never before on a long-haul from London to Singapore. Or swapping the snack you grabbed in departures before boarding for a Michelin-Star menu. Flying business class means having the liberty of getting to your gate at a leisurely pace, knowing you don’t have the stress of having to board early to secure space in the overhead locker because you have priority boarding. However, it often also means having to pay a considerable amount more. 

There are some tricks, such as using our price-alerts tracking tool to monitor for cheap business class deals but why not also have a go at trying out these 9 tips below from those in the industry on how to get flight upgrades for free, or at the very least, heavily discounted business-class travel hacks?

What are the benefits of a flight upgrade? 

The specific benefits of flying business class or upgrading to first can come down to various factors, such as:

• The airline you’re flying with

• The type of aircraft operating your route

• Time of your flight

• Whether it’s short- or long-haul (because ‘business class’ on a short-haul route might mean an economy seat with a blocked middle or extra legroom, while on long-haul, it could mean lie-flat beds, fine dining and full suite privacy)

The difference between upgrading to Business Class vs. First Class

Here’s a breakdown of the general Business Class in-flight experience compared to First Class: 

How you can get a free upgrade: 

Be aware that flight upgrades, while not always available, are still very possible. Free flight upgrades are even harder to come by but there are some tips on how to get a flight upgrade based on real traveller experiences and industry insight:

1. Travel at quiet times to improve your chances to fly Business Class for free

One of our frequent flyers at Skyscanner shared: "Fly business class more affordably by booking on bank holidays or dates when business travellers are less likely to be travelling as fewer seats tend to be booked up.”

2. Be loyal to your airline because it might get you a free flight upgrade:

A great tip on how to get a free flight upgrade is by joining the airline’s loyalty card program: "Even at the lowest level, you’re more likely to be rewarded than passengers without a loyalty card. So seriously, sign up for each airline you fly with and just watch those little loyalty rewards add up!”

3. Trying to check in extremely early might help you get a flight upgrade:

Try boosting your odds at flying business class for free by checking in at the airport hours before departure suggests a Skyscanner Product Manager: “My wife and I were flying to the Dominican Republic. We got to Glasgow Airport far too early, but at least there was no queue. The check-in person told us that they had two spare seats in first class, and since we were the first to arrive, we could have them for free. So we happily accepted”.

4. Check in later and you might fly Business Class for free

You could also try the opposite way because if you don’t pre-select a seat and check in toward the end of the window, you might score a free flight upgrade and fly business class for free if the flight’s overbooked. However, a Product Manager at Skyscanner warned: “It works well at busy times, but it’s a dangerous game! If you’re too late, you might miss the check-in time, or they might have already sorted their overbooking problems by giving upgrades to the passengers ahead.”

5. The simplest trick on how to get a free flight upgrade: Be nice

A long-time Skyscanner employee shared this story on how to get a free flight upgrade with a bit of luck and a lot of manners: “Flying to the US a few years ago, I boarded the plane late (as usual), and there was an older chap sitting down in my seat. The stewardess (who I’d chatted to on the way in) was nearby and heard the guy saying he just wanted to sit next to his wife. I told her I didn’t mind sitting in his seat (it was the row behind, I think), and off she went, only to return five minutes later. She asked me to follow her… all the way up to business class!”

6. Try your luck at getting upgraded to Business Class for free

Don’t be afraid to simply ask if there’s a chance to fly business class. Just be polite, respectful and kind. They can obviously say no if you don’t try, you’ll never know and it seems to have worked, especially for passengers who can demonstrate loyalty to the specific airline.

7. Looking the part may get you a free flight upgrade 

The idea that you might just get to fly business class for free all because you look the part is generally considered to be a myth but that’s exactly what happened with a Talent Acquisition Coordinator at Skyscanner who got a free flight upgrade to South Africa while travelling with her boyfriend. Her advice: “Look good, wear your Sunday best and smile.” 

8. Invest a little to gain a lot

Sometimes, if you spend a little elsewhere, you can get a free flight upgrade and fly business class for cheaper. For example, paying for extras like premium seats or a lot of checked bags may quietly bump you up the airline’s upgrade list. One Skyscanner traveller told us: “My wife and I got upgraded by BA when we moved from the US. Not sure why—but we reckon the eye-watering baggage fees helped.”

9. Check your emails for flight upgrade offers

Sometimes, discounted business class travel offers might just land quietly in your inbox, often just hours before departure. One frequent flyer at Skyscanner shared how he missed the opportunity for a flight upgrade with Air France, twice: “I’ve twice missed this because I didn’t check my emails close enough to departure. One of these times, I had even called the airline to ask if they had any deals, and they said no! So keep checking your emails even up to a couple of hours before you fly.”