Upgrading to first class is often seen as an indulgent luxury that comes with a hefty price tag. However, there are some clever ways you can snag those spacious seats and premium perks without emptying your wallet. With a little strategic planning and flexibility, flying first class can be surprisingly affordable if you know where to look.
Use miles to upgrade with your frequent flyer program
Most airlines have frequent flyer programs that allow members to earn miles by flying and through partnerships with credit cards, hotels, rental cars and more. Once you’ve accumulated enough miles, you can redeem them to upgrade to first class on many flights. The number of miles needed for an upgrade is usually less than what’s required for a free flight. Upgrades are subject to availability, but you can boost your chances by booking far in advance or having elite status with the airline.
Sign up for the frequent flyer program of an airline you fly often to start raking in miles for future upgrades. You may even score some bonus miles just by joining. Partner with the airline’s credit card too to earn additional miles through your everyday spending. Always remember to add your frequent flyer number when booking flights so you get the full mileage credit.
Use a travel rewards credit card
Many premium travel rewards credit cards offer cardholders upgrade certificates that can be applied towards a first class upgrade on select flights booked through the card’s portal. For example, the Platinum Card® from American Express provides up to $200 in airline fee credits each year that can be used towards first class upgrades on one qualifying airline.
The specific terms vary between cards, so read the fine print to understand how to maximize the upgrade perks. While the certificates alone likely won’t cover the full cost of first class, they can help significantly defray the price. Combine with miles to cover any remaining upgrade fees.
Bid for a discounted upgrade
Many airlines now offer upgrade auctions that allow you to bid for a first class seat with mileage, cash or a mix of both. This can potentially unlock huge savings compared to buying upfront. However, there is a risk your bid won’t be accepted if demand is high.
Each airline runs their auctions differently. Some allow bidding as early as booking while others start a few days before departure. Do some research into the optimal bidding strategy for the airline you want to fly with to increase your chances. Set email alerts for your bidding status too so you can adjust your bid if needed before the deadline.
Book with a travel agent
Experienced travel agents have access to airline inventory and fares that consumers can’t access directly. They can leverage their relationships and insider knowledge to identify and book first class tickets that aren’t publicly available. While you’ll still pay a premium fare, it may come at a discount compared to published rates.
Let your travel agent know you are specifically interested in first class options and have them monitor for deals. Flexible travel dates will expand your opportunities here. Travel agents may also have access to complimentary upgrade certificates they can apply to your booking.
Fly on less popular routes and times
First class seats are harder to come by on sought after routes like New York to Los Angeles or peak travel dates around major holidays. If your schedule allows, look for flights on less trafficked routes and off-peak times when first class cabins are less likely to fill up. Then you can snag premium seats more easily without a big fare hike.
Some of the least busy routes within the US include Minneapolis to Anchorage, Cincinnati to Raleigh and Ft. Lauderdale to New Orleans according to DOT data. Red eyes, midweek flights and Saturdays also tend to be less crowded. Crunch the numbers across a few date and routing options to uncover cheaper first class options.
Use your elite status perks
Most airlines give their elite status members a better shot at scoring complimentary first class upgrades when available. On Delta for example, Platinum and Diamond Medallion members can select Complimentary Upgrade Certificates each year to upgrade on domestic flights. Upgrades clear in order of status, with Diamonds going first.
Even if you don’t have status currently, some programs allow you to earn it quickly through credit card bonuses and promotions. Taking a mileage run at the end of the year to hit the next tier can pay off if you fly regularly and the extra perks have value to you.
Travel with a companion
On some airlines including Delta and United, companions traveling on the same reservation are eligible for unlimited complimentary upgrades when the higher status traveler clears an upgrade.
Even if you don’t have elite status yourself, linking your reservation with someone who does can allow you to ride along for free assuming first class seats remain after they upgrade. Just make sure you are on the same exact flight reservation to take advantage of this perk.
Use overwater routing tricks
On routes over bodies of water like the Atlantic and Pacific, airlines are required to carry fewer economy seats in case of emergency water landings. That means the percentage of first and business class seats compared to economy is higher on these transoceanic flights.
You can maximize your upgrade chances by booking economy on an overwater flight, then using miles, certificates or status to upgrade to those premium cabins. Fly from hubs like San Francisco, Washington Dulles or New York JFK across the pond in first class for less.
Book mixed cabin awards
Some airlines like United allow you to book awards flights with first class one-way, and economy the other way. Since a roundtrip first class award is double the miles of a roundtrip economy ticket, this “mixed cabin” option essentially cuts the mileage cost in half.
Use this trick to cover the longest or most desirable portion of your journey in first class for fewer miles. You need to call the airline directly to book mixed cabin awards – this can’t be done online.
Use expert flyer services
Sites like ExpertFlyer allow you to access seat maps and booking classes to see in real time which cabins have open seats. There are paid membership levels that unlock more valuable intel to improve your chances of scoring upgrades.
Using ExpertFlyer, you can pinpoint flights more likely to have first class availability for your miles or certificates. You can also set up alerts to notify you when award space opens up on desired routes.
Volunteer to get bumped
If you’re traveling with just a carry-on and some schedule flexibility, volunteering to get bumped from an oversold flight can score you a free first class voucher. Airlines will first ask passengers to give up their seats voluntarily before resorting to involuntary bumping.
The compensation for volunteering depends on the airline, length of delay and other factors. But in many cases, airlines offer first class travel vouchers with no restrictions to thank bumped fliers for their flexibility.
Use honeymoon registry miles
More newlyweds today are registering for honeymoon fund contributions instead of traditional gifts. Airlines allow you to create a custom website where guests can contribute miles towards your post-wedding flights.
Gather enough friends and family contributions, and you may have enough miles banked to splurge on first class seats. Even better if you pick an airline that allows mixed cabin awards to stretch those miles.
Follow airfare deals accounts
Keep an eye on social media accounts like @AirfareSpot and @SecretFlying that post incredible airfare deals in real time. While most focus on economy and premium economy discounts, you can occasionally catch wind of major first class fare sales as well.
Enabling notifications is key so you see deals immediately before they expire or sell out. Have some flexibility on dates and you may luck into a steeply discounted first class seat through these accounts.
Use price tracking tools
Sites like Google Flights make it easy to set price alerts and track fares over time. You can monitor specific first class routes you have in mind for sales and snag a deal when the price drops.
Long range planning is best as awards space is limited. Sign up for FareCompare’s Deal Finder email alerts so fares you select get monitored automatically across various tracking services.
Fly to hubs for deals
Major airline hubs tend to offer lower priced first class fares year round. Airlines need to fill the vast seats available from their largest bases. Focus your search for affordable first class on hub cities like:
- Atlanta (Delta)
- Dallas (American)
- Houston (United)
- Miami (American)
You can often find relatively good first class deals out of these hubs to various destinations, especially if you can schedule off peak. Being flexible on hub city helps open options too – don’t limit to just your home airport.
Follow fare mistakes
Occasionally airlines make mistakes in fares loaded into the system. Savvy travelers can swoop in and book these erroneously low first class tickets before the airline catches and fixes the error.
Secret Flying compiles some of the best mistaken fare deals that crop up so you can snag them fast. There is a risk the airline won’t honor the fare, but many honor bookings at erroneously low prices.
Redeem on partner airlines
Programs like American’s AAdvantage allow you to redeem your miles on their partner airlines. These partners may have lower premium cabin award rates than American does for the same route.
Crunch the numbers to see if booking through a partner like British Airways, JAL or Cathay Pacific can get you more first class miles bang for your buck.
Sample Partner Award Chart from London to North America
Airline | Miles Needed |
---|---|
British Airways (off peak) | 50,000 |
American Airlines | 70,000 |
Cathay Pacific | 70,000 |
In this example, you can fly first class on British Airways for 20,000 fewer AAdvantage miles than if you redeemed directly through American. Always check award charts!
Book during sales
While rare, some airlines offer periodic first class sales just like they do for discounted economy fares. British Airways for example has offered upgraded first class roundtrips to Europe for not much more than a regular economy fare.
Most sales are quite targeted and expire quickly, underscoring the value of those airfare deal alerts. Have some flexibility on your origin and destination cities to take best advantage.
Use cash and miles to upgrade
Want to upgrade your economy ticket to first class? Many programs allow you to pay a reduced fare plus a set number of miles to confirm an upgrade.
For instance, Delta charges $300 plus 20,000 SkyMiles for a one-way domestic first class certificate. The cash and miles cost is generally cheaper than buying the upgrade outright at check-in. Request at booking for best results.
Book short hops in first
On short flights, the first class fare premium is usually lower and upgrades are easier to snag. You’ll really appreciate the extra legroom, meal and priority service even on flights under 2 hours.
Use miles or elite status to upgrade or look to book short connecting legs in first class when the fare bump isn’t too high. Focus on hub routes where cabins are larger.
Conclusion
While flying first class for free takes some effort, the payoff of a luxurious flight makes it worthwhile for many travelers. With a strategic approach, you can minimize or even eliminate the premium cost through mileage redemptions, status perks and upgrade bidding.
Flexibility goes a long way when trying to score bargain first class seats. Consider off peak days and indirect routes to uncover deals. Sign up for frequent flyer programs, monitor upgrade options and pounce when award space opens.
Dreaming of those wide leather seats, multi-course meals and pampering service? Put these tips into action, and you’ll be on your way to that free first class experience.