Essential information on bidding for upgrades to premium seating

First- and business-class seats are highly sought after by both elite travelers looking for upgrades and award seekers searching for availability. However, many airlines now provide an alternative: the option to bid for unoccupied premium cabin seats.

Here’s what you should know about the bidding process and the airlines that offer it. We also provide tips for securing premium economy, business, or first-class seats at significantly lower prices with some of the top airlines.

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The bidding procedure

The upgrade bidding process is generally consistent across airlines. Once you finalize your booking and receive your e-ticket, one of two things may trigger your opportunity to bid:

1. You may receive an email inviting you to bid on an upgrade.
2. Alternatively, you can visit the airline's website to check if your booking is eligible for bidding (look for a pop-up offer or a clickable tab to initiate the bidding process).

While the terms and conditions for upgrade bidding can differ among airlines, some common rules typically apply:

1. Bids can only be placed after securing a ticketed reservation.
2. There are minimum and maximum bid amounts allowed for each flight segment. You cannot simply bid $1 hoping to win by default.
3. Not all routes qualify for upgrades. Some airlines specify eligible routes, while others require you to enter your booking confirmation code to check eligibility.
4. Upgrade bids apply per segment and per passenger in your itinerary. For example, if you are traveling from Los Angeles to Paris and then to London, you need to bid separately for both segments. If there are multiple travelers on your ticket, your bid will be multiplied by the number of passengers. For instance, a $200 bid for one segment would total $400 for two passengers.
5. Airlines usually set specific time frames for placing bids, with most requiring online bids to be submitted at least 72 hours before departure.
6. You must provide payment details during booking, but charges will only occur if your bid is accepted. Accepted bids are nonrefundable unless your flight is canceled.
7. If your upgrade is successful, most programs grant you the full benefits of your new travel class, including lounge access and increased baggage allowance. Exceptions are noted below.

Airlines that provide bidding options for upgrades

Most airline bidding initiatives appear to be managed by the same company, Plusgrade. However, each airline has implemented its own restrictions on the program. Below is a summary of key details regarding the bidding processes for each airline.

Aer Lingus allows certain flights between Ireland and North America or Canada to be eligible for upgrades, although not all of these flights qualify automatically. Upgrades can only be bid on for flights booked directly with Aer Lingus. Eligible customers will receive an email prompting them to place a bid.

Air New Zealand's OneUp program enables passengers on international flights to upgrade by one class. You can move from economy to premium economy or from premium economy to business premier. If the flight has only two classes, you can upgrade from economy to business. Bids can be submitted via an email you might receive up to three days before departure, through your Air New Zealand account, or by contacting the airline's call center. Successful bidders are informed seven days prior to departure. Payment can be made with cash or Airpoints Dollars.

Etihad Select Upgrades are not limited by destination. However, tickets purchased with promotional fares, guest seat rewards, redemption tickets, free tickets, upgrades using miles, multi-flyer tickets, and bookings with infants are ineligible for bidding. You can upgrade one class from economy to business or from business to first. If your bid is successful, you will earn Etihad Guest miles at the base rate plus a 10% bonus based on the class of service.

Lufthansa allows upgrades from economy to premium economy or business class on long-haul flights. Premium economy passengers can bid for business class, and business class travelers can bid for first class. Economy passengers on short or medium-haul flights can also bid for business class upgrades. You need to log in to Lufthansa's website to submit your bid, and you will be notified 24 to 36 hours before departure if your bid is accepted.

Singapore Airlines' mySQupgrade enables you to bid for an upgrade using cash (U.S. dollars) or KrisFlyer miles, within a specified range for flights booked through and operated by Singapore Airlines. Bids can be made, modified, or canceled up to 72 hours before your flight's departure. You can only upgrade one class higher when using KrisFlyer miles. First-class upgrades are available on select routes when paying cash through mySQupgrade.

Virgin Atlantic allows you to bid for an upgrade to the next higher class of service from your booked ticket; this means you can move from economy to premium or from premium to Upper Class. Tickets must be booked directly with Virgin Atlantic, and if your flight is eligible, you will receive an email invitation to place a bid. Bids can be made up to two days before your scheduled departure.

Airlines that do not provide bidding options for upgrades

These airlines do not allow you to set your own bid amount for a chance at an upgrade, although they may offer fixed-price upgrades using cash and/or miles:

• Air France/KLM.
• American Airlines.
• British Airways.
• Delta Air Lines.
• Emirates.
• Qatar Airways.
• United Airlines.

Tips

While there’s no guaranteed strategy for becoming the winning bidder at the best price, these tips can enhance your chances:

• Utilize ExpertFlyer or a similar tool to check how many premium class seats remain available on your flight.
• Use this formula for determining your bid price: Calculate the standard cost of a business class seat, subtract your economy fare, and aim for about 20% to 40% of the remaining amount.
• Place a bid slightly above the minimum to outbid the crowd, as many will likely choose the lowest option.

Many elite-status members are frustrated by their preferred airline’s choice to implement bidding; they believe their hard-earned upgrade opportunities are being auctioned off. This frustration is heightened by airlines offering flat-fee upgrades at check-in and boarding, creating additional challenges for top-tier elites who are often at the front of the upgrade queue but still don’t get cleared. Airlines face a tough balancing act between maximizing revenue and keeping their most loyal customers satisfied.

TPG's Melanie Lieberman successfully bid for a flight upgrade on a SAS journey from the New York City area to Oslo. SAS allows passengers to bid for upgrades until 25 hours before departure for domestic and European flights. Melanie upgraded from economy to business class for 450 euros (approximately $440 at that time). Her research indicated that many travelers can secure upgrades by bidding the minimum price. ExpertFlyer revealed that business class availability on her SAS flight was quite open.

Several of our readers shared their experiences in the TPG Lounge Facebook group, with one noting they frequently secured flight upgrades using PlusGrade. PlusGrade, utilized by many airlines for their upgrade programs, also enables travelers to check for bidding opportunities. Another reader successfully bid for an upgrade on a 2021 Ethiopian Airlines round-trip flight from the East Coast to Africa.

Bottom line

Ultimately, bidding for upgrades can offer significant value. By investing a few hundred dollars or pounds, you could find yourself in premium economy or business class for much less than what your new neighbors paid upfront.

When you fly with one of these airlines and have the opportunity to bid, consider whether a bid with a high likelihood of success provides enough value to justify it. The strategies mentioned above should assist you in enjoying premium classes at more affordable prices.

ExpertFlyer is a subsidiary of Red Ventures, which is also the parent company of TPG.