The Hidden Trick to Scoring Discounted Flight Upgrades

Experienced travelers utilize a variety of strategies to secure flight upgrades, from leveraging credit card rewards and loyalty program miles to negotiating an upgrade by volunteering to be bumped from a packed flight. One less commonly known method is to bid for a seat in first-class, business-class, or premium economy.

More and more airlines are introducing programs that essentially auction seat upgrades. This approach allows airlines to generate additional revenue while providing travelers with the opportunity to land a premium seat at a reduced cost. Here’s what you need to know about bidding for airline upgrades.

What is the process for placing bids?

Airlines offering bidding options generally allow online bidding to commence between two to seven days prior to a flight's departure (with bidding closing as soon as five hours before takeoff, depending on the airline's rules). Some airlines, such as Icelandair, will notify passengers via email that they can submit a bid for an upgrade, while others do not. For those that don’t send alerts, you must visit the airline's bidding page and enter your booking reference number to check if you’re eligible for an upgrade auction before deciding on a bid amount. (If you’re not eligible, it may be due to the route not qualifying, purchasing a Basic Economy fare, or not booking directly through the airline.)

You might receive an automatic upgrade based on factors like seat availability, your bid amount, and how close it is to your flight. If you don't, you should get a confirmation (or denial) by the time of your departure.

What additional benefits come with winning an upgrade bid?

In addition to better seating, successful bids typically grant access to all the benefits of the upgraded fare class, including lounge access, checked baggage allowances, complimentary drinks, and more. However, the terms of your original booking (like refund eligibility, miles earned, etc.) remain unchanged, regardless of whether your bid is accepted.

What is the cost of a bid?

Airlines establish a minimum bid amount, known as the bidding floor, which you must meet to be considered. It’s usually several hundred dollars for an upgrade bid, so unfortunately, you can’t simply bid $10 and hope for the best. Additionally, there’s typically a maximum bid limit (lower than the price of purchasing a premium seat initially) to prevent overbidding.

In a standard auction, bidders can see (or hear) competing offers, but that's not how this online auction works. Airlines advise you to place your best bid to surpass those of other travelers, yet they don’t provide clear information on how many bids have been placed or their amounts. However, you can still gauge the situation somewhat.

Websites like Expert Flyer allow you to check a flight and see how many business-class and premium economy seats are still available. The common belief is that if there are many unsold seats, you can probably afford to bid lower; conversely, if few seats remain, you'll want to place a higher bid. Bidding slightly above the minimum can boost your chances of winning since many bidders tend to go for the lowest possible offer and hope for the best.

It's important to remember that bids are calculated per leg of the journey, not for the whole itinerary. You'll also need to enter your credit card details when placing a bid. Additionally, the bid is for a single passenger, so if multiple people on your reservation wish to compete for upgrades, separate bids will be required for each individual.

If you're successful, the amount will automatically be charged to your credit card. Depending on the airline's policies, it might be challenging to obtain a refund for the upgrade if you later decide against it (unless the flight gets canceled, in which case a refund is guaranteed).

Airlines that provide upgrade auction opportunities

Over 50 airlines globally, both large and small, offer bidding programs. Most of these are managed by a third-party travel tech company called PlusGrade, which oversees the auction process.

Here are some airlines that allow you to bid for upgrades:

• Aegean
• Aer Lingus
• AeroMexico
• Air Canada
• AirEuropa
• Air India
• Air Mauritius
• Air New Zealand
• All Nippon Airways
• Avianca
• Brussels Airlines
• Cathay Pacific
• Copa Airlines
• Czech Airlines
• Edelweiss
• Ethiopian Airlines
• Etihad Airways
• Fiji Airways
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Icelandair
• Kenya Airways
• LATAM
• Lufthansa
• Qantas
• Royal Jordanian
• Scandinavian Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• SriLankan Airlines
• TAP Air Portugal
• Virgin Atlantic
• Virgin Australia

By following the links above, you can explore the complete bidding programs and policies of each airline. Notably, none of the major U.S. airlines—American, Delta, or United—offer bid-based upgrades. The only U.S. carrier with an auction program is Hawaiian Airlines. Additionally, several airlines known for their exceptional first- and business-class seats, such as Air France, KLM, Emirates, and Qatar, unfortunately, do not have bidding options available.

Is it worth it to bid on seat upgrades?

It varies. If securing a first- or business-class seat is a priority for you, it might not be wise to purchase an economy ticket and gamble on your bid winning (or potentially facing unavailability of higher-tier seats).

However, for travelers who prefer not to or cannot pay full fare for premium seating (or those who don't qualify for a complimentary upgrade using miles or elite status), the option to place a bid of their choice (starting at the minimum) can make these seats more accessible and affordable.

This article was initially published in January 2023 and was updated on January 18, 2024, to reflect the latest information.