USAirways upgrade to first class?

[twocjsmom]

Has anyonee here ever had their coach ticket upgraded to first class while flying UsAirways? My DH and I are off to Bermuda next week, and I was checking the seat map on their site and it looks like the entire first class cabin is empty on the flight there, and 3/4 of the seats are empty on the way back. Ipve never been the lucky one to be offered an upgrade, and was wondering how to pull it off? We'd even be willing to pay if the price was reasonable! Any ideas?

 

[ducklite]

If you are preferred member the space available upgrades will be automatic.

You can also buy an upgrade on most fares, it's $50 for each 500 mile segment. So if you are flying from anywhere on the East Coast it's going to be $50-150 per person each way.

Before they sell upgrades they do their elite flier upgrades, so there's no guarantee.

It's VERY rare to ge a "free" upgrade to FC.

Anne

 

[Bob Slydell]

I've been upgraded many times (on Continental, not US Air), but because I was an Elite level frequent flier, not just because they had availability. I don't think any airlines upgrade anyone for free unless they're elite-level traveller on their airline.

 

[tkd lisa]

Many frequent fliers have "free upgrade" coupons that they get. They can then book the first class upgrades a certain amount of time before the actual flight. I remember being able to do it 24 hours before the flight, then 48 hours before the flight when I became platinum. If there are still openings the day of the flight, I'd be shocked.

I was just saying how I haven't seen an empty row of seats in a plane anytime this year, and I travel quite a bit on business. It seems like they're filling every seat they've got.

 

[ducklite]

Many frequent fliers have "free upgrade" coupons that they get. They can then book the first class upgrades a certain amount of time before the actual flight. I remember being able to do it 24 hours before the flight, then 48 hours before the flight when I became platinum. If there are still openings the day of the flight, I'd be shocked.

I was just saying how I haven't seen an empty row of seats in a plane anytime this year, and I travel quite a bit on business. It seems like they're filling every seat they've got.

With US Air they don't have coupons. Their computers are automatically set up to upgrade you based on your status, starting with Chairmans preferred, then gold, then silver. It's great, you do'nt even need to make the request! Once all of those members have been upgraded, if there are seats left if FC they sell them for $50 per 500 miles.

And I agree, over 90% of the flights I've been on in the past year have been VERY full.

Anne

 

[Sherri]

My DH and DS were upgraded to first class on USair on the kids first trip to Diseny World. The plane we were supposed to ride on was being repaired, the new plane didn't have the last seats in it and DH and DS went to first class and DD and I went to other available places on the plane.
DS and I were upgraded to first on Airtran on the way home from Disney just recently because our flight was cancelled and I was real sick and had to get home they found me a flight and gave me first class because that was what was left.

 

[anewvance]

My dh and I were upgraded for free to 1st class on US Airways from Florida to New York on the way to our honeymoon. We checked in at the counter in front of the gate and she asked if we were going home and we said no, we were on our honeymoon. She ripped up the tickets she had printed and said wait a minute and printed up new ones... for 1st class and said congratulations.

The only other time we have been in 1st class was on Spirit, if it was available you could pay $40 a person to move up to 1st class. It was just dh and I going from Fl to Atlantic City.

 

[DawnCt1]

I've been upgraded many times (on Continental, not US Air), but because I was an Elite level frequent flier, not just because they had availability. I don't think any airlines upgrade anyone for free unless they're elite-level traveller on their airline.

We got upgraded for FREE on Eastern Airlines. Maybe that's why that aren't flying anymore.

 

[Dopey Sharon]

We were upgraded, for free, once. We were coming home from Orlando. My DH asked the woman downstairs, when we checked in, if there were seats available in first class. She laughed and said, yes, but they were something like $400 more for each one! Obviously, he said, nevermind, and we continued to the gate. Our flight was delayed, due to snow up here. They announced that it would be at least an hour, probably two, before they would begin boarding. People started mumbling and grumbling. I went up to the desk and asked, very nicely (my DH says it was a little flirty, lol) if we they could possibly give us a free upgrade to first class. The two guys working (very nice and funny, btw) did it for me!

If never hurts to ask. I would ask at the gate, though, not at the checkin counter.

Good luck!

 

[belleandthebeast]

We were upgrading once because the airline overbooked our flight. Woo Hoo. Too bad I not only slept through it, but I didn't know what I was getting because I had never flown before.

How's that for a 1st time flyer?

 

[DawnCt1]

We were upgraded, for free, once. We were coming home from Orlando. My DH asked the woman downstairs, when we checked in, if there were seats available in first class. She laughed and said, yes, but they were something like $400 more for each one! Obviously, he said, nevermind, and we continued to the gate. Our flight was delayed, due to snow up here. They announced that it would be at least an hour, probably two, before they would begin boarding. People started mumbling and grumbling. I went up to the desk and asked, very nicely (my DH says it was a little flirty, lol) if we they could possibly give us a free upgrade to first class. The two guys working (very nice and funny, btw) did it for me!

If never hurts to ask. I would ask at the gate, though, not at the checkin counter.

Good luck!

We got a free upgrade from Delta one time because the ground agent's name was Dawn (as is mine). When I take a bump I usually negotiate a first class ride home in addition to the free ticket.

 

[Cass]

If there is that much availability in coach they may fly with First Class empty

 

[safetymom]

You need to look at what type of plane it is. If it is a 757 it only has 8 FC seats. They will fly with an almost empty first class cabin. There are several upgrade dates for frequent flyers. If you aren't a preferred frequent flyer with US Airways your chances of being upgraded for free are slim. If you want to take part in the First Up program it is how Ducklite described it. Personally I don't think paying to upgrade on US is worth it. You do get the larger leather seats but not much of a meal. I get upgraded all the time but I sure wouldn't pay for it.

 

[twocjsmom]

Thanks for the reponses so far. We actually are frequent flyer/dividend rewards members, but haven't used the program this year. We'll be sure to have our info with us and check into an upgrade at the gate. I realize that the upgrade wont give us much more than the larger seats, but hey, I'll take that! When I looked at the seat maps, it looked like there were 24 seats in the first class cabin (4 rows, 6 seats each) and it lists it as a 767. I'm not counting on anything, but who knows, maybe it will work out!

 

[safetymom]

Are you preferred members of the US Airways program? The levels are silver, gold, platinum, Chairmans preferred. Those people will get the upgrades before they offer them for sale to others. They don't have to fill the first class cabin. If you are prepared to pay extra and there are seats available you will probably be sitting in FC.

 

[DebbieB]

I flew USAir on 5/1 MCO/PIT, they were offering a first class upgrade for $100. I don't know if there were any takers. I recently made silver level and got an automatic free upgrade on my return flight LAX/PIT, the flight out was full.

I would check availability again a couple days before, by then they will have upgraded all the elite levels. As a silver, I got upgraded 2 days before.

 

[Sherri]

I forgot to say, on the way home from London my husband was put in first class. Even though my mother my husband my two children and myself were all to sit together. They told us at check in that the seat my husband was supposed to have with us was "broken". and assigned him a different seat. When we boarded the plane we saw that someone else was sitting in the seat he was supposed to have with us. My mom called over the flight attendent spoke to him for a while then the flight attendant asked the passanger who was in my husbands original seat if she would like to switch to first class. She of course was thrilled. Back my husband walks with his newspaper they provided and very nice blanket. Needless to say he wasn't too happy with my Mom. We still laugh about it.
So sometimes crazy things could happand and you get upgrades when you least expect.