How to score a Business Class upgrade for a third of the sale price
All activities were paid for by myself, however I get commissions for purchases or sign ups made through some links in this post. Enjoy! Header image courtesy of Finnair.
The often elusive question that many of us think before boarding a flight - Can I get upgraded to business class or to a better cabin? - most of the time, it is not an option whether too expensive or no offers available. However, there are a number of options for "turning left" on aeroplanes at a discount - but you need to be aware of what these are to take advantage of the opportunities. Usually, most travel blogs or sites will refer you to collecting points either with a credit card by American Express or travel. In the UK and most of Europe, this isn't feasible because the credit card market transfer fees make massive point bonuses like in the US unprofitable. Instead, I will share a much more accessible method that is far easier for everybody to take advantage of better service on flights.
My first experience of Business Class was with Finnair in 2018 on a trip to Hong Kong. I wasn't expecting to upgrade or hoping to since it was expensive, out of reach and just not what somebody at my age does. Finnair are extremely proactive in offering upgrades to Business Class on their flights under the Last Minute Offers scheme. On all six flights I have taken with Finnair, every single one has offered the chance to upgrade with cash close to departure.
How do Finnair Last Minute Offers work?
Anywhere from 59 days to 24 hours prior to departure, Finnair will send an email and SMS to a select number of passengers advising them there is a limited number of seats for upgrade from Economy to Business Class. Often this will be down to either:
- few Business Class seats sold prior to the flight
- flying during low season
- the flight time is not popular with business travellers (e.g. a daytime departure flight from the US or Asia)
Even offering a deeply discounted upgrade can still be profitable for airlines and, as such, they are willing to offer opportunities like this. The offer email will state information including:
- cost of the upgrade
- process for upgrade
- which flight is available for upgrade (it will only offer one flight upgrade deal per email at a time, and will not include a second leg of a connecting flight which may come in a separate mail)
- a very clear notice stating it is a limited time offer and that the offer could disappear soon
Although this does incorporate pressure selling techniques - which is a little off-putting - it is something that does create a sense of urgency since it is likely the offer has been sent to at least several other passengers on-board. In order to pay for the upgrade either click the link on the email or, to ensure it is not a spam message, go to Manage Booking on Finnair.com and upgrade through this method. Once on there, you will only need to input your credit card details and then you will receive a confirmation message. It's that simple!
How much does it cost?
The most important question. Unfortunately, there is no formal rate card, calculator, list or information available on Finnair.com about the cost for Last Minute Offers. From my own experience, I can share some examples:
- Hong Kong to Helsinki - EUR 400 (purchased)
- London to Helsinki - GBP 200 (not purchased)
- Helsinki to London - EUR 200 (purchased)
There is a very extensive thread on the forum FlyerTalk that lists many people's experience of Last Minute Offers - which can be found here. It should also be noted that the cost of upgrade for the same route on different days may differ and not be offered by Finnair at all.
Is it worth it?
Yes and no. Again, it's not a simple answer.
The biggest part of whether to accept the upgrade is determining which aircraft you are you flying on. As I've mentioned before in previous posts, the experience in Business Class on an A350/A330, which feature lay flat seating, is going to be far better than an A320 with regular Economy seats and just a blocked middle seat in European "Business Class". It's easy to find this on your booking as, by law, airlines have to inform you of the aircraft you will be flying on and the airline's website will have information on that aircraft's Business Class configuration. This was part of the reason for not upgrading my London to Helsinki flights - it just wasn't worth the money since it was on a regular A320 with Economy seating in Business.
Next is whether you are getting real value for money. This is slightly more nuanced than previous point but here's a comparative example:
- Booking a return Business Class flight from London to Helsinki is often GBP 1000
- My Economy Class flight with no baggage cost GBP 79
- Outbound upgrade offer was GBP 200 (not accepted)
- Inbound upgrade offer was ~GBP 170
- Total cost for Economy ticket upgraded to Business GBP 449 (if upgrading both ways)
Clearly, that's more than a fifty percent saving on the list ticket price. On Asian long-haul flights, this can be even more attractive. For example:
- Return Business Class from London to Helsinki to Hong Kong costs ~GBP 2600
- My Economy Class flight cost GBP 420
- Helsinki to Hong Kong upgrade ~GBP 340 (not accepted)
- Hong Kong to Helsinki upgrade ~GBP 340
- Total cost for Economy ticket upgrade to Business GBP 1000 (excluding London to Helsinki legs)
On this example, you're getting a fantastic experience on the ~11 hour flight to Asia meaning you can make the most of the lay flat seating whilst on-board as well as better food and more space. For me, that is a great deal and I think many of you would agree also but that might not always be the case so check out the maths before clicking purchase.
The drawback of upgrading in this manner is that you will only earn points/miles or Tier Points at the original cash ticket level (not Business Class level) with your selected airline scheme such as British Airways Executive Club or Finnair Plus. Although this may be a drawback for some, personally I much prefer having the experience of Business Class than the ability to earn perks with the airline's frequent flyer programme. Additionally, you will never be able to guarantee upgrade offers will be available - which is the biggest risk with going for this option of upgrading.
Who else offers Last Minute Offers?
Not many airlines offer a similar scheme to Finnair's Last Minute Offers. Many airlines do offer something called Upgrade Bid which allows you to place a bid on a sliding scale for an upgrade. This can be done with a number of carriers including:
- Virgin Atlantic
- Cathay Pacific
- Aer Lingus
- Qantas
- Air Canada
- Etihad
- and probably many others
The important thing to note on options like this is that the airline will recommend a minimum bid (with the least chance of succeeding) and maximum bid (most chance of succeeding). Unfortunately, unlike Finnair's Last Minute Offers, in my experience Upgrade Bid is extremely lacklustre and, to have the greatest chance of success, it ends up a similar price to the regular Business Class fare - so much for a "deal". Additionally, if you are on an airline that offers Premium Economy they usually will not allow you to Upgrade Bid from Economy to Business, but only from Economy to Premium Economy - which isn't much greater. In order to upgrade to Business using Upgrade Bid with an airline that has Premium Economy, you would need to book your cash ticket in Premium Economy.
Are there any other ways to get boosted up?
Firstly, some airlines do offer the ability to book a cash ticket and then upgrade with their points scheme such as British Airways Executive Club or American Airlines AAdvantage. This does rely on having points available in your account - so it's not likely to be an option for everybody.
The other option is to just ask the airline when you are checking in. Sometimes they will have the opportunity available and will advise the cost, other times nothing - give it a go, as there is no harm in asking. British Airways have even sent me SMS on the morning of a flight to advise upgrades are available at check in - so it is most definitely possible and isn't dependent on the clothes you are wearing. When you're next taking a flight, ask the question and take your next step to a better flying experience.
Have you had any Business or First Class upgrade wins? Let us know in the comments.