Reduced space for the legs, limited service, uncomfortable seats, little space: traveling in economy class during a flight of several hours is more affordable, but far from being cozy.
Nevertheless, there are a few tips that increase your chances of being outclassed for free. Here are 6 tips reported by air experts to “The Independent” on Monday:
1- Register at the last minute
If you are traveling with a very low price airline, such as Spirit or Ryanair, it is recommended to register as late as possible, since these airlines will tend to leave the best empty places until the last minute, in hope that a passenger decides to pay more to be outclassed.
But if the seats are not sold and the plane is full, it is thus possible that they are simply filled by the last passengers to register, according to Zach Griff, journalist for the American travel site “The Points Guy”.
Among current airlines, these seats tend to be offered to “elite” targeted passengers beforehand, he continued in the British media, but that does not mean that it cannot work.
2- Be flexible in your trips
One of the tactics that can be chargeable is that of notifying the airline when it arrived at the airport of its opening is transferred to a future flight in the event of a “overbook”, in exchange for compensation or an upgrade.
“The airlines regularly monitor their flights, so let them know about the recording and the boarding gateway that you would be ready to volunteer – in exchange for a decent offer – is an excellent tactic,” said Gilbert Ott, founder of the Godsavethepoints.com travel site, in “The Independent”.
Obviously, this implies a certain flexibility in its trips, but it can be worth if the flight lasts several hours.
3- Select a seat at the rear
For a question of weight and centering of the aircraft, the crew members will tend to target the lucky ones of the upgrade to the rear of the device; It can therefore be worth reserving its seat as far as possible at the rear, had previously entrusted an old air hostess to the “New York Post”.
4- Accumulate air miles
Credit cards that allow you to accumulate air miles can be a good avenue to get a better seat without really opening your wallet, according to Zach Griff.
In particular those “which are not linked to an airline or a precise hotel chain”, and which allow the points of points directly to those of your choice among a multitude of partners, he told the British media.
5- Premium economy class: entry door to business class?
If you can afford to pay for a place in premium economy class, but you do not want to pay for business class, this could be a good strategy to adopt.
Indeed, since it is the smallest cabin in the device, the passengers in this section would be regularly upgraded, according to Gilbert Ott.
«[Les compagnies] love to follow this section, selling the same place twice to someone. And as it is such a small cabin, you are more likely to benefit from free upgrading in business class or first class, “he said.
6- Travel with a single company
Some airlines offer loyalty programs that greatly increase your chances of upgrade when you travel with them.
This option may be worth it if you regularly use the same aerial line, also allowing “reserving seats with more leg space for free or at a very small price”, according to Zach Griff.
On the other hand, this could limit the choices when organizing its flights, and for it to work, it will be necessary to spend regularly with the company, noted in turn JT Genter, editor -in -chief of the Awardwallet blog.