British Airways Upgrade

My sister has asked in the past to see if one was available and received one- for a price. This was pre-covid so it is hard to know what the situation is like now.

Probably 10 years ago now, my H and I were upgraded by BA at check in without asking…she just told us we were being upgraded, for free. We must have looked really good that day. I would like that to happen again!

Unless you are Gold members, I'm afraid the only way to get a cabin upgrade is to pay $$$ for it at the counter.

However, your reasonable may be more fluid then mine. Usually it's not worth the money IMO.

I have gotten upgrades sporadically. No real idea why. I am a long-time club member but am strictly a vacation traveler of maybe once per year. Last time I flew in late 2019, I tried and tried for an upgrade on my return trip and was willing to pay. BA staff were really cordial, but it wasn't happening. Turns out I was better off in economy which was empty.

No harm in asking.

Some years ago, maybe 2016, maybe much earlier, a woman in a denim outfit (jacket and pants) was in the check-in line immediately in front of my husband and me. This was in London, and I don’t recall whether it was Gatwick or Heathrow at that time - the London>Denver departure airport has changed back and forth over the years. Anyway, before she got up to the baggage check agent, she told us she was hoping to be upgraded to “First Class.”

When she was done and it was our turn to go up to the counter, she passed us and said that she’d gotten it, and I think she held up her revised boarding pass in celebration as she left us to hurry up and not keep the check-in queue waiting. We never saw her again, being that we were back in the World Traveler cheap seats. Didn’t get to ask what she did … maybe batted her eyes coyishly, maybe just asked nicely, maybe had lots of frequent flyer points, or perhaps there was some other way that BA owed her.

The fact she was traveling single may have made it easier to squeeze her into an upgraded cabin, but for a pair or more people, that might’ve been impossible. It doesn’t hurt to ask - unless asking would subject you to a dreaded “SSSS” designation!

Even that SSSS isn’t that big of a deal. At Heathrow earlier this month, flying back to Denver, I got SSSS on my boarding pass, as did several others. I was called to the gate earlier than non-SSSS passengers, got a very quick and courteous check of my carry-on baggage, and my husband and I then got to board early, I sure wish the Security people (London, TSA anywhere in the USA, Johannesburg, etc.) were even 10% as pleasant as the BA safety checkers. Anyway, at the back of the plane, we were behind everybody else, and lots of those other SSSS people seemed to be up in the Business or Economy Plus sections.

On our last flight in 2019 on United from Stockholm, we were upgraded from Premium Economy to business for no apparent reason. We no longer had frequent flier status with United and as I recall we had scraped the barrel so to speak for outfits to come home after 3 weeks in Scandinavia. It was a really nice surprise but in hindsight it was like the universe saying to us to enjoy it because we wouldn’t be flying again for a very long time (2+ years). LOL!

On our Sept., 2019, San Diego - Zurich trip, we received a free upgrade from Business to First Class, on the way back home. British Airways never even notified us of the upgrade. When we first checked in for the Zurich to Heathrow leg, nothing was mentioned, [and those short flights have a "mock" business class of about 4-5 rows, so nothing would have changed there.] My husband has Silver status, not Gold.

My husband stopped in Heathrow at the agent desk [Terminal 5, near the Duty-Free shopping area], to ask about any reasonable Avios cost to upgrade. The agent asked why we needed upgrading, as we were already in First Class- we were stunned! It's a good thing we found out, so we could take advantage of the First Class lounge.

I have to admit, however, that as nice as First Class was, it's not that much better than the newly-reconfigured British Airways Business Class seats, in which all the window seats are singles, and all the middle seats are pairs. There is no First Class on these planes.

I might add that for this trip, our flights were canceled/changes SIX times, and then our connection in Chicago was completely canceled after a 4+ hour delay, AFTER we had boarded the plane, around 10:00pm. So that made SEVEN changes. We were then in Chicago for 24 hours, [with the airline paying for everyone's hotels.]

We will never know if there was a connection between our seven flight changes and receiving the free upgrade. However, we did know that First Class was really empty for that returning flight, as my husband kept checking. Maybe they just needed more weight upfront???

I wonder what would happen if I walked up to the counter unshaven, disheveled, and wearing my pajamas with bed head.

And then asked for an upgrade.

Better yet, the look on the person's face that had to sit beside me.

Ton of information here

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/2068071-pro-active-online-upgrade-poug-tracking-discussion-2022-thread.html

You won't receive an upgrade if you're not 'gold'. You can pay to upgrade by either checking your flight on the app if you have it or go to 'manage my booking' on the website and scroll down to 'Upgrade'. Depending on seat availabilty the price generally drops closer to departure.

I upgraded to First on my recent flight to Barbados and despite business class being full it appeared no-one was upgraded as there were five empty seats in First. I do consider First a definite improvement on business and with the bed extending to 6'6" I don't have to bend my knees when I sleep which I do in business.

You won't receive an upgrade if you're not 'gold'.

I am not gold. I have never known rhyme nor reason for the upgrades I have gotten, but have been very thankful for them.

BTW, I recently booked a business trans-Atlantic flight not realizing that the short haul in Europe was also business. Now that BA has morphed into an econo airline for short haul and even charges for water, I would consider using my AVIOS for an upgrade. No one sits next to you, you do get a cup of tea or whatever, and you get off the plane before most folks - it was a relative pleasure.

I am not gold. I have never known rhyme nor reason for the upgrades I have gotten, but have been very thankful for them.

Ok, I'll re-word it. You're very unlikely to be upgraded if you're not gold. Every person I've known to be upgraded has been gold but evidently there are occasions where non-gold passengers have been.

We weren't Gold- my husband is Silver.

Thanks for all of the great answers and thoughts. But I don't under the Gold and Silver stuff. I'm a OneWorld Alliance member. I have "Emerald" status. I don't know what that means exactly. (But I did get into the First Class Lounge at Heathrow last month. Wow! What a spread!)

@Debbie-They must like you as I have been a BA Avois member for almost 20 years and have never gotten an upgrade. Que sera...

Emerald status is equivalent to BA's Gold. If you're ever at Terminal 3 at Heathrow visit the Cathay Pacific lounge, your Emerald status will get you in, it knocks spots of BA's First Class Lounge. As an Emerald you can access all the Oneworld airline lounges irrespective of who you're flying with or what cabin.