Hi Steemers! Scoring a free business class upgrade is pretty unheard of these days. Seems like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow or winning the lotterty is more likely. Especially since airlines encourage frequent flyers to upgrade using their points if the seats haven't already been sold. So, it would seem that getting upgraded at the airport checkin counter is a thing of the past, or just something that happens in movies... Or is it?
As someone who has always dreamed of scoring the ever elusive upgrade, I have heard and read all the "tips" on how you can help make this happen-
- Be a frequent flyer member
- Be loyal to the one airline
- Dress to impress
- Arrive early
- Be nice to airline staff
- Blah, blah, blah
But it all seems like alot of it is up to chance and pure luck. So with all the above in mind, I just made peace with the fact that the only way I would be flying business class is when I have enough points in my kitty to make a successful bid on an upgrade prior to flying.
That being said, when I least expected it, I was bestowed with the honour of the free business class upgrade!!!
Let me set the scene - It's late on Christmas Eve, after working our last work day of 2018 we get to the airport not long after the checkin counter opens. As excited as we were to embark on our new adventure, we weren't excited about the cattle class flight that was ahead of us.
I checked in online, earlier that day so I already know it is a full flight - groan! The only thing worse than flying in economy class cabins is flying in a full economy class cabin ha ha.
Since we were already checked in, we just needed to drop our bags off, go straight to the front of the bag drop line as the only people lined up are for the checkin counter. As we approach the counter, we have our passports and printed boarding passes ready. The friendly guy behind the counter asks to see only our passports, as he will print us new boarding passes. Have a friendly banter going on, he mentions that my birthday is three days prior to the commencement of Emirates starting to fly, I joke that explains why they are my airline! When it comes to the end of formalities and time to hand our passports back with our newly printed boarding passes, he leans in as he slides them across the counter and says in a low voice "Due to an operational something a rather we have been upgraded"... Say what now???
We didn't quite hear him so say "Sorry, what did you say?" He repeats himself and we hear him loud and clear this time. We thank him and quickly leave just in case there has been a mistake. Walk away from the counter, looking like we just scored a strike, which of course we did 😁
Unfortunately the business class lounges close at midnight in Brisbane, so dont get to chill out there until our flight.
Instead get a celebratory Bloody Mary in the only bar that is still open and pass the rest of our time in duty free.
Yay! The time has come to board, as business class ticket holders we are some of the first to board.
We are already sat comfortably in our pods and enjoying a glass of bubbles when the rest of the plebs start to board.
We are given his and her Bvlgari toiletry bags, as well as a menu to choose what we would like for our late night snack and breakfast.
Not long after takeoff our meal is served, complete on a little tablecloth. It was def one of the better plane meals I have had.
The best thing is once you are finished, they take it all away, no waiting for the whole cabin to finish.
Quite late now and very tired so going to make the most of the lie down bed.
Extend it out to full potential and get a few hours sleep, definitely the best sleep we have ever had on a plane! When I awake, I'm asked if I would like my breakfast yet?.. Yes, I would thanks!
Didn't know real poached eggs were a thing on planes, but apparently in business class they are! Even get to enjoy a mimosa aswell. I'm liking seeing how the other half fly.
As we get closer to our destination, our pods are turned back into seats ready for landing. Feeling more refreshed than we were expecting too, we really made the most of our two day stopover in Singapore. Was a great start to the epic adventure that was to come.
So the question we asked ourselves, as well as what everyone else has asked us... what, how or why did we actually get up upgraded???
Which we aren't really sure what the answer is. Was it just pure luck/chance? Was it because we are frequent flyers with Qantas, which is an Emirates partner airline? We were dressed for comfort, so whilst we weren't "dressed to impress" we were still presentable... But pretty sure that wasn't how we secured the upgrade ha ha. We did arrive early and we were friendly to the staff, maybe that was why? Or perhaps it was just a Christmas miracle 🎅
Guess my best advice is to try one of/all of the above, and maybe just maybe, all the stars will align and you too might score a free upgrade! In the mean time, I'm going to keep squirreling away all my economy flight points and hopefully I will get to fly business class again sometime soon 🤞✌🤞✌!!!
