Want an upgrade on your flight? Here's what works (and what doesn't)

The Age

2 days ago

'You've been upgraded' are the sweetest words you'll ever hear at the check-in desk. It's honey to a bear, entry to the gates of heaven, a place among the rich and powerful … and it's about as rare as a lottery win.
You might have a mate who knows someone whose cousin got an upgrade. A couple of them, actually. They arrived at the check-in desk for their economy class flight suited up like they were heading for the Birdcage at the Melbourne Cup and a miracle happened. Instead of economy, their boarding class bore the magical words 'business'. Legends!
Thus adding fuel to the myth that says if you dress nicely, you just might get an upgrade, but honestly, this is a furphy. Dressing in designer wear and asking for an upgrade will only provide temporary amusement for the check-in staff. They do not have discretion to offer upgrades, and by themselves, charm, a genuine Louis Vuitton case or a pearly smile won't get you a seat at the pointy end. Likewise, claiming it's a honeymoon trip, a special anniversary, a birthday or a first-time meet-up with your Facebook love interest. Don't even think about it.
What gets you that upgrade
In a word, loyalty. Loyalty is everything when it comes to air travel upgrades. Airlines have long memories and big databases, and they know exactly how often you fly with them and how many points and status credits you've accumulated, and those are the metrics that will help you get an upgrade. With a purse bulging with points and status credits, you're at the front of the queue when upgrade opportunities come your way.
Travellers on fully flexible fares are next in line. They've paid for the privilege, and airlines are more inclined to look after them when seats need shuffling. Beyond those, the pool dries up quickly. Between loyal frequent flyers and full-fare passengers, there's usually no shortage of contenders when an upgrade is on the cards, leaving little room for hopeful glances or whispered charm at the gate.
When points are not enough
Even when you're sitting on a zillion points, getting an upgrade is not a shoo-in. I recently requested an upgrade to business using points on a Singapore Airlines return flight from Sydney to Delhi. I paid full price for a flexi premium economy seat, the highest category, which is a points-upgradeable ticket. When I submitted the request via the airline's MySQupgrade website, the response was no-go. I called the airline's customer service and was told yes, I could upgrade with points, but not on the flights I'd booked. I'd have to switch to a flight leaving Delhi the following day, at an inconvenient time with a much longer stopover in Singapore, and that wasn't going to work.