January 21st 2025.
Are you getting ready for a long-haul flight in the near future? We all know how quickly the costs can add up when it comes to long flights, but what if I told you there was a little-known trick that could give you a luxurious business class experience without breaking the bank? That's exactly what 24-year-old lifestyle and travel influencer Maddie Borge discovered and shared on her TikTok account. She was able to unlock an upgrade to business class on Etihad for only £200, and she's here to spill the details.
Maddie is planning a trip to Australia in February and had booked her tickets a few months ago. This week, she received an email inviting her to upgrade her flight. Curious, she decided to take a look at the offers available and stumbled upon a hack she had never seen before. In a TikTok video, she excitedly shared with her 328,000 followers, "I never really click on these emails, but I was like, you know what, let's just see what they have." And that's when she found the hack through Etihad.
Maddie was intrigued and logged in to see what she could find. She saw the usual options like choosing your seat and adding extra baggage, but then she noticed something interesting – an option to upgrade to business class. Out of curiosity, she clicked on it and was offered an upgrade for £842. But here's where it gets exciting – right next to it was an offer called "neighbour free" for only £200. This offer allowed her to buy out the seat next to her or even the entire row for a fraction of the cost of a traditional business class upgrade. "You're telling me I can upgrade to business class for £1,000, or basically get business class in economy for £200? I'm in shock, this is so cool," Maddie exclaimed in her video.
Her followers were equally impressed, with some even trying out the hack for themselves. One follower shared that they had upgraded their flight from Istanbul to Sydney using this feature and it was "SOOO worth it." Another follower was able to enjoy a whole row to herself on a four-hour flight using the same trick. And it seems like this hack works for long-haul flights as well. A follower shared that they had tried a similar hack on their trip to New Zealand and it was "so worth it."
But this isn't the only travel hack that can get you a boujie experience on a budget. Other airlines are now offering passengers the chance to upgrade their tickets on quieter flights for a fraction of the cost. All you have to do is submit a bid for how much you're willing to pay for an upgrade. While it's not a guaranteed win, the opportunity to snag a cheap business class flight is definitely worth a try.
If you're interested in bidding for an upgrade, here are some tips to increase your chances of winning. First, bid 20-40% above the minimum amount to give yourself a better chance. Consider bidding more if the flight is busy or if prices have gone up. It's also worth noting that bidding may be less competitive on leisure routes rather than business routes, and flights departing later in the day may also have less competition.
Not all airlines offer this service, but some that do include Air Canada, Aer Lingus, Etihad, Lufthansa, Vueling, and Virgin Atlantic. After purchasing an economy class ticket, keep an eye out for an email from the airline offering you the chance to bid for an upgrade. This usually happens within a week before departure. You can also check the airline's website to see if your booking is eligible for an upgrade.
Remember, airlines will set a minimum and maximum price for bids. Most passengers will bid close to the minimum amount, so bidding 20-40% above that can give you an advantage. Now that you know the secret to scoring a bargain upgrade, it's time to start planning your next flight. Happy travels!
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