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How much does it cost to upgrade to business class at the airport? This article will answer the question in more generalized terms. While airlines clearly list their business class fares online and state their upgrade process with points, they don’t advertise the rates at airports. Today, airlines want passengers to upgrade online before getting to the airport, and it’s not in their interest to encourage business class passengers to wait until they get to the airport.
Not only are airlines often opaque about what to expect at the airport with upgrades, but they are disincentivized to encourage passengers to find out. That said, most airlines will allow passengers to upgrade at the airport, and some have kiosks offering it at check-in. But pre-arrival in-app upgrades, including 24–72 hours before departure, are a more important part of their marketing and pricing strategy. The consensus online is that upgrading to business class at the airport is uncertain and not normally cheaper than what earlier online offers the airline would have likely offered in the run-up to the flight.
Upgrading At The Airport Is Uncertain
Upgrading to business class at the airport is complicated, as it varies significantly by airline and circumstance. One of the most obvious things to point out is that upgrading at the last minute (check-in at the airport) means there is a strong possibility that the class will be booked out. If the airline has fully sold its business class seats, then that forecloses any possibility of upgrading to those seats at the airport.
Clever Journey says that if there are still business class seats remaining, airlines may offer discounted upgrades to passengers at the check-in desks. It then adds, “Honestly, this happens somewhat rarely – only once every 5-10 flights, because airlines usually find enough passengers through online upgrades.” There are also cases when the airline wants to bump passengers up due to overbooking.
There is the possibility to upgrade after checking in. On rare occasions, airlines may offer business class upgrades to passengers after boarding the flight. This doesn’t happen very often, but to have much of a chance, one should be first in line. When boarding the aircraft, ask the flight attendants if there are any business class seats left. There is a chance the flight attendant will ask the responsible employee and come back with an offer.
The Pricing Is Unpredictable
Upgrading to business class at the airport can be cheaper, with airlines sometimes offering discounted upgrade prices. Sometimes offers can pop up at the self-service kiosks. However, it is difficult to generalize as pricing can be unpredictable. Sometimes airport upgrade prices are reasonable, while other times they are about as high as booking in advance.
Often, the prices for business class surge at the last minute if demand is high or the seats are mostly sold out. Many travelers record airport upgrades costing more than offers seen online during check-in or earlier bidding. Some airlines charge a fixed fee, others base the cost on the price difference between economy and business class tickets.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that airlines are also protecting their brand image. They will often prioritize people who look right in their business class, and this is why it is important to dress smartly. Major airline pricing algorithms are dynamic, with pricing not static. Algorithms are constantly re-optimizing based on load factor, time to departure, competitor price changes, and actual booking vs forecast booking. The more one can understand how these algorithms function, the more one can find ways to get better fares. That said, passengers may not have access to all the information the algorithm is working with (e.g., current load factor).
American Vs. Delta Vs. United: Which Carrier Has The Best Premium Economy?
These three airlines offer the most prominent premium economy offerings in the domestic aviation market.
How To Upgrade At The Airport
One Quora user posted that costs for upgrading at the airport vary widely by airline. He pointed out that a good strategy can be to book lower-class tickets really early and then take advantage of good short-term offers by the airline afterward. It’s worth checking the airline’s website and keeping an eye out for published sales. He suggested that once at the airport, it doesn’t hurt to ask the check-in agent, “Are there any upgrades available? Free or low-cost?”
Notably, he said, “Some airlines simply won’t offer upgrades if you have a low-fare ticket. But that restriction can somehow disappear at the check-in desk, when Business is under-booked, and they’d like to make a little more cash, so you can get some last-minute bargains.” The chances of successfully upgrading are typically higher for elite customers with premium economy class tickets who are also dressed smartly.
|
Business class (per Delta, United, etc.) |
|
|---|---|
|
Cost |
Approx. 2x-3x premium economy |
|
US airlines with long-haul business class |
American, Delta, United (Alaska is starting) |
|
Average fare |
$3,000 to $7,000+ (transatlantic, transpacific) |
|
Baggage allowance |
Typically 70 lbs (32 kg) |
To increase one’s chances of an upgrade, one should consider that airlines prioritize their loyal passengers, they don’t offer upgrades to passengers with oversized baggage, they don’t offer upgrades to passengers with pet carriers, and they don’t normally upgrade groups or families. Upgrading is easiest for solo travelers. Another complication is if there are connecting flights, and especially if the connecting flight is in a different class.
Avoid Purchasing Non-Upgradeable Fares
It is important to keep in mind that many airlines have specific rules that forbid upgrading from the lowest economy fare to business class. So those who plan to follow the strategy of booking a lower-class ticket and then getting a discount by upgrading later need to ensure that they are buying an upgradeable ticket.
Delta Air Lines’ lowest economy class fares are ineligible for upgrades to business or premium cabin; the same is true for United Airlines and American Airlines. Sometimes the upgrade picture is complicated by whether the passenger has elite status or not. Airlines typically prioritize upgrades for their elite passengers. When upgrading with points, some airlines only allow an upgrade to the next cabin.
So an economy class passenger can upgrade to premium, a premium economy class passenger can upgrade to business, and a business to first (if it exists). In these cases, an economy-class passenger generally can’t jump from premium and upgrade to business (although there are exceptions). In short, passengers who purchase the lowest economy fares can’t pay for upgrades, can’t use points to upgrade, and can’t be placed on an upgrade list.
How Do Airlines Decide The Appropriate Aircraft For Each Route?
A closer look at how airlines decide to place which aircraft on their routes.
It Varies By Airline
Many or most airlines do allow upgrades at the airport, although there is a large variance by airline. For example, Lufthansa is reported to have fixed-price upgrades available on check-in and at the airport. But the airport rates are rarely cheaper, and staff can’t discount below the advertised rates. Delta’s Delta Medallion members are automatically added to the priority list for complimentary upgrades to domestic first class.
Airlines like Emirates and 
British Airways are reported as allowing upgrades at the airports, but these are rarely cheaper than booking online earlier. Overall, it seems airlines are pushing for upgrades online. Offers are frequently given at the 24-hour check-in window, and this is often the best balance of price and certainty. It’s worth keeping in mind that there are many factors influencing the pricing algorithm, which include responding to rival airlines’ fares.
One of the most important and easiest factors when considering purchasing business class tickets is to book return fares whenever possible. It’s well known that a return ticket can be cheaper than two one-way tickets, but with business class, this can go into overdrive. It is common for a return business ticket to be not only discounted but entirely cheaper than a single one-way fare on the same flight. In other words, airlines like Delta will sometimes list NY-London return business fares cheaper than just NY-London, one-way fares.
Waiting For Airport Upgrade Is Biggest Gamble
Seeking upgrades at the airport is risky, although to many that may be part of the thrill. It only works when there are empty seats and other factors align. It’s also much more likely to work for elite members traveling in the right way (solo, no pets, etc.). Still, it can be fun to gamble and see what happens at the airport; there is always the chance of getting lucky and being offered a sweet upgrade.
But this is more of a gamble than the alternative strategy of booking the lower-class ticket early and then waiting for the airline to offer upgrades online later on. Another important factor when looking for discounts on flights is that connecting flights can massively alter the cost of the fare. It is often cheaper to book the trunk fare and connecting fare independently, even when it is with the same airline. Sometimes the opposite is true.
Going back to the algorithms. One way airlines distinguish passenger types is by when the ticket is purchased (including weekday vs weekend). Business travelers typically book late (0–14 days before departure), while leisure travelers book well in advance (30–120 days out). Business travelers are treated as less price sensitive and often purchase one-way flights; these passengers are targeted for higher fares than those assumed to be leisure travelers. Airlines typically offer their lowest fare seats early for price-sensitive and flexible leisure travelers. However, if the flight is not forecast to achieve a high load factor, then the computer may reopen low bucket fares to fill the aircraft.
