Free Flight Upgrades?

[Hanoi IG]

OK, I hear all about people with "status" getting free upgrades. My hair guy is always getting them or missing out because of more senior people.

It's probably moot for me as my Star Alliance Gold runs out in January and, now that I've learned how to get award flights, I havent flown enough paid segments to get it back.

Do you ask for it and, if so, when? We just flew HKG-KIX economy in a plane in which the front of the plane was nearly empty. It's a short flight and we had enough room so all we would have had was a bit more width, slightly bigger screen and perhaps a better meal and wine but I was just wondering, since in a year of having status, I have never been upgraded.

 

[dr0832]

Really not much of a need for status if you use miles and points to get free flights. I guess the only exception is if you fly a lot like some of these travel bloggers do but then these people aren't flying due to free flights. They are flying with the thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars they get from credit card affiliate signups.

 

[Hanoi IG]

I meant we are(but not for long) Star Alliance Gold and on a paid flight might think could get upgraded. Flying coach but get lounge and bags wondered if upgrades happen? From what I've seen in posts only on US based lines.

 

[Newgene]

With United, the upgrades really aren't very good if you fly United hubs mid-week. Lots of 1k's waiting for upgrade seats on most flights. Since chase offers a PQD waiver for silver-gold-platinum with 25k spend on their explorer card, you really need to be platinum or 1k to get a benefit from the upgrade. However, most of the ways to get the PQM needed to qualify on miles, usually involve people paying for upgrades to the higher mileage earning seats.