Flying economy class is a needs must for most of us, with the cost of upgrading simply not worth it for a few hours in the sky.
It will set you back thousands extra to take your standard ticket and upgrade it to business or first class. But one flight attendant has revealed tips and tricks to getting that upgrade for free – you have to be clever about it, though.
TikTok star Cierra Mistt has millions of followers on the social media platform, regularly providing content from her time as an air hostess and revealing little known secrets about the trade.
Cierra took to TikTok to explain how you can get a free first class ticket the next time you travel.
For the influencer, there are two main ways to do this and it comes down to where you are sitting and just exactly how full the flight you’re booked on to is.
She says by following her tricks of the trade you could be drinking champagne at 35,000 feet in no time.
@cierra_mistt / TikTok
Cierra says: “Here’s how to get free first class on your next flight. Number one, sit in the very last row.
“Now, you might be thinking that sounds a little weird. But let me tell you why. On flights that are full, we normally have to move passengers for weight and balance purposes.
“And when we do that, it’s normally come back to the front. And if that’s the case, the flight attendants are gonna choose the people in that very last row to go up front because then they can sit down there after doing their service because it’s a lot more comfy to sit in those passenger seats than it is the jump seat.
“But if you’re watching this, keep this on the down low because we’re literally not supposed to be sitting in those seats.”
Cierra went on: “Number two is even easier and it’s for full flights, which happens a lot. Nowadays, you’ll know if your flight is full and even overbooked because the gate agents will normally make an announcement at the beginning telling you that it’s overbooked and that they need volunteers.
“They’ll normally start really low at like $200 to $500 as an airport voucher. “Here’s what you do instead. First go to the gate agent.
“Second, give them a price and say that you want that in cash. Last, but not least, when the gate agent is rebooking you for that next flight, make sure that they put you in first class to compensate for your time that you’re losing because you had to get kicked from that flight .
GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images
One viewer echoed Cierra’s second tip, writing: “I picked the last seats for a trip to Amsterdam and was moved to business class and had four seats to myself… both ways!”
Others didn’t realise you can ask for money instead of vouchers if your flight is overbooked, with Cierra replying: “You sure can, it’s in the policy.”