A reader asked for some general advice in securing upgrades on international flights. Here are my off the top of the head suggestions. I’d love it if you’d add your own thoughts to the comments section.

• Be as flexible as possible. Look over a variety of
  days if you can. Confirmed seats at booking are the
  goal.

• Be as creative as possible in routings. Check every
  possible connection. Know what those connections are
  because agents won’t necessarily look at them all
  without your asking about them specifically.

• Consolidate your flying a bit so that you have top
  tier status on a carrier. I like having miles on lots
  of airlines… but having the highest level elite
  status will help you clear those waitlists. (You can
  earn miles on lots of airlines by giving your partner
  activity like phone, credit cards, etc. to an airline
  that you don’t fly as much.)

• Pick your aircraft to be sure it has the most number
  of business class seats possible. A United 747 has
  about a hundred premium seats. A 777 has 49 business
  class seats. That makes upgrading easier than on a
  767 with only 32 seats or a 757 with 24.

• Run away from Continental. They have the most
  convoluted upgrade scheme going… upgrade windows…
  the “72 hour rule” (they won’t give you the seat even
  if it’s available if it’s within 72 hours of flight
  time). Just screwy.