I’ve seen Delta sell upgrades for as little as $26 several times over the past couple of months.
With only 12-13% of first class seats now going to upgrades when two decades only that was the percentage of first class seats actually being sold, upgrades as an elite benefit have almost disappeared. But programs continue to pitch them as a core benefit.
A decade ago, when Delta made a conscious push away from upgrades to monetizing premium cabins for any amount of cash, they started calling extra legroom coach an upgrade, even running an ‘upgrade algorithm’ to assign them rather than making them first-come, first-served for elite flyers.
- Airlines do not want upgrades to be an elite benefit, even if they want flyers to believe it will be one.
- Airlines would rather take $26 from an infrequent flyer (and I’ve certainly seen American Airlines take $40) or to pilots rather than give that seat away free to the $30,000 or $50,000 a year customer.
It seems to me, since these seats are being monetized, that a replacement benefit for upgrades might be paid upgrade discounts. American Airlines will already discount their tickets, including award tickets, all day long – employees and family members can book ‘AA20’ fares for 20% off. Other airlines have similar programs.
They should really ‘discount’ post-purchase upgrade offers for elites, since those customers are waiting for upgrades and might get them. The discount would encourage elites to lock in the first class seat. It would return excess inventory to an airline’s best customers, albeit at an upcharge. Plus it could serve as an incentive to earn status, as upgrades themselves become rarer as a benefit. Discounted upgrades could effectively replace the complimentary upgrade benefit – earning airlines revenue, and customers a discount.
Different elite levels could have different discounts. Southwest should even do this with seat assignments, A-List gets free seat assignments but not free extra legroom until 48 hours prior to departure. If they’re still available, they’re free. So does an A-List member roll the dice on free? A discount would encourage them to pay and be a benefit.
American doesn’t ‘discount’ awards for elites and co-brand cardmembers like United does and like Delta discounts for SkyMiles Amex customers (really, raises the price for everyone else). They probably should, along these same lines.
I was using a $70 per hour rubric on whether it was worth paying to upgrade, though this is dependent on
- whether I think I’ll get the upgrade free, anyway (and the cheaper the upgrade, the more likely the airline thinks they won’t sell the seat) and
- what seat I already have (an exit row aisle makes me less likely to pay than a middle seat in back of regular coach).
Here’s an upcoming 3.5 hour flight where I’m being offered an upgrade for less than $200.
I don’t think I’ll be upgraded free. But I haven’t jumped on the offer. I have an exit row aisle, and I’ve had a bunch of those lately. And I’ve been.. fine? First class gets me a bit of extra seat width for sure, but it meal isn’t worth the price and I’m generally not day drinking up front domestically.
I plug in and focus on work for the full flight and barely notice my surroundings.
I am still averaging over 80% on upgrades as an AA Exec Plat. My son also. AA told me I received 33 upgrades in 2025 so I’m still a happy camper with AA. I am Gold with United and received 0 upgrades in 32 flights, but I did use LOT and Lufthansa clubs about 6 times with my status.
I think anyway to enhance value of ExP would be good because to me ExP is pretty useless other than 11x earn. I live in an AA hub. I would never be upgraded on a mainline flight. If I want to fly in First, I have to buy First.
I wouldn’t say complimentary upgrades are officially dead, but, sheesh, over the years, it’s gone way down hill… like 50/50 at best for top-tier non-invite Diamond, Executive Platinum, and 1K. And don’t get me started on those pathetic PlusPoints and SWUs. Oh brother. Oof.
Not a single person paying $30,000 or $50,000 on a single airline is buying in coach
one great way to enhance loyalty programs and push premium would be for airlines to sell the last remaining unsold 1 or 2 seats in F only to high status customers (or to non high status members who pay an annual fee for access to close-in F purchase rights) for a period of, say, 48 hours down to 3 hours prior to departure. The annual fee for access to close-in F purchase rights could be $995, for instance, or possibly a benefit of a $995 fee CC.
@mark – that’s not true at all. lots of business travelers fly long haul premium cabin and coach domestic, company rules might be “business over 8 hours” for instance.
First right of refusal should absolutely be the minimum if they truely are going to prioritize minuscule monetization over loyalty!
If I had knowledge I was #1 on the UGL and got first loser due to selling that seat for $26, livid would be an understatement!!!
Aisle seats are nice and Main cabin extra provides free drinks so you are correct, no biggie paying for the upgrade.
I mean, I’d take more RUCs (or similar) to clear at booking in exchange for dropping complementary upgrades. I’ve got a very high upgrade rate (I’m used to “reading” loads on my most-frequentec routes) but I’d prefer not to play this game if it could be helped.
I’d also take straight discounts to booking F/J natively, especially given how tight the F/Y prices can be at times.
Elites are 99% OPM.
They can take up flying in Y with their employers if it’s an issue
I m very happy airlines are selling the seats for $50 and not giving them away for free to OPM freeloaders
Delta loyalist here…I get upgraded into first every time. On the app immediately. Status has its privileges. Btw…full disclosure…it’s Christmas so there’s a good chance im drunk and lying.
@ Gary — How much of your time are you wasting thinking about whether to but the upgrade? Stop being cheap and just buy it. I used to obsess over upgrades. Now, the upgrade either confirms at purchase or I buy F (or I stay home). I am much happier this way.
I redeemed 17.5k UA miles for a 90-minute flight. Upgrade was offered for $140 + tax (=$150). Two checked bags went from $70 down to $0, so the net extra cost for the upgrade was only $80. On a list of 15 or more, three people got free upgrades in a 20-seat cabin.
Note that the $140 upgrade price compared favorably to the 20k mile increment for booking First vs. coach.
Interestingly Gary, I think Frontier and/or Spirit kind of do this for members with elite status.
For example, I recall doing a status match to Gold with Frontier. When logged in, a basic seat selection is included and the upsell to the extra legroom seems to be reduced roughly by the price to assign a basic seat if not logged in. Extra legroom and blocked middle seat become available at check-in or within 4 hours respectively for free.
So, with numbers (but not the time to deep dive research), say a basic seat assignment costs ~$30 and an extra legroom seat ~$100 for a non-elite. If an elite has the basic seat assignment included, the extra legroom seems to be offered for ~$70. Not sure if this is what you’re getting at, in a way, or not, but interesting that there does seem to be something of this concept for an elite getting a discount already programmed and operational. Someone with a bit more time can check data points or I can do it in the new year if helpful.