Everyone wants to buy the cheapest economy ticket and then turn up at the airport hoping get bumped up and upgraded to business class or even first class. Let's face it, who doesn't want more comfort and legroom, luxurious service and full lounge access which come as standard for first and business class passengers. The current generation of flat seats in premium cabins of major carriers make flying long-haul much more comfortable than ever before.

Here are a few basic tips for maximising your likelihood of getting that elusive upgrade and rubbing shoulder with the first class jet-set.

1. Join the Elite. Become a member of your airline's frequent flyer program. If you can reach 'elite status' then you will greatly improve your chances of getting upgraded if there is any availability on the day you fly. Please note, business class is sometimes full and there will be no free upgrades available at these times.

2.Don't Hub. Avoid flying from your carrier's main hub. You will be competing against masses of frequent flyer members so your chance of a free upgrade is minimal. In other words it is more difficult to get upgraded with British Airways if flying out of London Heathrow.

3.Think Small. Choose one of the smaller frequent flyer programs with fewer members to reduce competition. The biggest programs in Europe are those of Lufthansa, AirFrance-KLM and British Airways with literally millions of members. US programs are massive - the top 3, United, American and Delta probably have well over 100 million members between them! A good option is to join a quality Asian based carrier like Thai Airlines or Cathay Pacific who have far fewer members.

4.Watch the Load. Book a flight that is likely to have a full economy section. A few days before your flight, check the availability of business and first class seats by doing a pretend booking on your airline's website or use one of the class availability tools on the web.

5.Choose your Aircraft and Destination Carefully. Choose a destination that doesn't carry heavy business traffic. Also try to fly on wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 777 with plenty of available first class and business class seats.

6.Dress Smart. This is a cliché, but you should try to dress well in 'smart casual' or business attire and carry decent looking luggage. If you don't fit in with the flying elite the airline may not upgrade you. Turn up with an economy ticket and a backpack and you'll probably be sitting at the back!

7.Invest in your Travel Knowledge. If you are serious about flying in business class but only have an economy budget then you should invest in the Ultimate Airfares & Upgrades Guide. This includes a simple and highly effective strategy to gain immediate upgrade priority, shows you hidden criteria the airlines use in selecting people for upgrades and gives you many more insider tips and tricks in getting that elusive upgrade and finding the very lowest possible airfares in any class.

About the author:

DS is a freelance aviation consultant. This is part 1 of a 2 part series on how to get a free airline upgrade on your flight. Part 2 is only available in the free articles section of http://www.airtravelgenius.com.

The best-selling Ultimate Airfares & Upgrades Guide is now available at http://www.airtravelgenius.com.

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