What's the best travel upgrade you've received?

[Forg]

Never got a car rental upgrade, at least not that I've realised. Mustn't be playing the rental status game right, if there's such a thing.

I think that’s about luck, and popularity. The ‘upgrades’ I’ve had were purely because they didn’t have what I booked, or most recently, because they needed an overpriced rental vehicle shifted from Bottomintercourse Nowehere to one of the world’s biggest airports.

 

[SOPOOR]

love it

Yeah! near the end of the flight I asked where my meal was, they shrugged their shoulders.....

 

[Tiki]

Flight - Upgraded to J on HKG-LHR on CX. We had done a platinum challenge on AA the year before and had status so it was a surprise upgrade!
Hotel - Bora Bora Thalasso. Booked a "family suite" on points and was upgraded to the lowest tier OWB. When we go there we saw staff occuping the famil suites
Cruise - 2011 Panama Canal on Island Princess. Booked the cheapest inside cabin and got a balcony! It originated in ACA and at that time Americans got spooked over some drug related killings. We stayed in the CP Acapulco and had no problem at all, even used the local buses to get around.

 

[djh]

This is my first post, so be gentle.

We had a wonderfully lucky trip with Emirates two or three years ago. We booked economy MEL to LHR, and return GLA to SIN for three days, the back to MEL.

We used our Emirates points to upgrade the MEL DXB let on the way to London, and flew out on Boxing Day. Had a great business flight to Dubai, then back to normal economy for the short hop to LHR.

On the return journey we ended up snowed in GLA and were very late taking off. We flew economy to DXB, fully expecting that we would have missed our connecting flight to SIN. When we arrived in DXB, we found that they had held the flight as there were lots of connecting passengers. We raced to the gate, and found that we had been upgraded to business for the flight to SIN. Again, it was a lovely trip and we enjoyed our three nights in Singapore.

When we checked in for the flight to MEL, I asked at the gate if we could pay to upgrade to business so that the holiday ended on a high. She apologised and said that it wasn't possible, because they had already upgraded us!

It was a great trip, but hasn't happened since sadly.

 

[Flashback]

This is my first post, so be gentle.

We had a wonderfully lucky trip with Emirates two or three years ago. We booked economy MEL to LHR, and return GLA to SIN for three days, the back to MEL.

We used our Emirates points to upgrade the MEL DXB let on the way to London, and flew out on Boxing Day. Had a great business flight to Dubai, then back to normal economy for the short hop to LHR.

On the return journey we ended up snowed in GLA and were very late taking off. We flew economy to DXB, fully expecting that we would have missed our connecting flight to SIN. When we arrived in DXB, we found that they had held the flight as there were lots of connecting passengers. We raced to the gate, and found that we had been upgraded to business for the flight to SIN. Again, it was a lovely trip and we enjoyed our three nights in Singapore.

When we checked in for the flight to MEL, I asked at the gate if we could pay to upgrade to business so that the holiday ended on a high. She apologised and said that it wasn't possible, because they had already upgraded us!

It was a great trip, but hasn't happened since sadly.

That's a pretty good run of luck! Welcome to AFF.

 

[Seat0B]

Great first post @djh, and nice to join in on a good news story.

 

[Flying mermaid]

It’s so nice to read all these happy stories in these gloomy times

We have had a few hotel upgrades - usually upgraded one level on what we had booked which is quite common. Had lovely ones at Four Seasons Sultanahmet and the Hong Kong Peninsula.

However our last one was really the best

we were on an extended African trip and were staying twice at Hemingway’s in Nairobi. First time we had stayed there.

Our first stay was a quick one nighter, we were flying in from Segera on the Laikipia Plateau. Mr FM really dislikes flying - over the years he has got used to the 12 seaters you have to fly around Africa in, but this time it was a tiny plane - coughpit for the pilot and two seats for passengers. He seemed to cope flying up but was very unhappy coming back. We got to the hotel and our room wasn’t ready and they directed us to wait in the lounge. Mr FM became more and more pale with a tight chest and I really wanted him to lie down. Two hours later I went and hassled and it was clear we had been forgotten.

we had a very early flight the next day so I didn’t get to speak to anyone but a few days later got a “how did we do email”. I let them know in no uncertain terms what I thought of their checkin.

3 weeks later flying back wasn’t great. We were in a 12 seater, but flying from the Serengeti (Tanzania) to Nairobi we hit a bad storm, got quite tossed about and thunder and lightning. Had this déjà vu feeling.

What a difference though. When the car arrived at the steps of the hotel the manager was there to great us. He handed us over to a butler and we were swept through the foyer (never checked in) into a huge suite with a giant bowl of fruit and a bottle of wine and a butler to look after us. Bedroom, bathroom, powder room, lounge, dining room, balcony and kitchen. Half the staff seemed to know who we were and the manager came over for a chat at lunchtime.

Great upgrade and great service recovery. My only regret is I wonder if we will get back there again. However we did tick off a few things on that trip - Giraffe Manor, Olpejeta rhino sanctuary, gorillas in Rwanda, wildebeeste crossings and of course a return to my favourite place on earth, Singita Grumeti. A few months later we went to Antarctica- I will never get Mr FM on a cruise in the future . In fact we did a huge amount of travelling between Sep 2018 and August 2019 - it was almost as though I knew what lay ahead

 

[SOPOOR]

It’s so nice to read all these happy stories in these gloomy times

We have had a few hotel upgrades - usually upgraded one level on what we had booked which is quite common. Had lovely ones at Four Seasons Sultanahmet and the Hong Kong Peninsula.

However our last one was really the best

we were on an extended African trip and were staying twice at Hemingway’s in Nairobi. First time we had stayed there.

Our first stay was a quick one nighter, we were flying in from Segera on the Laikipia Plateau. Mr FM really dislikes flying - over the years he has got used to the 12 seaters you have to fly around Africa in, but this time it was a tiny plane - coughpit for the pilot and two seats for passengers. He seemed to cope flying up but was very unhappy coming back. We got to the hotel and our room wasn’t ready and they directed us to wait in the lounge. Mr FM became more and more pale with a tight chest and I really wanted him to lie down. Two hours later I went and hassled and it was clear we had been forgotten.

we had a very early flight the next day so I didn’t get to speak to anyone but a few days later got a “how did we do email”. I let them know in no uncertain terms what I thought of their checkin.

3 weeks later flying back wasn’t great. We were in a 12 seater, but flying from the Serengeti (Tanzania) to Nairobi we hit a bad storm, got quite tossed about and thunder and lightning. Had this déjà vu feeling.

What a difference though. When the car arrived at the steps of the hotel the manager was there to great us. He handed us over to a butler and we were swept trough the foyer (never checked in) into a huge suite with a giant bowl of fruit and a bottle of wine and a butler to look after us. Bedroom, bathroom, powder room, lounge, dining room, balcony and kitchen. Half the staff seemed to know who we were and the manager came over for a chat at lunchtime.

Great upgrade and great service recovery. My only regret is I wonder if we will get back there again. However we did tick off a few things on that trip - Giraffe Manor, Olpejeta rhino sanctuary, gorillas in Rwanda, wildebeeste crossings and of course a return to my favourite place on earth, Singita Grumeti. A few months later we went to Antarctica- I will never get Mr FM on a cruise in the future . In fact we did a huge amount of travelling between Sep 2018 and August 2019 - it was almost as though I knew what lay ahead

ive read all sites like this

How to Score a Free Upgrade to Business Class

If your business is on a budget, booking business class airline tickets may likely not be an option. But, knowing the tips and tricks that help score a complimentary upgrade can help you enjoy luxury for less.

www.americanexpress.com

How to REALLY Get Upgraded to First Class (2023)

It's difficult to get a flight upgrade these days. Here are 14 ways that increase your odds.

www.smartertravel.com

I often travel alone, and am early, and polite and dress well (I try to) and never got close to getting upgraded, so I assume lists like these are just pot luck

that being said, I have some middle aged friends who have been upgraded from Y to J twice in 20 years, first time was honey moon to the country for the first time, and they asked , second time was a birthday ( a real one)

maybe, I just need to ask

 

[GladstoneTim]

I can recall two airline upgrades.

The first is from 19923 is sad. I had received news that my father was close to death one afternoon. The husband of a work colleague was an Australian Airlines retail manager in Darwin, where I was living. He arranged an upgrade to J on an early morning flight on what I think was a Bae146. DRW-GOV-CNS to provide some privacy for my grieving. Normal Y from CNS-SYD.

The second, still in DRW when SQ flew the triangle SIN-BNE-DRW-SIN usually with a 747. I had phoned the local SQ office a couple of days before travel to inquire about upgrading for the leg DRW-SIN and explained the reason- we had just found out my wife was pregnant with our first. The agent checked and advised we would have to pay to upgrade for all three legs of the triangle, with some astronomical figure. I thanked them and declined.

I believe AN used to do their checking-in and when we approached the counter, the two adjacent ground staff ducked behind the counter and were whispering for a couple of minutes. They rose and one told us if we were willing to change out of our shorts, (wet season/December in the top end) we could be upgraded to J. I bet they had never seen luggage ripped off the scales so fast! Apparently, upgrades had to adhere to a dress standard whereas ticketed J pax were allowed to dress less conservatively, which was. very obvious once on-board. Apparently, the aircraft had been subbed to a combo pax/freight 747. My wife thinks she got food poisoning from prawns in fried rice at SIN so the o/n flight SIN-BNE was not too pleasant, especially not being on an aisle. And then the leg BNE-DRW she was denied boarding as she was experiencing a minor early pregnancy complication and the Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital medical superintendent’s fit-to-travel authorisation was not sufficient for SQ so she had to wait to see the SQ doctor and ended up flying back home to DRW on QF as the SQ flight was only weekly. SQ authorised the ticket to QF.

But, wow, J on SQ. I still savour the memory.

 

[AngieP]

Back in the Ansett days - no wonder they went broke doing this stuff. Ansett mucked up our connection back from Hayman Island so we missed our flight to the country. it was AFL grand final day - no rental cars, no accom, Melbourne Was packed! Ansett did find us a hotel, paid for a fancy dinner but best of all next morning a BMW Limo with driver in chauffeur cap picked us up and drove us 400km home - stopping for a comfort break attracted a lot of attention along the way. The driver was delighted - he got paid a massive amount for a 800km round trip and he had fish and chips on the beach before going home! Oh and we said he could lose the cap!

 

[Cossie]

I had joined Qantas Club with a discount because of my employer at the time (2005), I hadn't got into the whole points thingy at that stage so had used our points for Canberra to Frankfurt return in Y. It was QF to Narita, then BA to London and then Frankfurt.
Checked in at Canberra and we had been upgraded to J in the bubble. Y was never the same after that.
Since then we have been upgraded to J a few times, Emirates out Adelaide, CX from Bangkok to Singapore, J to F from Melbourne to Singapore on QF, all these flights were fully booked.
Not really an upgrade, but when the Icelandic volcano was causing havoc there were about 70 people on a QF 747 from Singapore to Sydney, we almost had a row each.
Another time was a charter from Kuala Lumpur on MH 747 to Sydney via Melbourne in the mid eighties. It was though STA and there were 12 passengers on the Melbourne leg, of course many got on in Melbourne and it would have been full leaving Sydney for the return trip, they were all Malaysian students going home.

 

[hm520]

Would have to be the first (and second) upgrades return Y to J BNE-LAX. The flight over was obviously the best - day flight (~10am departure) with a few hours in the lounge before, followed by making the most of the service on the flight over. The return upgrade was amazing, but mainly because I spent the morning travelling from upstate NY to JFK, flew to LAX and was then upgraded from LAX, otherwise would have been a long time in transit.

 

[NinnyPoo]

Best Hotel Upgrade: Sheraton Grand Macao - Massive upgrade to a suite, which was larger than the HK apartment we had. Sadly there was no way we could watch the SuperBowl on the Monday Morning as Macao seemed the only place not to allow streaming...

Oddest Car Rental Upgrade: Christmas time in Wellington. Booked a Tarago/Previa but got a LWB Toyota HiAce that could seat 14. The rental manager tried to induce us taking the van it by "it could be a Holiday Maker or Holiday Breaker". No other cars available from any company. Negotiated a reduced rate and actually enjoyed the experience with our kids, other kids, grandparents. It was the "Holiday Maker"

Best Airline Upgrade: Singapore Airlines from AKL to SIN at New Year. Discount Y to J seat. Negotiated with Mrs NinnyPoo to share for 5 hours each. Sadly i took the second leg, and had to be in the middle of two smelly teenage sons at the back in Y...