What is the pecking order for upgrades?
Unlike in years past when elite members could land an upgrade by being especially nice to gate agents, nowadays the processing of upgrades is automated and does not take into account good behavior, although it doesnt hurt to be courteous. The highest-level elite members paying a premium price for full-fare tickets are always first in line for upgrades and will be upgraded at time of booking. If upgrades arent available when making reservations, each airline has an upgrade confirmation window that determines when upgrades will clear, if seats are available. Upgrades are prioritized according to elite level and highest level elites can receive advance confirmation 100-120 hours before departure, mid-tier can clear as early as 72 hours and lowest level tier members can receive confirmation between 24 and 48 hours prior to the flight, depending on the airline. If you arent able to upgrade at time of booking, upgrades are generally processed based on: members elite level, purchased fare cla
