For a lot of travelers, flying business class can feel out of reach.
But one Aussie believes she has found a clever approach to rating a bargain upgrade.
Psychologist Steph Georgiou was flying from Melbourne to Gold Coast on Australian regional airline Rex when she scored a $17 upgrade and shared the experience on TikTok, shocking fellow travelers.
Nonetheless, it’s not the primary time.
Georgiou told news.com.au she secured an inexpensive business class upgrade twice domestically and once internationally this yr by following the identical method: bidding the bottom amount possible near takeoff.
“The primary time I attempted, it was actually on the airport once I was checking in,” she said.
“I asked the person on the desk at check in ‘how is business class looking.’ He said there may be a seat available but that you must bid online. This was about 2 to three hours before my flight.”
The second time, Georgiou said she bid the day before but was informed she had been outbid.
“I left this as I felt lucky … I’m like nah, they may come around,” she said.
“Then at 4.04am on the twenty third of July – day of my flight – they said I had been upgraded.”
Georgiou desired to test her theory on a global flight.
She bid the bottom possible amount for an upgrade to business class the day before her flight to Bali with Virgin Australia.
Her bid was accepted the morning of her flight for $275.
“I’m a extremely big believer in manifesting and acting as if you have got already achieved the goal you wish before it happens,” Georgiou said.
“I told my partner ‘I’m going to fly business class today’ after which it happened.”
Reviewing the business class experience with Rex Airlines on TikTok, Georgiou described the lounge at Melbourne Airport like a “glorified staffroom with Nutri Grain and other cereals.”
Although, she was impressed with the food on-board.
“Once I got on my flight, there was nobody next to me, which implies you would have bid for this flight and we might have been friends for [$17],” she said.
On Rex Airlines, passengers can check in the event that they are eligible to “Bid Up” online or they could receive an email inside 7 days of their flight.
“You may bid an amount of your selecting throughout the minimum and maximum bid settings on your flight, the more you bid the upper likelihood you’ll have of receiving an upgrade,” the web site states.
“Nonetheless, in case your bid is unsuccessful you is not going to be charged and you’ll retain your original seat.”
On Virgin Australia, the identical concept is known as “UpgradeMe.”
