17 Ways to Get Upgraded to First Class

The most common way to earn a free upgrade is for travelers who are in the air a LOT. Like, at least 25,000 miles a year (though the best perks go to the 100,00-plus mile club, rightfully so). If there are more than a couple of you, airlines typically prioritize based on how many miles a passenger flies per year and what they paid for their coach ticket.

Here are some brilliant frequent flyer hacks to get comfy upgrades.

Some miles you have banked may be used towards an upgrade. Be forewarned: many airlines ask for a mile/money combo, meaning you can use some of your miles but also be required to pay a certain amount to complete the transaction.

If you fly on bank holidays or other times of the year when business users are less likely to fly, the seats tend to not be filled, giving you a better shot at an upgrade.

For more, check out 13 flight attendant secrets you ought to know.

If you spent hundreds of dollars on baggage fees, agents might think you're worth the investment and cut you a break.

Whatever you do, just don't make these big flying mistakes.

If there are only a couple upgraded seats available, you maximize your chances by arriving at check-in several hours before the scheduled departure. Whether you're successful or if it backfires, you better hope you have a good book because you'll be stuck at the airport for an obscenely long amount of time. But, hey, at least you avoided the line.

Several things have to fall into place: If you've risked not reserving your seat, you arrive at the gate and your flight is overbooked, you might luck out and snag a premium class ticket. That being said, if you're too late, the overbooking problems may have already been solved.

Just don't blame the flight attendants. See 20 things flight attendants don't like you doing.

Some airlines will contact you the day of departure offering a cheap (albeit, not free) upgrade.

Don't miss this list of 20 ways to save on your next flight.

If enough things go wrong for you to loudly and emphatically complain, some airlines will do anything to get you to STFU.

However, if all else fails, find out how you can still fly in comfort for less.

If you've got your Academy Award-winning performance down, or you have a legitimately sad story, sometimes tears work. At the very least, it'll earn you a bit of sympathy; at the very most, it'll get you away from other too-close-and-uncomfortable-for-comfort passengers.

For those who are literally larger than the economy seat, that can sometimes snag you an upgrade. It just means you have to stop watching what you eat and eat a lot. Eat, drink and get upgraded has a nice ring to it.

Find out even more things most people don't know about flying.

Flight attendants don't usually upgrade passengers, even when empty seats are visible but doctors and nurses who have to tend to a fellow passenger are sometimes an exception. If they treat a passenger during the flight, attendants might let them sit in business or first class for the remainder of the flight. Seat well earned.

On the flip side, don't be one of the people nobody wants to fly with.

If you have a diplomatic passport, they can work wonders. You just need to either be a diplomat or be married to one.

Sometimes just having a sunny disposition and sweet temperament will charm the agent enough to pay it forward through an upgrade.

You can get far if you're not one of the most annoying types of airline passengers.

Sometimes it's who you know, so if your wife's the pilot or husband is a flight attendant, you might get the upgrade.

Those pilots and flight attendants in your life can also give you a heads up on the worst airport experiences in the whole world.

Leave your sweats at home and put on an outfit that screams "all business" (or "first class!"). If you're smiling, looking professional and wearing some decent duds, sometimes looking the part works in your favour.

If it's a special occasion like a honeymoon, anniversary or birthday, why wouldn't you give it a whirl? It's a long shot but the worst thing you'll get is a hard no.

And the next time you're bored on a plane? Do these 20 things.

On the off-chance the airline you're flying overbooks coach, you might be one of the lucky ones to get bumped up. Agents still do their best to ensure the most loyal passengers get the nod, but sometimes things can get crazy and employees make random selections. Fingers crossed.

Plus, don't miss 20 things airlines don't tell you.