Paid upgrades at the airport (check-in counter) – thoughts?

[kris]

What are your experience / tips / thoughts on paid upgrades at the airport (check-in counter)?

[Nate]

Always found them to be super pleasant and helpful at LHR. Never pushy and often would offer advice about whether they thought it was worth the cost or if the request cost was too high (the cost seemed to be preset/determined and the agent had little ability to modify). However, this was when they had the ticket/service desk. Not sure what it is like now that they seem to have removed that service as it was always impossible/difficult to do this outside of UK (eg on the return leg).

[kris]

Thank you. Do you have any idea for LHR – SFO from premium eco to business?
I heard on a good day from LHR to NYC about £450

[Zana]

kris wrote:

Thank you. Do you have any idea for LHR – SFO from premium eco to business?
I heard on a good day from LHR to NYC about £450

Not done LHR-SFO because I’ve never been offered but has done SFO-LHR a few times. (It’s technically a red-eye, leaving SFO in the afternoon and arriving LHR early in the morning, so I thought it was worth it). Depending on how desperate BA is, it’s anywhere between US$450 – $600 to upgrade to business. I’ve never been offered it when I check in online but there’s a sign at the premium check-in counter for all the status travellers to see.

I’ve also done SFO-LHR upgrade to first from business for $400 – this seemed to be quite a regular offer if you check-in early online but I’ve never seen this on a sign at the check-in counter, presumably because enough people take up on the offer at online check-in, there’s no further seats “for sale” at the check-in counter.

[Nate]

I am afraid it has been a while and most of my trips were overnight to JNB when I used to request paid upgrades. I think it now populates an offer in the app – it certainly does for European flights.