Air hostess reveals question to ask for free first class upgrade – and it has ‘99% success rate’  

A flight attendant has shared three ways holidaymakers can get a first class upgrade without forking out thousands of pounds. 

On her TikTok channel @cierra_mistt, the crew member revealed that passengers sitting in the last row have a better chance of being upgraded to first class. 

She explained: ‘One thing the airlines don’t want you to know is that for the majority of flights, we have to move people for weight and balance purposes.’

In a previous video, Cierra explained: ‘When we move people all the way up to the front it’s not just because we are being nice, but normally if our flight is full we have to move people.’ 

The flight attendant said the crew will normally start moving passengers from the back to the front of the plane. 

She said: ‘If that’s the case, the flight attendants are going to choose the people in the very last row to go up front, because then they can sit down there after doing their service.’ 

Cierra also shared how to get an upgrade on full flights which, she said, are becoming increasingly popular nowadays. 

The crew member said the gate agent will tell you if the plane is full before the flight, so make sure to listen out to snatch this free upgrade.

She said the gate agent will normally ask for volunteers to switch flights and offer freebies or discounts to entice you.

Cierra advised not to take these and said: ‘First go to the gate agent, second give them a price and say that you want that in cash.

‘When the gate agent is rebooking you for that next flight, make sure that they put you in first class to compensate for the time that you’re losing. 

The flight attendant claimed this method has a 99 per cent success rate.

The video has since received more than 800,000  and has had 14,500 shares from savvy flyers. 

Cierra has over 3 million followers and shares travel tips and tricks, she also has a 45-part series of Flight attendant vlogs where she shares secrets of the trade.  

Some commenters said: ‘I would never sit in the back for a chance to be in the front. I’ll pay the extra, good tip though.’

Another said: ‘I’d end up reserving a seat in the last row and be stuck with it.’ 

In a previous video, she said, another ‘easy way’ to get a free upgrade on board is by bringing snacks for the crew. Cierra explained: ‘The miracles when we can work when we are given some Starbucks or a pack of chocolate.

‘Especially on those long days when we have back-to-back flights and we don’t even have time to go get some food.’ 

Flight attendant Miguel Muñoz told the Express: ‘I am automatically nicer to the person who had that nice gesture. The cabin chief would always offer them free coffee and tea and if there are better seats available, we will move them.’

Former flight attendant Helena Afroughi agreed that bringing ‘some sweets or chocolate to the crew always works.’