Get that first class upgrade by asking this simple question

The allure of air travel and adventure is strong but flying cattle class, where it feels like your whole world becomes your economy seat, can put a dampener on your holiday.

It’s no secret that weary travellers often fantasise about that elusive upgrade to first or business class. One savvy flight attendant has revealed her hack for making that dream come true.

Cierra Misst, a US flight attendant, has taken to Tik Tok to share her tip for getting that game changing upgrade but before she reveals her top secret, she describes the status quo for air travel.

“Let’s look at the big picture. Everyone is flying right now, and no one is more excited about that than commercial airlines,” she explained.

Misst added that although not proven, she had noticed that the, “the majority of airlines are overbooking every single flight they have”.

@cierra_mistt how to get FREE upgrades to first class (tips from a flight attendant) 💙✈️ #ChewyChattyPets #fypシ ♬ original sound – Cierra Mistt

Speaking from experience, Misst said that her observations come from a period of her trying to get home after a shift.

“It comes from the last month of me trying to get home and not even being able to get on standby because every single flight has been oversold,” she said.

“I am not talking about one or two seats. I am talking about 10 to 30 seats that have been oversold.”

Misst explained that this is where the opportunity lies for air travellers.

“If everyone does show up, including the extra passengers that were oversold their tickets, the airlines have no choice but to financially compensate,” she explained.

She said they “normally start off with vouchers for $500 or something”.

“Normally they say a voucher but you can ask for it in cash,” she offered.

“Depending on the flight and how desperate they are, they will go up to, like three, four, five thousand dollars.

“This is where the free upgrades come in.”

At this point, Misst said, you can ask for a free upgrade or other “other incentives”.

“For example, drinks, dinners, breakfast, even a hotel if you have to stay overnight until the next flight,” she said.

“And, yes, you can also ask to be upgraded to first class.”

Misst added that her strategy had a 99.9 per cent success rate.

If you’re not lucky enough to get bumped up to first or business class, another flight attendant has revealed her hacks for ensuring a smooth flight in economy class.

TikTok user @cherdallas, a seasoned flight attendant, took to social media earlier this year to share her invaluable insights after five years in the industry.

Her tips included carrying your own toilet paper because if you examine the toilet paper and see water droplets on it, she promises they are not what you think they are.

“I don’t think we can trust most men to make it in the toilet on a normal day, let alone flying at 36,000 feet with turbulence,” she quips.

She also recommends leaving the shorts in your bag and wearing long pants for two reasons.

“I would never wear shorts on a plane,” she declared, highlighting the apparent risk of freezing mid-flight.

Her second reason takes a more serious turn, focusing on safety.

“Say we have an evacuation. You have to go down the slide. Your butt cheeks are going to be sizzled off,” she explained.

While the scenario may seem extreme, it’s a perspective that most passengers likely haven’t considered.