Everyone wants a free upgrade on a flight if they can get it, but one man thinks there’s a way to guarantee better treatment – and it all comes down to the simple act of being kind.
Henry Wade tested his theory while on an Emirates flight to Dubai, telling his TikTok followers: ‘This is exactly how you get a free upgrade on a flight.’
‘Start by picking up some snacks or a small gift – just a little something to make a big impact,’ he instructed viewers.
He held up a stash of M&M’s, chocolate fingers and Skittles that he had picked up in the airport, before sharing the next step: boarding the plane last.
‘As soon as you get to the gate and approach the cabin crew, pass them over the goods and just be super nice to them,’ Henry instructed as he walked through the airport.
He continued: ‘Show them charisma, show them some charm, show them a bit of banter and then just wait for the magic to happen.’
Henry then decided to try the hack himself, filming his journey as he walked up to the gate and greeted the airline staff.
After exchanging pleasantries, he then handed over the treats, telling the cabin crew to ‘enjoy some snacks’ during their shift.
Henry Wade tested his theory while on an Emirates flight to Dubai, telling his TikTok followers: ‘This is exactly how you get a free upgrade on a flight’
He then said as he walked to his seat, he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to find it was the crew member who greeted him.
‘The lovely flight attendant, Dominque, greeted me with a smile and pulled put her iPad to give me a full rundown on what she could offer me,’ he recalled.
Henry admitted he thought he was ‘at least going to offer him a premium economy seat’ but explained that she ended up giving him an entire row to himself.
‘She threw in some first class snacks and even bought me champagne,’ he added, quipping: ‘I like to call this premium present at its finest.’
‘On top of that, I got extra attention. My meal was served first and I kept receiving complimentary goodies throughout the flight.
‘Honestly it’s a confidence booster for anyone to try because let’s be real, no one else is doing it anyway so at least give it a shot,’ the happy flyer pointed out.
Henry’s video was met with mixed responses, with some saying they have tried the trick to no avail, while some argued it definitely worked.
‘As ex cabin crew I can confirm this works,’ one user commented.
Henry admitted he thought he was ‘at least going to offer him a premium economy seat’ but explained that she ended up giving him an entire row to himself
Henry’s video was met with mixed responses, with some saying they have tried the trick to no avail, while some argued it definitely worked
‘Tried this. They took my snacks and said have a nice flight,’ laughed another.
‘As a cabin crew unfortunately it doesn’t work,’ reported someone else.
Some people argued you should be nice and expect nothing in return.
‘I’ve been doing this for years, not because I want an upgrade, just because it’s nice to be nice,’ a user wrote.
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Another scathing review read: ‘Pays for three seats beside each other. “Bribes” staff with overpriced chocolate while filming them without consent. Makes video. Eugh, vomit.’
It’s not the first time a traveler has suggested a sweet treat for flight staff in order to score an upgrade.
TikTok user Anna Lee previously posted her experience online after reading about a hack where you give a box of chocolates to the airline employee at the check-in counter in the hope of receiving a complimentary upgrade.
She explained that she had known about the trick for years but had always been ‘too scared, awkward and weird’ about asking for a free upgrade.
However, her cousin, who works as a flight attendant for a major airline, told her that many passengers ask for a free upgrade ‘all the time’ so it’s ‘nice to do it with a gift.’
So, Anna decided to put the theory to the test when she took a six-hour flight from Las Vegas to New York City after Christmas.
Before boarding her flight, Anna purchased a box of chocolates and then made her way to the check-in counter, where she surprised the Delta employee with the gift.
Moments later, she asked the worker, ‘How much would it cost to upgrade my seat?’
Much to her surprise, the employee kindly offered her a free upgrade from economy class to Comfort Plus, which includes a few perks such as priority boarding, more legroom, extra recline, dedicated overhead bin space, and more.