Can I upgrade my seat with British Airways?

Flying on a higher class with British Airways will offer you the most comfortable journey and premium services during your trip. Travelers who already have a booking with British Airways in economy class but now would like to shift their seat to a higher class for the utmost facilities can request a seat upgrade. An upgrade to the higher class only depends on the availability of seats and upon your fare conditions. If you are eligible to make an upgrade on your flight, you can contact British Airways to get a seat in the higher class you like. However, there are certain conditions that British Airways has added for travelers to upgrade their seats, which you must review. 

Policies for British Airways seat upgrade 

  • The online upgrade for a flight is available at British Airways until 60 minutes before the flight's departure. 
  • When boarding at the airport, a person can ask for a higher-class seat upgrade. 
  • A stand fee will be imposed for upgrading the flight at British Airways based on the fare conditions and destination. 
  • Avios or Miles could be redeemed for the seat upgrades on your reserved flight.
  • The non-flexible flight tickets reserved with British Airways are not applicable for a seat upgrade under any condition. 
  • If your British Airways reservation has been made from a different source, you cannot contact the airline to request an upgrade. One must reach out to the same reservation source for any request. 
  • If someone cancels their reservation after an upgrade, British Airways will not refund the additional fee paid for the flight seat upgrade. 
  • The members of the frequent-flyer programs at British Airways will get priority on the seat upgrades. 

How do I upgrade my British Airways flight online?

Many individuals would like to upgrade their seats with British Airways online as it is suitable for comparing the applicable fees and checking all the requirements. However, one might seek the appropriate procedure for upgrading their seat online, which has been given below:

  • Visit the official page of British Airways at first,
  • Go to the Manage tab on the homepage,
  • Now, enter the Booking Reference and passenger's last name,
  • Search for the ticket details by clicking on the "Find My Booking" button,
  • On the ticket details page, you can navigate to the "Seat Upgrade" column,
  • After that, select the desired class on the British Airways flight,
  • Follow the suggested prompts on the site,
  • Choose your payment option next to pay the required amount for the upgrade,
  • Once completed, your British Airways flight will be upgraded to a higher class.

How do I upgrade British Airways from economy to business class?

There are multiple methods by which one can choose to upgrade their economy flight to business class at British Airways. Learn about all the methods in detail from the following context:

1. Call the help center 

By calling the help center of British Airways, you can connect with a representative who can help you with the seat upgrade on your reserved flight. You will be required to share your reservation details with the representative on call and state your desired fare class on the flight. Here is a comprehensive guide to calling the help center and upgrading your seat from economy to business class:

  • Place your call at the help center using this phone number: 1800-247-9297,
  • As your call reaches a representative, you must ask to upgrade your flight,
  • Regarding the request, you should share your ticket number, last name as well as your flight number,
  • Then state that you want to upgrade the seat on the business class,
  • A payment link for the same will be shared with you by the representative,
  • Once you clear the payment, your British Airways economy flight will be upgraded to business class. 

2. Through Manage Booking

The manage booking option on the British Airways website is a very considerable method for upgrading your economy flight to a business class by paying the required fee. You can easily choose your seat upgrade on the website and choose the seat you like from the unassigned options on the flight. A guide for upgrading the seat to a business class is mentioned here:

  • Access the website of British Airways on the browser,
  • Shift to the Manage Booking window,
  • Next, you have to obtain your itinerary with your reservation details,
  • As your booked itinerary loads on the screen, you can look for the Upgrade column,
  • Then, select the Business Class option from the popped-up window,
  • Make the payment as shown on the screen, and your seat upgrade will be made at British Airways. 

3. Request for an upgrade at the airport 

If you have reached the airport prior to your boarding time and are now thinking of upgrading your reserved seat, you must contact the airport help desk and speak directly to a representative for the business class seat upgrade from economy class. Now, the representative will first take your reservation information and check out availability. If a vacant option exists, you will be suggested the same, and the cost will be informed immediately. After that you can determine if you want the upgrade or not and complete the payment to secure the seat on the business class with British Airways. 

Is it cheaper to upgrade seats at the airport or online?

Several travelers choose to upgrade their seats to a higher class after making a reservation with British Airways, and they are looking for the most affordable option to make the upgrade. One might be concerned about whether upgrading the seat online or at the airport is cheaper. Requesting a seat upgrade at the last minute while checking in for a flight at the airport would cost you less than an online seat upgrade. As the flight's departure comes closer, airlines try to fill all the vacant seats of the higher class on the flight. Therefore, airport upgrades are cheaper compared with online upgrades, where you have to pay the applicable fee depending on flight conditions. However, you must know that the availability of the seats at the last minute are very low to none as travelers make the upgrades as soon as possible for getting the desired seat on the flight.