Lois Larson
British Airways and Qatar Airways both offer Avios upgrades, but they must be done more than 24 hours before departure and are subject to availability. British Airways offers Avios upgrades at a dedicated desk at Heathrow, but not onboard. Qatar Airways offers Avios upgrades at any airport, but they must be requested in person from a staff member, and the main member must be present.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Can you upgrade with Avios at the airport? | Yes, at a dedicated desk at Heathrow, but upgrades must be done more than 24 hours before departure. |
| Can you upgrade on board with Avios? | No. |
| Can you upgrade with Avios at the check-in desk? | Yes, but only if you have an eligible booking. |
| Can you upgrade with Avios at the gate? | Yes. |
| Can you upgrade with Avios if you booked through a travel agent? | Yes, but only if you have an eligible booking. |
| Can you upgrade with Avios if you have a corporate booking? | Yes, but the ticket must not be locked to the travel agent. |
| Can you upgrade with Avios if you are an infant? | No. |
| Can you upgrade with Avios if you have a Cabin Baggage (CBBG) or Extra Seat (EXST) ticket? | No. |
| Can you upgrade with Avios if you don't have enough Avios? | Yes, by paying an additional cash amount. |
| Can you upgrade with Avios if you have a low economy fare? | No, only the lowest economy (World Traveller) fares (Q, O and G) cannot be upgraded with Avios at any time. |
| Can you upgrade with Avios if you don't have reward availability in the higher class? | No. |
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What You'll Learn
Avios upgrades must be done at least 24 hours before departure
Avios upgrades cannot be done at the airport or on board. Upgrades must be done at least 24 hours before departure.
If you have an existing booking, log in to Manage My Booking, select your flight and choose "Upgrade this flight with Avios" to see if your flight can be upgraded. If you are making new plans, use the ''book and upgrade' form to search for specific flights and dates to see if you can upgrade as you book. You can also use reward availability tools to search for inspiration and availability.
The Avios upgrade is always to the next cabin, which can vary depending on the route and airline. For example, on a short-haul flight, you could upgrade from economy to business. On a long-haul flight, you could upgrade from economy to premium economy, from premium economy to business, or from business to First.
If you don't have enough Avios to upgrade, you can reduce the Avios cost by paying an additional cash amount. Alternatively, you can upgrade with cash at the airport, although availability and individual offers will depend on factors such as how full your cabin is and your profile as a consumer.
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Cash upgrades may be available at the airport
While Avios upgrades must be done more than 24 hours before departure, cash upgrades may be available at the airport. This is because, if there is additional space, airlines will be happy to sell an upgrade at the airport. For example, British Airways has a program called Airport Upgrade (AUP) and their check-in staff are incentivized to sell these upgrades.
If you are upgrading with Avios, you must do so before check-in, either more than 24 hours in advance or at the Heathrow upgrade counter. However, cash upgrades are more flexible, allowing you to upgrade up until the moments before you board.
The availability of cash upgrades is based on a range of factors, including how full your cabin is. If it is oversold or close to it, airlines may offer to sell an upgrade. Additionally, they may consider your profile as a consumer and how likely you are to pay cash for an upgraded flight in the future.
It is worth checking your booking regularly for upgrade offers, especially at online check-in, and then asking again at the airport and at the gate. While upgrades at the airport are possible, they may not always be the best value. Special offer upgrades are often cheaper than the full fare upgrade online, but they may be more expensive than the upgrade counter at the airport.
Upgrading with cash can be a great option if you are willing to take the risk on availability.
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Avios upgrades are not available on board
If you are at the airport, you can ask for a cash upgrade at the check-in desk. Availability and individual offers of cash upgrades are based on a range of factors, including how full your cabin is and your profile as a consumer. You can also upgrade at the Heathrow upgrade counter.
If you are travelling with Qatar Airways, you can submit an upgrade request at the airport by approaching any Qatar Airways staff member and presenting your digital membership card. If award seats are available and you have enough Avios, you will be given an Upgrade Request form to fill out. The Avios required for the upgrade will be deducted from your membership account, and you will be issued a boarding pass for the upgraded class. However, it is important to note that upgrades are only applicable on flights marketed and operated by Qatar Airways and are subject to seat and meal availability.
It is also worth noting that if you upgrade a non-refundable and non-changeable cash ticket using Avios, your ticket will remain non-refundable and non-changeable even after it becomes a reward seat. Additionally, if you pay in cash and upgrade with Avios, you will only earn Avios and tier points for the flight you paid for, not the class you travel in.
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Avios upgrades are to the next cabin
Avios upgrades are always to the next cabin, which can vary depending on the route and airline. For instance, on a short-haul flight, you could upgrade from economy (Euro Traveller) to business (Club Europe). On a long-haul flight, you could upgrade from economy (World Traveller) to premium economy (World Traveller Plus), from premium economy to business (Club World), or from business to First Class.
The Avios amount required for the upgrade is based on the Avios costs for Reward Flights in the cabins you are upgrading from and to. This will depend on whether your flight is scheduled on a peak or off-peak date. For example, a peak one-way upgrade from London to New York, upgrading from premium economy (World Traveller Plus) to business (Club World) would cost 90,000 Avios for Club World, minus the 60,000 Avios for World Traveller Plus, equalling 30,000 Avios to upgrade one way.
If you don't have enough Avios to upgrade, you can reduce the Avios cost by paying an additional cash amount. The fewer Avios used, the more you pay in cash. You can also upgrade using a combination of Avios and cash. However, if you pay in cash and upgrade with Avios, you will only earn Avios and tier points for the flight you paid for, not the class you travelled in.
Avios upgrades must be done more than 24 hours before departure and cannot be done at the airport or on board. You can upgrade at the time of booking or upgrade an existing flight. To upgrade an existing flight, log in to Manage My Booking, select your flight, and choose "Upgrade this flight with Avios" to see if your flight can be upgraded.
It's important to note that only the lowest economy (World Traveller) fares (Q, O, and G) cannot be upgraded with Avios at any time. There must be Reward Flight availability in the next cabin for you to be able to upgrade using Avios.
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Avios upgrades are subject to availability
The number of Avios required for an upgrade is based on the Avios costs for Reward Flights in the cabins you are upgrading to and from. For example, a one-way upgrade from London to New York from premium economy to business class would require 30,000 Avios. If you don't have enough Avios, you can reduce the Avios cost by paying an additional cash amount.
Avios upgrades cannot be done at the airport or on board the flight. However, you may be able to upgrade using Avios at a dedicated desk at Heathrow Airport, but this must be done at least 24 hours before departure.
It's important to note that some bookings, such as those made through a travel agent or with certain fare types, may not be eligible for upgrades. Additionally, upgrades are only available to the next cabin, which can vary depending on the route and airline.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can upgrade with Avios at the airport, but only at a dedicated desk at Heathrow. Upgrades must be done more than 24 hours before departure.
If you have an existing booking, log in to Manage My Booking, select your flight and choose "Upgrade this flight with Avios" to see if your flight can be upgraded. If you are making a new booking, use the book and upgrade form to search for specific flights and dates to see if you can upgrade as you book.
The Avios amount required for the upgrade depends on the Avios costs for Reward Flights in the cabins you are upgrading from and to, and whether your flight is scheduled on a peak or off-peak date.
Yes, you can reduce the Avios cost by paying an additional cash amount.
Yes, bookings made through your travel agent can be upgraded on ba.com or through your local British Airways Club service centre. However, the flights must be booked and ticketed in eligible booking classes.
