Chris Colwill, who at the last minute upgraded a dive to a difficult reverse two-and-a-half somersault with two and a half twists, finished in last place.
Keith Preddie, Surrey A. Last-minute upgrades have plenty of appeal to airlines that find themselves with empty premium seats close to departure: they get lots of extra revenue at little extra cost.
— Watch for (and ask for) cheap last-minute upgrades to business and first class.
I've been offered last-minute upgrades (when checking in online at home, at the airport kiosk or even at the gate) for as little as $250 on top of the $129 fare, a huge savings.
However, I've been offered last-minute upgrades (when checking in online at home, at the airport kiosk, or even at the gate) for as little as $250 on top of the $129 fare, a huge savings.
If you plan to buy an upgrade with frequent-flier miles, do it when you make your booking — unless you are hoping for a last-minute upgrade at the gate.
"There was a day when your upgrade had to be done via a piece of paper," said Paul Skrbec, a spokesman for Delta Air Lines, which is one of several carriers that now have digital screens at many gates displaying the names of passengers nervously waiting for a last-minute upgrade.
Dave Ramey, who runs operations for BASC and moonlights as George's Jewish mother, alternately worried and scolded him for leaving everything to the last minute, for not upgrading his field camp after all these years.
RoomKey also plans to generate future revenue by offering users ancillaries like last-minute room upgrades or the ability to book an activity during their stay.
I snagged an inexpensive paid upgrade at the last minute.
Airlines are now focused on selling business-class seats and often open them up to upgrades only at the last minute, says Brian Kelly, founder of the Points Guy blog.
