Originally Posted by canopus27

Keep in mind that if ExpertFlyer is showing the flight as J5 C4 .... that does *not* mean that there are 9 seats left unsold. It likely means that there are only 5 seats left unsold, and AC is willing to sell 4 of them as a C fare. As a result, you're hoping to grab 3 of the last 5 seats available. Which means you should set your expectations accordingly. Cash upgrade bids are unlikely to be cheap, and your success at getting an eUpgrade to clear is going to be very dependent on your status with AC -- but to secure business seats for all three of you, is going to be tricky.

Of course, the date of the flight will also be a factor. You've got better odds if there are still five seats available and the flight departs tonight. Your odds are less if there are only five seats available and the flight is still a week away. In either case, and as noted above, the only way you can reliably get a business class seat, is to pay for it.