BA upgrades
Aug 11, 2023, 4:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2023
Posts: 19
BA upgrades
Hi all,
Has anyone been upgraded because it was their birthday on the day of their flight from LHR? Looking at booking business and wondering what the odds might be of a free upgrade over a paid upgrade.
im a gold card member and route to be determined but likely into Texas or New York.
Just curious how BA manage complimentary upgrades
thanks
Has anyone been upgraded because it was their birthday on the day of their flight from LHR? Looking at booking business and wondering what the odds might be of a free upgrade over a paid upgrade.
im a gold card member and route to be determined but likely into Texas or New York.
Just curious how BA manage complimentary upgrades
thanks
Aug 11, 2023, 4:50 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: London (née Melbourne)
Programs: Qantas Platinum (Oneworld Emerald)
Posts: 982
I've done a few trips on my birthday or the birthday of someone I was travelling with. Never received an upgrade, and don't think BA has ever recognised a birthday, but on other airlines have proactively been wished happy birthday and offered a glass of champagne or a slice of cake.
Aug 11, 2023, 4:56 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LHR, LGW
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,440
I’ve been upgraded a day or two around my birthday but that was on the JFK route in WTP up to Club. This route as far as I understand was often more favourable for op-ups (operational upgrades) as they say around here. This was just before the pandemic and the 747 were Club heavy vs a small WTP cabin, so as a solo traveler I got luckily a few times when visiting family in NY.
I think it’s dependent on a few things, route, busyness, time of day, aircraft and no doubt a few other moving parts. Moving from WTP to Club has possibly more chance than Club to F. But I say that only based on the fact there’s more Club seats than those two cabins.
I think it’s dependent on a few things, route, busyness, time of day, aircraft and no doubt a few other moving parts. Moving from WTP to Club has possibly more chance than Club to F. But I say that only based on the fact there’s more Club seats than those two cabins.
Aug 11, 2023, 4:58 am
#4
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,972
BA do upgrade when they need to - i.e. when cabins are oversold. In terms of picking who gets upgrade, status is a factor but it isn't the only factor.
BA don't tend to upgrade just as a gesture. So I wouldn't book with any expectation of getting upgraded because it is your birthday.
BA don't tend to upgrade just as a gesture. So I wouldn't book with any expectation of getting upgraded because it is your birthday.
Aug 11, 2023, 5:07 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,262
What route is this? With mostly 8F cabins, upgrades are quite rare - I don't think birthday will enter into the algorithm that decides on who might if necessary get an upgrade. If you book business, I strongly suspect you'll travel in business. However, FLUB is another story 
Aug 11, 2023, 5:08 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: South East, UK
Programs: BA Gold / GfL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,432
I've traveled on my birthday quite a few times over the years, both for work and leisure. I can't even recall a single occasion where BA staff have even noticed it was my birthday, even when checking passports, etc. So don't hold out much hope!
In the past, I seem to recall that BA sent some people offers in their birthday month (such as flight discounts). I never received any of those. Not sure if they still happen or not.
In the past, I seem to recall that BA sent some people offers in their birthday month (such as flight discounts). I never received any of those. Not sure if they still happen or not.
Aug 11, 2023, 6:15 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: near Heathrow
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL (OWE), SA LifePlat (*G), BD Gold to the end, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,911
Statistically with 500 seats every a380 departure will have at least one and possibly two birthdays on board.
With 180 seats, every 2 a320 departures will have a birthday onboard.
Multiply that across the fleet and that’s a lot of people flying with birthdays every day.
While the birthday may be special to the individual, the sheer volume of passengers with birthdays doesn’t make it special to BA.
With 180 seats, every 2 a320 departures will have a birthday onboard.
Multiply that across the fleet and that’s a lot of people flying with birthdays every day.
While the birthday may be special to the individual, the sheer volume of passengers with birthdays doesn’t make it special to BA.
Aug 11, 2023, 6:27 am
#9
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,237
This thread reminds me a bit of one day when I was handling the departure of a flight to Male. About half of the Traveller cabin had a message reading something like "Passengers on honeymoon - pls upgrade" from their travel agents and, as we were prepping for boarding, about 20 or so of the newly-weds approached me to ask for an upgrade since "they'd just gotten married".
I don't want to sound harsh, but the best way of getting something is to pay for it.
I don't want to sound harsh, but the best way of getting something is to pay for it.
Aug 11, 2023, 6:49 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold / Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,547
This thread reminds me a bit of one day when I was handling the departure of a flight to Male. About half of the Traveller cabin had a message reading something like "Passengers on honeymoon - pls upgrade" from their travel agents and, as we were prepping for boarding, about 20 or so of the newly-weds approached me to ask for an upgrade since "they'd just gotten married".
I don't want to sound harsh, but the best way of getting something is to pay for it.
I don't want to sound harsh, but the best way of getting something is to pay for it.
Aug 11, 2023, 6:54 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold / Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,547
So true..I remember quite some years ago a couple of friends getting married. They were heading on honeymoon to Indonesia via Singapore on SQ. They were super excited and explained how they'd be asking for an upgrade and lounge access etc. Of course they got neither, but did get to enjoy each other's company in two middle aisle seats. They'd bought some bargain bucket tickets for some ridiculously cheap price and didn't even manage to book seats they wanted because that would cost extra. You get what you pay for and all that...
Aug 11, 2023, 7:02 am
#13
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire
Posts: 1,242
Well just a few numbers. in 2022 BA transported about 31 million passengers. Now I know birthdays are not evenly distributed but let's just go with this. It means on average 85 000 people fly on a day. The probability that you have a birthday on the day you fly is 1/365. so more or less you get to the 233 person per day. So as you can see you will not be alone! (yes I know its really a blunt calculations and the probability claim is a bit dodgy but...) Then you can have people who just get married, or today is Christmas and so on. Basically half of the plane would be eligible one way of another to get upgraded.
Aug 11, 2023, 7:47 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: near Heathrow
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL (OWE), SA LifePlat (*G), BD Gold to the end, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,911