I never really thought about it because it was a while ago and has not happened since, but a few recent OpUp threads made me realize I too once had an OpUp.

It was on Pan Am on a 747-100 from LHR to JFK.

I was originally upstairs in Clipper Class but someone's seat was broken, they needed a business class seat, and I was moved into first.

I did this with mixed feelings since I always liked the quiet upper deck on the 100 but first was great of course.

I was a student at the time, platinum since I flew a lot

What was your first OpUp?

Backpacking far too many years ago as a student on a short hop from CDG to LHR. I had previously been lucky enough to fly (real) F and J on family trips and was feeling the pain back in Y, so the upgrade to C was terrific, even for such a short flight. I actually enjoyed the omelette!

My first ones would have been as a child, but I don't remember where / airline etc. the first one I recall was when I was a teenager flying from London to the Caribbean, airline was BA.

Few years ago, Korean Air, an unespected bump from Y to J on ICN-FCO.

No status. Never knew why me.

Only the piece of cake of the usual amazing kindness of korean people, KE staff included.

Just had my first upgrade last Monday on Swiss from CAI to ZRH.

Was travelling with a friend, me on an award ticket (Y), he on a regular discount fare (obviously Y).
We checked in together in Cairo, asked if we could be seated together.

Then the check in agent tells me that I can be upgraded, but my friend could not.

Obviously I moved up front...

Mine was about as unremarkable as they come... from Y to J on a YWG-YOW flight. The gate agent called out asking for pax who wouldn't mind being bumped in exchange for a flight credit and I stepped up, so I was a little bummed to end up with a seat on the flight (and no credit) although the J seat took away the sting a bit. Not that J means that much on a short-ish domestic flight, mind you...

Never, in well over three million miles of flying, almost all as a top tier elite on the carriers operating the flights. Ages ago, I once negotiated domestic FC as part of a VDB that I wanted (the flight was obviously going to be a zoo with a huge group of kids traveling together), which was the only VDB I can remember.

My father was premier exec and we moved from coach to business class. This was my first international business class flight. Compared to coach it was fantastic. I enjoyed the food and entertainment.

my first and only (not counting boring US domestic ones), I was in the first row of J on a CDG-JFK flight. On boarding I got the beep and was informed I would be in First. It was an AF 777 with 4 F seats. Nice way to get home and my last (by choice) longhaul experience w AF. I hate their J product and I will never pay the $ or mileage they command for that product.

My only OpUp was a good one. I was one of the first coach passengers to board, sitting in the exit row of an AA 777 from JFK-LHR. As the plane filled up, I was surprised to see the other exit seat wasn't taken. Once everyone was seated, an FA came up to me and asked if I was willing to switch seats for a couple whose seats were soaking wet. I agreed, and she lead me up through J to a seat in F.

Oct 2011, my friend and I were taking advantage of the dirt cheap round-trip fares to Europe after 9/11. We had booked $200rt JFK-DUB and got bumped up from coach to business on the way there. On the way home, the flight was virtually empty so we each had a row of 5 seats in coach to ourselves and slept the whole way back.

I was a Platinum on AA and we were flying Aer Lingus

June 1988, BRU-SVO on SU (!!) I was 20. That was my first-ever trip to Moscow, for a summer study program. To this day, I remember Aeroflot serving crab salad in an avocado half as part of the meal, which impressed me greatly. I also recall that every single passenger on the plane was individually photographed by a mysterious Soviet functionary when starting up the steps to the aircraft.

A rather dull move from WT to WT+ on a BA flight LHR-SEA. Notable because I was with my mother and brother - none of us had status but we all got upgraded

The first one I remember happened a long time ago as a kid on NW. We (a family of three) were flying in coach from US to Japan (forgot exactly where). At check-in at the airport I requested a window seat, to which the lady at the counter responded "I'll put you in business class" and gave us upper deck seats. I was actually mildly disappointed because the window was far from the seat so I had to lean over the storage bin to get a good view .

My first time was maybe my best time - coming back from a long St. Pats weekend in DUB to JFK in 2000 on Aer Lingus. Started out not so good, I had lost my wallet the day before with all my cash and cards, and only had about $40 on me that I'd borrowed from a friend. When I got to the airport, I was told that they could not give me a boarding pass yet and was in great jeopardy of being bumped (no idea why as I was there in plenty of time - perhaps because I was on a really cheap ticket). They gave me a voucher for lunch, and I was told to check back 45 mins. before departure. I think I was the only one they did this to. I was a little worried as I did not have a lot of cash on me for contingencies. I get back to check in at 45 mins. before, and finally given a boarding pass. I race through immigration clearance, get on the flight, and find I was bumped to Business (Aer Lingus only had two classes). I had no status whatsoever. Nice one too, loads of good food, enjoyed in seat video (Y did not have it then), champagne, good, comfortable napping. I was first row with no one next to me too.

I have had a few op ups over the years, only once was it on an airline where I had status (or even belonged to their FF program), and I'm not sure I even had status at the time, plus it wasn't even on my account, it was an award ticket from my bro-in-law's miles.