In a little-known policy, US Airways offers these at-the-gate upgrades from any coach fare to Europe. They cost $400 to $600, depending on the destination, and can be confirmed 24 hours prior to departure. If one is not available, you can try to change your flight’s routing, as the upgrade could be worth more than the fare difference with the change fee. Changing your return flight to catch an upgrade if it’s not available 24 hours out is especially nice, as the fee is usually only $250.
Passengers departing to Europe from Philadelphia or Charlotte should take advantage of another obscure upgrade possibility: There is one row of lie-flat seats US Airways left in its A330- 300 aircraft when it pulled out the First Class cabin years ago. At the time, the row was left in as a perk for Platinum and Chairman’s Preferred members booked in Business Class, but the seats are available to those upgrading, too. (Combining these two upgrades would be like pulling an inside straight.) The cost is $300 each way, and the catch is that you’ll have to get to the airport early to get one. But isn’t that a small price to pay for a seat that can go for as much as $11,000?
P.S.: You have a year or so to score this one: In fall 2011, US Airways starts pulling out both Envoy Business Class and Envoy Sleeper seats on the A330-300 fleet to make way for a new Business Class Seat.
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