California woman discovered a way to get a business class upgrade cheaper at the gate, but there’s one major caveat

A California woman has gone viral on TikTok after sharing what she claims is a cheaper way to upgrade to business class: by asking at the gate instead of paying for an upgrade when booking the ticket. The video, posted by Morgan Stephen (@morganstephen__), has racked up around 170,000 views. Stephen said in the clip that she stumbled onto the trick by accident and plans to use it every time she flies.

In the video, Stephen is seen seated in what appears to be a business class cabin, sipping a pink drink from a stemmed glass. On-screen text reads, “Me realizing it’s cheaper to upgrade to Business at the gate.” Her caption describes it as an accidental discovery, adding, “Safe to say… I’ll be checking every time now.” 

The core idea behind the hack is simple: airlines sometimes lower the price of remaining business class seats right before departure, since an empty seat earns them nothing once the plane takes off. According to Fodor’s Travel, some airlines adjust their upgrade prices in the days leading up to a flight, and some even allow passengers to bid for a business class seat. However, since this hack depends on how many premium seats are left unsold, there is no guarantee that this will work all the time. 

Gate upgrade prices can vary widely depending on the airline, the route, and how many premium seats are left unsold

When a flight is close to departure, airlines are generally more motivated to fill any empty premium seats at whatever price they can get, rather than leaving them vacant. This is the window that Stephen’s tip takes advantage of, and based on viewer responses to her video, it appears to have worked for at least some travelers.

One commenter said they plan to test the hack on an upcoming trip. “Omg I’m going to try this next week on my way to Italy! Wish me luck,” they wrote. Another viewer suggested the opportunity may not last, saying, “Enjoy it because many airlines stopped doing this when they realize people will pay much more for it especially in premium markets.”

A third commenter shared a related experience, describing how they received a last-minute upgrade offer through an airline’s app. “I got a notification through the United app, offering me an upgrade for first class for $85 on my way to the airport on my last flight,” they said. 

The comment suggests that some airlines may offer discounted upgrades through digital channels close to departure, not just at the gate itself. Similar last-minute upgrade notifications can sometimes come with strict conditions, as one traveler learned when she hesitated to accept the offer and lost it.

The price and availability of gate upgrades can vary depending on the airline, the route, and how many business class seats remain unsold. There is no guarantee that asking at the gate will result in a cheaper upgrade, or any upgrade at all.

Fodor’s Travel points out that some airlines use a bidding system that allows passengers to compete for upgrades before departure, and others adjust prices dynamically leading up to the flight. These practices suggest that upgrade pricing is not fixed, and the gate may not always be the cheapest point to ask.

Stephen’s video does not appear to reference a specific airline or route where she personally found the cheaper price, which means the exact savings she experienced may not be replicable across all flights or carriers. 

Travelers looking to try this approach would likely need to compare the gate upgrade price against what was offered during booking or in the days before departure to know whether they are actually saving money. The hack, as Stephen presents it, seems worth attempting, but comes with no guarantees. Airlines’ pricing policies can sometimes lead to unexpected consequences for passengers who pay less for their tickets, as one pregnant woman discovered.