Air India launches Upgrade+ to simplify purchased cabin upgrades

Upgrade+ enables Air India guests to opt for upgrades to premium cabins between 72 hours and 12 hours before a flight, subject to availability. Alternatively, Air India guests can purchase cabin upgrades at the airline’s airport counters at the time of checking in.

With the launch of Upgrade+, Air India has discontinued its ‘Bid Upgrade’ programme, whereby guests with eligible bookings could earlier bid for cabin upgrades and were required to wait for up to four hours before their flight’s departure for upgrade decisions.

With Upgrade+, Air India guests will receive the benefits of the upgraded cabin, such as increased baggage allowance, priority check-in at dedicated counters, boarding and baggage handling, on board amenities, and a delectable culinary experience. However, the fare conditions of the original booking will apply to upgraded bookings, including cancellation, rebooking fees, and accrual of Flying Returns miles.

Air India’s premium cabins include Premium Economy (currently available only on select flights to North America), Business Class (available on all domestic and international routes), and First Class (available on select long-haul routes).

Guests with confirmed, Air India-issued booking documents for flights operated by the airline would be eligible to opt for upgrades using Upgrade+. They would either receive e-mail invitation to upgrade their bookings or will be able to check their eligibility using the widget on the Upgrade+ webpage.