Comments on: My Secret Eight-Dollar Guaranteed Flight Upgrade Trick https://www.shankman.com/my-eight-dollar-guaranteed-flight-upgrade-trick/ The professional and personal home of Peter Shankman Mon, 17 Sep 2018 16:34:34 -0400 hourly 1 By: Laughter is Still the Best Medicine — HonoreeCorder https://www.shankman.com/my-eight-dollar-guaranteed-flight-upgrade-trick/#comment-9607 Mon, 17 Sep 2018 16:34:34 +0000 https://www.shankman.com/?p=6888#comment-9607 […] My Eight Dollar Flight Upgrade Trick by Peter Shankman […]

]]> By: Travel Hacks and Tips: Ultimate Guide 2018 - Genie Traveler https://www.shankman.com/my-eight-dollar-guaranteed-flight-upgrade-trick/#comment-8084 Mon, 07 May 2018 17:19:08 +0000 https://www.shankman.com/?p=6888#comment-8084 […] the very best flight experience ever? Then why not bring a gift for the flight crew. Peter Shankman takes a bag of M&Ms on every trip and swears by it. If there’s a free drink or an upgrade to be had then you can be […]

]]> By: Tifney Fields https://www.shankman.com/my-eight-dollar-guaranteed-flight-upgrade-trick/#comment-8026 Mon, 30 Apr 2018 15:29:23 +0000 https://www.shankman.com/?p=6888#comment-8026 Love it! They are the best person to make nice-nice with. They also have the power to have your butt thrown off… for any reason. I used to be a gate agent and I had to remove passengers at the FA request and I couldn’t even ask why! Candy makes the world go round’.

]]> By: Jan https://www.shankman.com/my-eight-dollar-guaranteed-flight-upgrade-trick/#comment-7987 Thu, 26 Apr 2018 19:11:18 +0000 https://www.shankman.com/?p=6888#comment-7987 My hubby brings bags of Hershey’s Kisses to the bank tellers each Christmas. Was fun when he received a Christmas card signed by 5 women saying, “Thanks for the kisses!”
(He treats me wonderfully also!) He said until they hire new tellers, he never has to show his ID for transactions and they go smoother.

]]> By: Four Ways to be Passive-Aggressively Helpful - Peter Shankman https://www.shankman.com/my-eight-dollar-guaranteed-flight-upgrade-trick/#comment-7981 Thu, 26 Apr 2018 06:20:17 +0000 https://www.shankman.com/?p=6888#comment-7981 […] all remember my eight dollar flight upgrade trick, right? This one is just as […]

]]> By: Final Days of Bar Prep | The Undeniable Ruth https://www.shankman.com/my-eight-dollar-guaranteed-flight-upgrade-trick/#comment-5858 Thu, 20 Jul 2017 10:01:57 +0000 https://www.shankman.com/?p=6888#comment-5858 […] (it’s the software we use for the test that locks us out of the rest of our computer), and I have M&Ms for our flight crews and Jolly Ranchers for test day. (It’s tradition, just got with it.) I also had a custom running […]

]]> By: Tyler Jorgenson https://www.shankman.com/my-eight-dollar-guaranteed-flight-upgrade-trick/#comment-5780 Sun, 21 May 2017 15:33:00 +0000 https://www.shankman.com/?p=6888#comment-5780 Will be doing this on my #48hourpowerjaunt

]]> By: Gary Baker https://www.shankman.com/my-eight-dollar-guaranteed-flight-upgrade-trick/#comment-5704 Mon, 06 Mar 2017 20:32:00 +0000 https://www.shankman.com/?p=6888#comment-5704 Just did this round trip to SF. Worked like a charm. The flight crew were clearly very, very grateful, and had the bag out all through the flight in the back. Got comped for a beer and chips. But regardless, I’ll certainly try this again. Great to make folks happy.

]]> By: Jonathan Ezor https://www.shankman.com/my-eight-dollar-guaranteed-flight-upgrade-trick/#comment-5665 Tue, 07 Feb 2017 17:38:00 +0000 https://www.shankman.com/?p=6888#comment-5665 I’ve done this on every flight I’ve been on since Peter published it (and always credited Peter with the idea, of course!). Always appreciated, and only once was I *not* asked in what seat I was sitting. Also, only once did that seem to matter (in a recent Delta flight, the crew kept bringing me unasked-for snacks), but all seemed happy, as I was I to bring a little chocolate to their lives. Thanks again, Peter! {Jonathan}

P.S. Buy your big bags in Costco before you go. Much cheaper and bigger besides!

]]> By: Menny Grossman https://www.shankman.com/my-eight-dollar-guaranteed-flight-upgrade-trick/#comment-5643 Sun, 15 Jan 2017 20:11:00 +0000 https://www.shankman.com/?p=6888#comment-5643 I did this the last few times I flew. I am not such a flyer, but when I fly, it’s long-haul. So, my travel agent told me about it and I decided to try it. My wife thought I was nuts and rolled her eyes on me, but hell, did this work. We were flying with 2 kids, and I had personal helpers the entire flight.

The second time I did this, an interesting thing happened. Usually the lead FA is in business during boarding. When I ask for him/her I’m usually directed to business. So I went in there, and handed her the skittles. Immediately all the other business FAs started asking me why I did it etc etc. I answered, “Y’know, FAs put up with a lot of crap. And most people don’t realize they’re stuck in the same tin can in the air. So I decided to show that I realize that”
At the end of the flight, I waited until everyone deplaned and then I gathered everything up with my family. At that point, an FA from business came and told us “I want to tell you something. After you left, there was a passenger in business that wanted to know how many kids you have and where you’re sitting. He said he wanted to buy you, your wife and your kids something from Duty Free. We told him that unfortunately, Delta doesn’t sell Duty Free on the plane. But, I just wanted you to know what your gesture meant. Not only to us, but to others on the plane as well. Thank you again”
I turned to my wife and said “Next time, don’t roll your eyes” 🙂

Since then, I’ve gotten free amenity kits from business class, FAs coming over saying thank you, I once went to the back of the plane and saw my bag of skittles in the galley with a piece of masking tape on it “Thank the passenger in 32C”!

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