11 Airline Loyalty Benefits That Actually Pay Off

3. Complimentary upgrades and upgrade certificates

Complimentary upgrades and certificates are the perks that feel luxurious but can be surprisingly practical. Airlines award upgrades in different ways: some clear them for elites automatically, others offer certificates or upgrade instruments tied to status or spending. The real value depends on the upgrade reliability for your routes. On domestic flights and busy transcontinental routes, upgrades are more common for mid-tier elites and co‑branded cardholders who have earned upgrade certificates. Certificates are particularly useful when you have a long flight and want the extra legroom and meal service without paying full business-class fares. But upgrades are probabilistic; they’re not guaranteed and perform best when you stack fare class, loyalty, and timing. When deciding whether to chase upgrades, consider whether flying a few times a year in comfort is worth the effort. If you travel frequently enough that upgrades happen regularly, they become one of the most direct comfort-for-cost wins a program offers. And the etiquette is simple: be ready to accept or decline quickly, and use certificates on flights where availability historically matches your upgrade goals.