Getting a free upgrade to first class isn't easy, people who've paid for first class don't want a scruffy nobody riding free when they had to pay.
Because of this the check-in attendants wont give free upgrades to anyone, you have to look like the kind of guy who would shell out that bit extra for first class,

This instructable will tell you how to do exactly that.

Step 1: Presentation

Presentation is key, look like a bum and you'll probably get a downgrade to the cargo area.
1st Class is for business-men and billionaires, Billionaires wont be asking for a free upgrade so your going to have to be a business-man.

Business-man check list :

Suit
Tie
Shirt
Briefcase
Copy of Financial Times
Shiny black shoes
Glasses ?
Sensible Hair
Clean shaven

Business-man No-No List:

No long hair
No spiky/roughed up hair
No Backpacks
No other clothes other than a suit
No Beard/Stubble
No Cheesy grin
No earrings/piercings
No visible tattoos

This may seem a bit extreme and you may feel stupid wearing a suit but trust me ,on a long haul flight you would give your right arm to get out of economy.

Step 2: Body Language

So your pretending to be a business man, you dress like one now you have to act like one.

Business men go through airports all the time and they know the drill , they could check in blind-folded whilst on a uni-cycle so now you have to know the system too,

Before joining a check in line look for an older woman working the desk, she is probbaly more experienced and more likely to give you an upgrade.

Whilst waiting in the line for check in get your ticket and passport out, hold them by your side whilst pretending to check for messages on your phone, don't clutch your tickets like a noob traveler, pretend there worth nothing to you.

Don't engage in conversation with anyone around you, Business men are solitary travelers.
Stand upright, don't slouch, Look at your phone don't gaze around. Basically act sophisticated and look like you know what your doing.

Step 3: Check-In Desk

Now your at the desk, you look like a business man and you act like a business man, now you just have to seal the deal.

• When you walk up to the desk give the lady your tickets and swiftly put your bag on the conveyor belt, this gives her time to check the tickets and see that their economy/business class.

• Look at the tickets and pretend to suddenly realize you need to ask for an upgrade (don't do this dramatically - keep calm)

• Tell her that the travel organizer in your company made a mistake and accidentally bought economy instead of 1st class, then go on to say that you have a meeting the at the other end an hour after the plane lands and you really need to work on the presentation

(note that you haven't actually asked for an upgrade yet, if you tell the story after asking then it will seem like an excuse)

• Whilst telling the story act desperate but not dramatic like you really need it but make it look like you are trying to keep calm.

• Now say something like "please i really need to work on this, are there any seats available up front"
The lady know's what you mean by "up front" but you didn't have the un-needed shock value of first class

• The lady will probably tap away at her keyboard and then say yes or no

YES = Thank her profusely, and then leave to board the plane in 1st class

NO = Now act stressed out, and ask if she's sure, lower your voice and pretty much beg and say something like "please if i don't finish this i'm going to loose my job"

now unless this woman is the biggest b**** on the planet she will give you an upgrade, there is nearly always free seats in 1st class.

So if she says no again then say " ok ok well how about business, there's gotta be seats there right?"
Hopefully there will be and she'll upgrade you, if not then pretend to calm your self down and say youll wait until later, ask her to contact you if anything comes available, take your tickets, and bag and go and wait somewhere she can see you, get your laptop or papers out and pretend to work hard whilst acting stressed (e.g. rub head, keep looking over at her)

now when the last check in call comes out go and talk to her looking expectant. Now once everybody has checked in she knows nobody is going to use those seats she'll either upgrade you or apologize and say no

No : go and cry in the toilets, spend the entire flight thinking about what went wrong and how you can correct it on the return journey, and wiping the baby-sick off your suit...

Yes : Act like she saved your life then shout

1st Class Here i Come !!

Step 4: Options

After you look the part the rest is up to you, you can take it really far and go to begging, or you can just quit after asking once, I'd recommend at least going up to the "i really have to finish this" bit.

Now this isn't just speculation, my granddad helped me with this and he used the same technique on the way back from America at the San Francisco international airport on a family holiday, he just couldn't handle economy on such a long flight so he bought a suit for £30/$70 and got all the way up to the "contact me if anything becomes available" bit, eventually the Check-In lady took pity and upgraded him, Lucky though, he nearly missed the flight.