Dreaming of flying Business Class? Frequently asked questions


1) Who is eligible to submit an online upgrade bid?
To be eligible to submit an online upgrade bid, you should have:
  • booked your flight at least 14 hours prior to departure.
  • a confirmed Economy class ticket that includes one or more flight segments operated by SriLankan Airlines.

2) When does a flight become eligible for an online upgrade?
Online upgrade is possible when there are seats available in Business Class.

3) How does the online upgrade work?
Option 1
  • If your flight is eligible for an online upgrade and you have entered your email address in the booking, you will receive a notification email 10 days prior to departure indicating the availability of seats in the next higher cabin.
  • If you wish to upgrade, click on the Upgrade Now link from the email, which will direct you to your upgrade page.
  • You can then choose the amount you are willing to pay, enter your credit card details and submit.
    * Please note the amount you bid will be per passenger per segment and will be in addition to the amount you have already paid for your economy class ticket.
  • The amount will be deducted from your card only if the offer has been successful and it will include all applicable pre-payable taxes and fees (if any) for the Upgrade.
    If your offer has not been successful, no amount will be deducted from your card.
  • Alternately, you can go to the Upgrade page on our website and click the upgrade link and complete the bidding process.

4) Are all my flights eligible for an upgrade?
  • You have to submit a separate bid for each sector you are travelling and not all sectors will be eligible for the upgrade.
  • You can choose to place a bid for the segment/s you wish to be upgraded on.
  • If you opt not to make an offer on a particular segment of your journey, please move the offer slider for that segment to NO OFFER. * Note that if this is not done, the system considers that a valid offer has been made.

5) Can I offer different amounts for the upgrade for each segment of my journey?
Yes, you can offer different amounts for each eligible segment.

6) What will happen if I have made an offer and not been successful?
If your offer has been unsuccessful, then you will receive an email informing the same no later than 4 hours prior to departure and you can travel with your existing ticket

7) I received an email informing that my offer has been unsuccessful; can I make an offer again for an upgrade?
  • No, if your offer has been unsuccessful you are not eligible to make a new offer.
  • But you can try to upgrade yourself at the airport by paying the applicable surcharge depending on the availability of business class seats.

8) Can I change my offer for a higher or lower amount?
Yes, you can change the amount you have offered for an upgrade until 12 hours prior to departure for flights departing other countries and 5 hours prior to departure for flights departing Colombo. All you need to do to change your offer is to click on the Upgrade Now link from your email.

9) I cancelled my original offer, but now I would like to make a new offer. How can I do this?
Once you have cancelled your offer, you can make another offer via the upgrade now link on SriLankan Airlines website.

10) I want to change the credit card used for the offer. How can I do this?
If your offer has not been accepted yet, you can cancel the current offer and resubmit the offer with new credit card details.

11) Will I earn Flysmiles Miles for an online upgrade?
Yes you will earn Miles for the upgrade in keeping with the normal Flysmiles accrual guidelines.

12) Are there only certain destinations that the upgrade is applicable for?
Your eligibility to upgrade is not restricted to any destination; it depends on the number of seats available on each flight.

13) What fare rules apply for the upgrade ticket?
The same rules apply as the original fare purchased, including change fees and cancellation penalties.

14) Would you be sending me a confirmation SMS in the event my offer is successful?
No, you will only receive a confirmation email. The confirmation or rejection notification will be sent to the passenger via email between 72hrs and 4 hours prior to departure.

15) By mistake I clicked OK for this offer as I didn't know I will be charged. Can I cancel my Offer?
Please go to the Srilankan Airlines website where you made the bid, retrieve your details and cancel the bid.

16) I’m unable to place a bid due to an error.
The below are some of the most common reasons for an error to occur. If your error is not one of the below reasons, please contact our call center for further assistance.
  • If there is an infant travelling on the PNR, you are not eligible to submit a bid.
  • If your flight departure is within 12 hours for flights departing other countries or 5 hours for flights departing Colombo, you are not eligible to submit a bid.

17) The system has charged 1 $ from my card.
The system does a USD 1 authorization on the credit card at the time of submitting the bid to ensure that it is a valid credit card. It should be refunded to your account within a few days.

18) How do we avoid one of us being upgraded and the other not?
  • If passengers are in same Booking (PNR) and have submitted a bid for both passengers, then if seats are available, both will be upgraded together or no one will be upgraded.
  • However if passengers are in two separate PNRs, and both have submitted bids then depending on seat availability sometimes only one passenger may be upgraded.

19) I have received a mail regarding a rejection, therefore I checked with my card issuing bank and sorted things out, what is the status of my bid?
The confirmation or rejection notification will be sent to the passenger via email between 72hrs and 4 hours prior to departure.

20) I have received a mail regarding a rejection and I have updated new card details, what is the latest status of my bid?
The confirmation or rejection notification will be sent to the passenger via email between 72hrs and 4 hours prior to departure.

21) When will I get charged?
If your offer is accepted, you'll be billed for the upgrade. If not, you pay nothing and keep the seat you already have. Please note that no further confirmation will be sought after making the bid.

22) If there is more than one person in the booking, how can only selected passengers bid for an upgrade?
Passengers need to contact the nearest UL office or our 24/7 hotline (within Sri Lanka 1979 or International +94 777 771979) and get the booking split. Thereafter, the required passengers can place bids individually for the required sectors.

23) What will I be my baggage entitlement if I am upgraded?
You will be entitled to the standard Business Class baggage allowance of 40KG unless otherwise specified. This entitlement is only valid for the upgraded segment of the journey. Should you require extra baggage allowance for your connecting or onwards journey, you can Pre purchase extra baggage allowance at a discount over airport rates. This service is available until 3 hours prior to departure. Click here for more info.

24) Will I be entitled to lounge access?
Yes, you will be entitled to lounge access where available. However, this will only be at the departure point of the upgraded segments and no further lounge entitlements will be provided.

FAQ’s for Live Auction

1) What is Live Auction?
Live auction is a facility which allows you to receive real-time updates on your bid. This includes being notified when you are outbid and seeing the rank of your bid.

2) How do I get into Live Auction?
The Live Auction facility will automatically be enabled when there are more bids than the number of Business Class seats available for a particular flight. You may check your eligibility to take part in the Live Auction process by clicking on the offer email or by logging into the “Get Upgraded” portal on srilankan.com

3) How do I get notified if someone has outbid me?
You will be notified via email if you have been outbid.

4) Till when can I bid through Live Auction
You can take part in the Live Auction process until 12 hours prior to departure for flights departing other countries and 5 hours prior to departure for flights departing Colombo.

1) What is Instant Upgrade "Buy Now"?
If your flight is eligible for an Instant Upgrade and you opt to purchase it, you will be upgraded directly to Business Class and your seat will be secured against the fees showed in the "Buy Now" field.

2) When can I purchase an Instant Upgrade?
If your flight is eligible, the Instant Upgrade "Buy Now" facility is available between 48hrs and 12 hrs prior to departure.

3) When will I be charged for the service?
Your account will be billed directly at the time you purchase an Instant Upgrade

4) Can I refund Instant Upgrade purchases?
No Refund is possible after selecting the Instant upgrade (Buy Now) button except in instances that are stipulated on the terms & conditions.

5) How much is an Instant Upgrade?
Rates vary based on destination and are subject to change at the discretion of the airline. Kindly ensure to check the prevailing Business Class fare prior to purchasing an Instant Upgrade.

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