SAS Business Class Upgrade Bidding: How We Won 4 Bids

If you’re flying with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and want to upgrade to business class without paying full price, bidding for an upgrade can be a surprisingly effective strategy. We’ve done this ourselves multiple times on long-haul flights and learned all about how the process works, what increases your chances, and how you might accidentally overpay. Here’s a step-by-step guide to SAS business class upgrade bidding, including what to expect, how much to bid, and how to get the best value. We’ll also tell you exactly what we paid for each SAS business class upgrade we won.

Not sure the upgrade is worth it? We’ve now flown SAS Business several times on both the A350 and A330. Read our complete SAS Business Class review.

✈️ Should You Fly SAS to Europe? What to Know First

Quick Overview: How Does SAS Upgrade Bidding Work?

You submit a bid through your reservation (starting bids differ if you’re upgrading from Premium Economy vs Economy)
You’ll receive a notification if you’re outbid and an opportunity to increase your offer
Bids are typically reviewed 6 to 48 hours before departure, with bidding closing 6 hours before departure.
Confirmations arrive in that window, but can sometimes come even after the 6-hour cutoff
If accepted, your card is charged and you’re upgraded
You don’t pay anything unless your bid is accepted

The process sounds simple, but there are several strategies that can dramatically improve your chances of winning and help you avoid confusion and overpaying. We’ll break down exactly how to bid, what we learned from winning four upgrades, and how to get the best value.

Why Bid on an SAS Business Class Upgrade?

SAS business class isn’t Emirates or Qatar but it’s way more comfortable than we expected from an airline that tends to be lower-frills than those airlines. If you get in at the right price, it can offer fantastic value with lie-flat seats, lounge access, two checked bags, priority everything, elevated meals, and a quieter cabin.

We’ve been upgraded multiple times for less than half the full business class price. SAS business class is a huge improvement over economy and premium economy, especially on long-haul flights. But there’s a catch. Most SAS upgrades don’t come from direct cash upgrades, status perks, or points alone. You’ll have to place a bid (in cash or points) and face some uncertainty, sometimes until just a few hours before your flight.

Pro Tip: Always book a cabin class that you’ll be happy with even if you don’t get your upgrade. For us, that’s Premium Economy, which is also very affordable on SAS compared to other carriers on similar transatlantic routes. 👉 SAS Plus Review: Worth It to Europe?

How the SAS Business Class Upgrade Bidding Process Works

1. Book Your Ticket

You’ll need a paid SAS ticket to start. Economy and premium economy tickets are both eligible for upgrade bids. Booking directly with SAS (via their website or app) makes the process much smoother. Sometimes airlines won’t let you upgrade if you didn’t book direct, but this didn’t apply to us.

2. Look for the Upgrade Link

After booking, keep an eye on your email or check the SAS app. You may see an invitation to upgrade or a “Bid for Upgrade” option in the “Manage Booking” section. If you have a EuroBonus account, log in to see it there. Not all flights are eligible, but many long-hauls are.

3. Place a Bid (Cash or Points)

You can bid using money or EuroBonus points. The minimum bid varies depending on your route and how full the cabin is. If you’re bidding from Premium Economy, minimums are typically much lower than from Economy. We’ve seen minimums as low as $300 and as high as $800 from Premium Economy, and $900 from Economy.

Important Strategy Detail

Don’t panic if your bid is labeled as “weak” or if it drops below the minimum later on. That doesn’t mean it’s out. The system fluctuates. The minimum bid only applies to new bids placed after the price changes. Existing bids stay valid even if minimums fluctuate upward. So if you locked in a bid early at a lower rate, you may be protected unless you’re outbid. We won two bids even after our bid fell below the new minimum.

Multi-course meal service on SAS day flight

4. Wait for Confirmation on Your SAS Business Class Upgrade

Once you’ve placed your bid, check the SAS app to track your status. Confirmations can arrive at various times:

One of our bids cleared 25 hours before the flight.
All three others cleared just 6 hours before takeoff.
On two occasions the official confirmation came 30–60 minutes after the bidding window closed. We noticed our credit card was charged first, which tipped us off that it was successful.

Once the bid is accepted, you’ll get an email and app notification with your new seat assignment. You won’t be charged unless and until your bid is accepted.

5. Select Your Upgraded Seat Immediately

When your upgrade clears, log into your SAS account right away to check seat availability. On our first flight, all business class seats were already assigned when the upgrade was confirmed, so we had no choice but to take what we were given (fortunately, we had two solo window seats in the 1-2-1 configuration, even if they were on opposite sides of the plane). But on the other three flights, the cabin wasn’t full and we had options.

SAS didn’t automatically give us the best available seats. On one flight, it assigned us a window and a middle seat even though two middle seats together were open. We had to log in and manually change to sit together. So, if you’re traveling with a companion, this step is critical. Check immediately after confirmation and move to your preferred seats before they’re gone.

SAS Upgrade Live Bidding (If You Can Find It)

SAS officially offers live bidding on select routes, which would theoretically let you see active bids in real-time and increase your offer before the bidding window closes. We’ve used live bidding with TAP Portugal, but we’ve never been able to locate the live bidding feature on our SAS flights.

According to SAS, live bidding isn’t available on all routes. If it does appear for your flight, you’ll see an invitation in your account or app starting around 25 hours before departure. But don’t stress if you don’t see it. The standard bidding process we outlined above works just fine without it.

How to Get the Best Value on Your SAS Upgrade Bid

Bid early when the price feels right. The system fluctuates, so locking in a bid when it’s low gives you a real shot at an upgrade without overpaying. We usually place our bid just a few dollars above the minimum, then monitor from there.

Watch your bid in the final 24 to 25 hours before departure — that’s when most decisions happen. Use the SAS app, which is the easiest way to track your status and get outbid notifications. You can change your bid anytime before the bidding window closes at 6 hours before departure.

Don’t stress over the bid strength meter or panic if your bid drops below the minimum after you’ve placed it. The minimum only applies to new bids, not existing ones, so your locked-in bid stays valid even if prices fluctuate upward. We’ve won upgrades even when our bids fell below the new minimum.

Finally, be ready for a last-minute confirmation. One of our successful upgrades was charged and finalized less than 6 hours before departure. And remember: you won’t be charged unless your bid is accepted, so there’s no risk in bidding strategically.

Our 4 Successful SAS Business Class Upgrade Bids

Route	Bid	Cleared
IAD→CPH	$355	6 hours before (45-minute delayed notification)
CPH→EWR	$385	25 hours before
IAD→CPH	$425	6 hours before (45-minute delayed notification)
CPH→EWR	$400	6 hours before (immediate notification)

Total per person round trip: $1,800 and $2,300 (including our intra-Europe business class flights to Palma de Mallorca). This totals the Premium Economy base fare + upgrade bids per round-trip vs. $5,000–$8,000 for full business class.

Is Bidding for an SAS Business Class Upgrade Worth It?

Absolutely, if the price is right. Bidding for an SAS business class upgrade offers a unique opportunity to score a better travel experience without spending a fortune. It’s easy to manage through the SAS app, you’re not charged unless your bid is accepted, and you can monitor the process right up to six hours before departure.

We’ve done this four times now and absolutely would do it again. It’s especially worth it if you’re flexible about seating arrangements. If you’re okay with the possibility of not sitting next to your travel partner, this can be a great value.