Today's overcrowded planes, high-priced flights and extra fees for everything from luggage to a bag of chips mean air travelers don't often feel like they're on cloud nine.
But all is not lost. It's still possible to get something for nothing -- free or cheap upgrades to business or first class.
If you follow our travel experts' advice, you may be winging your way to better service and more leg room. As it turns out, it's possible, at least sometimes, to fly frugal and first class.