Virgin Trains customers could get first-class upgrades for £10

More commuters could be getting the top treatment thanks to Virgin Trains latest announcement.

From Wednesday, May 8, the train operator will give customers the chance to secure a last-minute upgrade for less than £10 by bidding for seats in First Class.

The train operator has teamed up with Seatfrog which travellers will need to use to make their bid.

Virgin Trains say it will "enable more people than ever to enjoy the perks of upgrading."

But they'll only be available if there are empty seats in the First Class carriages and customers have a permitted ticket to travel.

Customers will be able to bid from 24 hours right up until 30 minutes before their train is due to depart via the app.

To make your bid, all you have to do is enter your booking reference or pick the train you are travelling on via the app's trip selector.

The train operator has teamed up with Seatfrog (adriancookphotography)

Those who are successful in their bid for a First Class ticket will be able to enjoy all the benefits of Virgin Trains' First Class experience, including complimentary food and drink, additional legroom and the First Class lounge.

The Seatfrog app works by creating a live auction system for unfilled First Class seats, allowing passengers to bid against other travellers to upgrade as solo travellers or as a group.

Seatfrog will be available seven days a week across the entire Virgin Trains network – excluding journeys to Chester and North Wales and bank holidays travel.

Sarah Copley, Executive Director, Commercial, at Virgin Trains, said: "This is a great opportunity for our customers who fancy treating themselves at the last minute.

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"This new partnership with Seatfrog is another example of our strong record in innovation – giving customers a unique chance to enjoy our First Class experience, which includes complimentary food and drink served by our amazing on board teams from our award winning menu."

Iain Griffin, Co-Founder and CEO of Seatfrog, said: "At Seatfrog we're all about taking people's journey beyond the ordinary and making it something special.

"Our partnership with Virgin Trains is just the latest stop as we rapidly expand across the UK and Europe, giving more travellers the opportunity to upgrade their trip."

You can find out more information about the app and how it works here .