How to make economy feel like an upgrade, according to a travel expert who's spent 3,500 hours in premium cabins

• Flying economy can feel crowded, cramped, and generally unpleasant.
• But it doesn't have to be.
• Here's how to give yourself an upgrade when you're stuck in economy.

Economy seats may be smaller than those in upgraded classes, but that doesn't mean you have to be cramped between passengers.

Economy tickets may not include a meal, but that doesn't mean you can't have a fine-dining experience.

The economy cabin will never be as comfortable as first class, but that doesn't mean you can't make the most of it.

Enter Zach Griff, travel expert and author of the travel newsletter From the Tray Table. Griff estimates he's spent 3,500 hours flying more than 1.8 million miles in business and first-class cabins. He flies 150,000 miles a year on average, including roughly 50,000 in economy.

With so much experience in premium cabins, Griff has a few tips that make his economy flights feel like an upgrade.

One of the big perks of premium cabins is having more personal space. If you can avoid flying in a crowded economy cabin, you may be more likely to end up with an empty seat next to you, which can feel like an upgrade, Griff told Business Insider.

According to Griff, the earliest and latest departures of the day tend to have the most empty seats. Aim for a Saturday or midweek booking, he added.

Sitting in a row without a middle seat can make economy feel like an upgrade, too. Griff said there are rows like this on some wide-body planes, which have two aisles and are typically used for long-distance travel. So while you're searching for flights for your next international trip, take a look at the seat map before you book.

When Griff flies economy, he starts checking the seat map for his trip two days before departure to see how full it is.

"If it's looking like maybe another row has more space, I'd always move to that row to see if that may end up open," he said. "Monitor the seat map until the minute before boarding starts and move around to optimize your chances of finding an empty seat."

You may even end up with your own row.

In many cases, business and first-class tickets come with the added perk of an in-flight meal. If you're in economy, Griff recommends bringing your own dish or getting some takeout on your way to the gate.

"Treat yourself to something a little bit nicer because you're sitting in economy," he added.

Even if you're flying economy, having a credit card or elite status with the airline may make you eligible for free checked bags, earlier boarding, or possibly better seats, Griff said.

To make flying economy more comfortable, dress in athleisure and pack a sleep mask and noise-canceling headphones, Griff said. If you have a small massage gun, toss that in your carry-on, too, he added.

With your mask on, earbuds in, a full belly, and an empty seat next to you, you may feel like you're on the other side of the cabin curtain.