Top 10 Tips For FREE Hotel Upgrades

Booking hotels is arguably one of the most challenging aspects of travel… Will the hotel be clean? Will the bed be comfortable? Will I have noisy neighbors? Do I really want to spend $$$ for a room that I won’t be in often? All of these are valid concerns, however choosing the right hotel is key to starting your vacation off right!

When it comes to upgrades, most hotels are willing to provide upgrades if they are available. This can save you hundreds of dollars a night, allowing you to book the lowest category room and ending up in a room that could be up to triple the cost that you paid! I have personally found that I am upgraded about 90% of the time by using the following tips:

1. Enroll in the loyalty program!
   • Hotel loyalty programs are free, however you often don’t earn upgrades unless you are in the 2nd tier or higher in the program. The easiest way to achieve this is by opening either the American Express Platinum(earns you Marriott and Hilton Gold status) or a cobranded card like the American Express Hilton Aspire(earns you top tier Hilton Diamond status).
   • Loyalty programs often include things like free breakfast, free WiFi, drink vouchers, etc.
2. Book with the hotel directly!
   • Using sites like trivago, expedia, or hotels.com, often doesn’t actually save you money. Once you add in the fees and the fact that you often aren’t eligible for your loyalty benefits, it can cost you more than just booking directly. Hilton and Marriott also provide “best rate guarantees”.
   • Keep in mind that you can still use AAA, AARP, corporate discounts with the hotels directly to save money.
3. Download the app!
   • Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, etc. all have their own apps that allow you to search for hotels, book rooms, and even chat with the hotel! As soon as I am eligible to check in for my stay I immediately message the hotel and ask them for an upgrade.
4. Check often for rates!
   • I typically check prices for hotels and flights on a daily basis for price changes. Most rates allow you to cancel or change your reservation up to 48 hours before check in, allowing you to rebook if you find a cheaper fare.
5. Do not book “prepay and save” rates unless they are dramatically cheaper!
   • Most hotels offer non-refundable rates that are $20-$40 cheaper than their normal rates however, if you have to cancel you are out the full amount paid.
6. Book during non-peak times!
   • Hotel upgrades are a hierarchal system and therefore the more “elite members” that are staying at the property, the less likely you are to get an upgrade.
   • Most of the “overwater bungalow upgrades” you see for places like Bora Bora or the Maldives are booked during their off season.
7. Know your benefits!
   • Depending on which tier of status you have, you are entitled to certain upgrade benefits depending on availability.
8. Status match to other hotels!
   • Almost every hotel chain has either set or rotating status match programs that allow you to earn status.
   • You can use airline or rental car status to match to hotels and vice versa!
9. Simply ask!
   • The worst they can say is “No”!
   • People often tell me, “I didn’t get upgraded”… however they don’t ask! I ask early and often for upgrades.
10. Be kind!
    • This shouldn’t need to be stated however it often goes a long way to simply be kind when asking for an upgrade.
    • I normally use the following to ask for an upgrade, “Good morning! I hope you are having a great day so far! I am checking in on XXX and wanted to see if you have any upgrades available?”
    • If you are celebrating something, make it known!

How often are you upgraded in hotels? Do you ask? Drop a comment below with your experience in receiving hotel upgrades!