Fancy a bigger, better room than you can afford on your next trip? Why not try some of these awesome tips to be in with a chance of getting a free room upgrade!

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1. Choose a rebooking agent for automatic upgrades

There are booking sites that will automatically upgrade you if a better room becomes available for the same price you booked your original room. Basically they re-book you, and cancel the previous booking.

2. Be a loyal customer

Loyalty goes a long way, and chain hotels use schemes to ensure their customers keep coming back. Some have schemes where you can upgrade 4 times a year, others ensure that they do their best to assist if an enquiry is made when booking etc. So, if you are happy to choose a Marriott hotel every time you go on a trip, get on the loyalty scheme and it won’t be long until you get that elusive free upgrade!

3. Ask at the desk – nicely and quietly

Asking for an upgrade and getting one as you check in requires some decorum. Firstly, make sure you are well presented and polite. Ask without expectation, and always make sure to ask when no other guests are likely to overhear – your request is more likely to be acquiesced if it isn’t followed by a stampede of customers wanting the same treatment!

4. Ask the concierge not the desk agent

It’s the job of the concierge to ensure that guests have a personalised and perfect stay, as such they are more likely than a desk agent to be able to pull a few strings and get you into a better room at no extra cost if one is available.

5. Book over the phone

Online booking is convenient, but lacks the personal touch needed when it comes to getting a free upgrade. If you book by phone, you can strike up a conversation, make a connection, and enquire what perks might be available to you. Wink wink.

6. Let them know it is a special occasion

If it’s your birthday or anniversary, let them know as you book in – if there is an upgrade available they may well let you have it. Do not lie to get an upgrade though, that is bad manners and you’ll have to live a lie during your stay and will feel terribly ashamed if you are found out.

7. Only stay for one night

If you are only staying for one night, especially during a less busy time of the week, your chance of a free upgrade goes up. This is because bumping you up to an available room for just one night won’t impact on a potential booking made for that room the next day.

Don’t forget your travel insurance! Give our sales team a call on UK(+44) 01892 833338, or get an online quote.

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If you aspire to live like an A-lister (or just want to enjoy a long-haul flight rather than dread it) here are a few tips that might get you an upgrade next time you travel.

1. Be A Loyal Customer – Frequent flyers and those who are members of an airline loyalty scheme are likely to be offered an upgrade if one becomes available.
2. Choose A Busy Flight – These flights are more likely to have oversold economy class tickets, which means those extra passengers have to be put somewhere – usually business class.
3. Don’t Buy Discount Tickets – In the interests of fairness, some airlines only offer upgrades to passengers who have paid more for their ticket.

What’s so good about an upgrade?

• Bigger, fully reclining seats
• Better quality food and drink
• No extra charge for food and drink
• More flight attendants with more experience = better customer service
• Privacy, and exclusive perks such as a separate airport lounge

4. Be An (Almost) Important Person – Most flights have an upgrade list for important flyers – VIPs, Journalists and the like, but if you are not one, you could still get on it if you know someone who works at that airline. Ask them if they can put your name forward, if management agrees it, you could be offered an upgrade if one comes up!
5. Ask in Advance – Most free upgrades are approved at least 24 hours before the flight, leaving requests made at check in or while boarding mostly futile.
6. Give A Last Minute Request A Go – Despite the above information, some (well, very few) last-minute hopefuls do get lucky so there is no harm in asking! Just make sure you…

• Ask politely
• Have a valid reason
• Are smartly dressed

First Class Vs Business Class

First class has the biggest seats, and these are usually in a well-equipped pod and offer complete privacy. Pods are complete with workstations, TV, entertainment, and privacy dividers. First Class flight attendants are also the best, a bit like having your own butler, plus the quality of the food served will be even higher than the meals served in Business Class. First Class comes with a premium price tag – expect to pay AT LEAST twice the price of business class.

First class travel to New York right now could cost between £3,584 and £5,400 with BA. You could bag a business class seat for around £1,800.

While some airlines keep business class and first class separate, other airlines have merged these two classes into one cabin that has different seats and service quality. Whether they are separate or merged, they are never in the same area as economy class.

7. Trade In Air Miles – It will take quite a few, but a big bunch of air miles might just help you bag an elusive free upgrade.
8. Travel Solo – Those travelling alone are definitely at an advantage when it comes to free upgrades, especially if just one or two premium seats become available.
9. Have A Valid Reason – Things that will go in your favour: being very tall, being heavily pregnant, celebrating a birthday or anniversary, going on a honeymoon. Also, if you have a faulty seat or entertainment system but there are no more spaces in Economy Class you could ask for that elusive upgrade.

Don’t forget your travel insurance! If your flight is cancelled it could help cover the costs of getting to your destination (and home again!) Give our sales team a call on UK(+44) 01892 833338, or get an online quote.