The saying “if it’s free, it’s for me” might not be particularly classy or sophisticated, but it is how I survived college with a food budget that was sometimes around $15 per week. And it turns out that this saying isn’t just applicable to hungry college students. No, according to a recent post on the r/Travel subreddit, free stuff is everywhere if you know what (and how) to ask.
I’m not just talking about the standard fare, such as complimentary plane pretzels. I’m talking about free upgrades, free alcohol, and even free city tours.
Get a free upgraded hotel room
One of the most common pieces of advice is that getting a free room upgrade is pretty easy, especially if the hotel is not that busy. “I worked at a hotel for a few years,” one person on the Reddit thread wrote. “If you ask nicely I’d upgrade you if I could. I loved giving people extra stuff for free.”
Another Redditor gave some advice on how to ask nicely, which could actually increase your odds of success. “Ask in a way that expects nothing and show gratitude for the person’s efforts, not the results,” the Redditor explained. “If you showed even one ounce of entitlement to an upgrade/discount or you are demanding in any way, you’re going to hear “I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do.”
An excellent way to increase your odds of getting a free room upgrade is to join the hotel’s loyalty program. “Many hotel chains have a policy to give upgrades to anyone in their loyalty programs (even if you have no special status) when they are available so if you want this to happen more frequently, it’s worth signing up for those programs even if you never collect enough points to use,” one Redditor advised.
Get free food and drinks
Next time you stay at a hotel with concierge service, make sure to ask for some local recommendations. It is ultra common to get recommendations that include a little discount for hotel guests, but according to Reddit, you might get lucky enough to score some meal vouchers. And the best meal recommendations are definitely free meal recommendations.
“I asked for restaurant recommendations at a hotel in Rome and they gave me some vouchers for 2 nearby restaurants. Everyone at our table got a glass of champagne,” one person wrote. Another followed up, saying, “Did the same thing in Puerto Rico and I got a voucher for a free appetizer!”
It might not be the most exciting food or restaurant in the world, but at best, you’ll get a great local recommendation from the concierge. At worst, you’ll save some money on food and beverages.
That’s not the only way to score some free drinks, either. If you’re on international flights, almost all airlines provide complimentary alcoholic beverages during the flight. Just make sure you don’t over-serve yourself and become the next social media character of the day.
Get free hotel perks
You might know you can get hand soap and mini shampoos, but that’s just the beginning. If you are short on essentials like a toothbrush or pain medication, hotels typically have those at the front desk. Just ask, and they will provide you with them free of charge. Sometimes, you can even ask for a spare charger for your devices, as hotels usually have a lost and found filled with left-behind chargers.
Beyond your basic travel essentials, being kind and respectful to hotel staff can also help you score free drink and breakfast tickets.
Free airport transfers
If your flight is significantly delayed, according to one Redditor, you can have the airline pay for a car service to take you home and back to the airport.
“If your flight is canceled or significantly delayed, the airline will pay for your cab home,” the person advised. “They’ll also pay to have you picked up and brought back to the airport. Just go to the customer service desk and ask for a car service voucher the same way you’d ask for a hotel or meal voucher.”
You can find everything you are entitled to if your flight is delayed or canceled from Thrillist’s comprehensive guide.
Free seat upgrades on flights
“I managed five times in a row to get a first class upgrade on long-haul [flights]just by asking,” one Redditor shared. Again, this is a tip that requires good manners, no expectations, and a fair amount of luck—but imagine if you could take a flight not in economy class on your next six-hour-plus trip. According to the Redditor, the key is to ask at the check-in counter at the airport, not the gate of your flight.
Looking for more travel tips?
Whether you need help sneaking weed onto a plane, finding an airport where you can sign up for PreCheck without an appointment, or making sure you’re getting everything you’re entitled to when your flight is canceled, we’ve got you covered. Keep reading for up-to-date travel hacks and all the travel news you need to help you plan your next big adventure.
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