✈ How to Actually Get Hotel Upgrades, Last Chance to Activate These Bonus Categories & More From TPG ✈

June 11, 2026

Give your next hotel stay a glow up

by Tarah Chieffi, Senior writer

Before we get into the strategies that actually work, this isn’t one of those “hacks” where I tell you to bribe the front desk attendant, make up a fake complaint about your room or lie about it being your birthday.

There are far better — and less icky — ways to improve your chances of scoring a hotel upgrade, so let’s get into it.

Utilize elite status: Holding elite status with Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG or any other hotel chain is one of the easiest ways to get upgraded to a better room (just don’t expect to be upgraded to a lavish suite based solely on elite status). The higher your status tier, the better your chances of getting an upgrade.

For example, when I stay at a Gaylord resort (you know, the ones with the massive glass atriums) as a Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite member, I almost always get upgraded from a standard-view room to an atrium-view room.

Remember, certain credit cards can help jump-start your path to hotel elite status.

Book through a credit card travel portal: You’ll need to have the right credit card for this trick, but when you book through a travel portal like Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, The Edit by Chase Travel or Capital One Premier Collection, you are automatically eligible for a room upgrade (based on availability).

Redeem points: You may not be keen on paying cold, hard cash for a nicer room, but, in my experience, parting with points isn’t as painful (that deserves a “Best use of alliteration” trophy). If you are booking a stay with points, remember to check all available room types. Your mileage may vary, but upgraded rooms are sometimes priced the same or only slightly higher than standard rooms.

Use an upgrade certificate: In lieu of throwing extra points at the problem, you can also use an upgrade certificate to request a suite or a premium room.

Each hotel brand is different, but I’ll use IHG as an example. After staying 20 nights at eligible IHG properties, you’ll begin to earn IHG Milestone Rewards. Among the available rewards, you can choose a confirmable suite upgrade voucher.

Similarly, Marriott Bonvoy offers Nightly Upgrade Awards and World of Hyatt offers suite upgrade awards as part of its Hyatt Milestone Rewards program.

Check your email: You’ll have to shell out for this one, but hotels will often email you before your stay, offering you the option to upgrade to a nicer room … for the right price. The upsell price may be lower than what you would have paid for booking a better room outright, so it’s worth considering if the price is right.

Check out these additional stories for more details on leveling up your next hotel stay:

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Photo Credit: KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY.

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