The saying “if it’s free, it’s mine” may not be particularly classy or sophisticated, but it’s how I survived college on a food budget that was sometimes around $15 a week. And it turns out that saying doesn’t just apply to hungry 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 amenities, like free pretzels on airplanes. I'm also talking about free upgrades, free alcohol, and even free city tours.
Enjoy a free upgraded hotel room
One of the most common tips is that it's pretty easy to get a free upgrade, especially if the hotel isn't very busy. “I worked at a hotel for a few years,” one person wrote on the Reddit thread. “If you ask nicely, I'd upgrade you if I could. I loved giving people extra things for free.”
Another Reddit user offered some advice on how to ask politely, which might actually increase your chances of success. “Ask in a way that doesn’t expect anything and shows gratitude for the person’s efforts, not the results,” the Reddit user explained. “If you show even an ounce of entitlement to an upgrade/discount or are demanding in any way, you’ll hear ‘I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do.’”
A great way to increase your chances of getting a free upgrade is to join the hotel's loyalty program. “Many hotel chains have a policy of offering upgrades to all members of their loyalty programs (even if you don't have special status) when they're available. If you want this to happen more frequently, it's worth signing up for these programs even if you never accumulate enough points to use them,” one Reddit user advised.
Get free food and drinks
Next time you're staying at a hotel with a concierge service, don't forget to ask for local recommendations. It's very common to get recommendations that include a small discount for hotel guests, but according to Reddit, you might be lucky enough to get 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 vouchers for two nearby restaurants. Everyone at our table got a glass of champagne,” one person wrote. Another continued, “I did the same thing in Puerto Rico and got a voucher for a free appetizer!”
It may not be the most exciting restaurant or cuisine in the world, but at best you'll get a great local recommendation from the concierge. At worst, you'll save money on food and drinks.
This isn’t the only way to get free drinks. If you’re flying internationally, almost every airline offers free alcoholic beverages during the flight. Just be careful not to overindulge and become the next social media personality of the day.
Enjoy free hotel benefits
You may know that you can get hand soap and mini shampoos, but that's just the beginning. If you're short on essentials like a toothbrush or painkillers, hotels usually have them at the front desk. Just ask and they'll provide them for free. Sometimes, you can even ask for a spare charger for your devices, as hotels usually have a lost and found desk full of forgotten chargers.
Beyond your basic travel essentials, being kind and respectful to hotel staff can also help you score free drinks and breakfast tickets.
Free airport transfers
If your flight is significantly delayed, according to one Redditor, you can ask the airline to 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 cover your taxi ride home,” the person said. “They will also cover your airport pickup and drop-off. Simply go to the customer service counter and ask for a car service voucher, the same way you would ask for a hotel or meal voucher.”
You can find out everything you're entitled to if your flight is delayed or cancelled from The Complete Guide to Thrillist.
Free seat upgrades on flights
“I’ve managed to get an upgrade to first class on long-haul flights five times in a row just by asking,” one Reddit user shared. Again, this is a tip that requires good manners, no waiting, and a healthy dose of luck. But imagine being able to get on a non-economy flight on your next trip that’s more than six hours long. The key, according to the Reddit user, is to ask at the airport check-in counter, not at the gate of your flight.
Looking for more travel tips?
Whether you need help smuggle weed onto a planefind an airport where you can sign up for PreCheck without an appointmentor make sure you get everything you're entitled to when your flight is cancelledwe have what you need. Keep reading to up-to-date travel tips And all the travel news you need to help you plan your next big adventure.
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