Getting a free hotel upgrade doesn’t always require elite status. We’re sharing a few simple ways to improve your odds, from asking nicely and mentioning a special occasion to messaging the hotel before you arrive. Timing can help, too, especially if you have some flexibility around when you check in. And then there’s our favorite strategy: “suite talking.”

Plus, Hilton Honors and IHG both have new promotions worth registering for. Hilton is offering up to 3,000 bonus points on eligible stays, while IHG is offering up to 3x points depending on how you book. Register now, even if you don’t have a stay booked yet, so you don’t forget when you do.

And if you’re someone who needs their hotel room at approximately 60 degrees to sleep, we have a thermostat trick that could help. We’re also sharing why you should put an AirTag in every checked bag.

Rove is a free travel rewards program that lets you earn transferable Rove Miles on hotels, flights, dining, and shopping using the credit cards you already have.

The real standout is hotels. Book a Loyalty Eligible rate through Rove and you can earn Rove Miles alongside your hotel points and elite night credits. Departure Digest listeners get a 1,000-mile welcome bonus instantly upon joining.

Lost bag? File the claim before you leave the airport. It gets a lot harder to get compensated once you've left baggage claim.

Have a travel or points question? Submit it here and it may be featured in a future episode.

Hey hey, happy Monday, and welcome back to Departure Digest.

Today I’m teaching you all the ways to get a hotel upgrade, plus a couple of other quick wins for your next trip. But first, a few hotel promos worth registering for.

Hilton Honors just launched a new global promotion where you can earn 1,000 bonus points on eligible stays from Oct. 15 through Dec. 31. At eligible luxury, lifestyle, resort and all-inclusive properties, you can earn 3,000 bonus points instead.

It takes about 30 seconds to register, and there’s really no reason not to do it now, even if you don’t have a Hilton stay booked yet. That way, you won’t forget later when you do have one.

We’ll link to the promotion below.

IHG has a new promotion too. You’ll earn 2x points starting with your second qualifying stay between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, or 3x points when you book through the IHG app. Your first qualifying stay counts toward the promotion, but you don’t earn the bonus until the second stay.

Again, registration is easy, so I’d do it now and forget about it until you need it.

Okay, now the main event: how to get upgraded.

If you’ve ever checked into a hotel hoping for a suite and gotten told you’ve been upgraded, only to find out you’ve gone from a standard room to a slightly larger standard room, this one’s for you.

The easiest way to get a hotel upgrade is to have hotel elite status. Depending on the program and your status level, you may be eligible for complimentary room or suite upgrades. But even then, nothing is guaranteed. It usually comes down to what’s available when you arrive.

Another option is booking through a luxury hotel program.

Programs like Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, [another bank’s hotel program] and Capital One’s Premier Collection can come with perks like room upgrades when available, early check-in, late checkout and property credits.

I know this sounds a little old school, but you can also use a travel advisor. They may be able to get you perks like free breakfast and room upgrades, plus make special requests for you.

But my favorite method is much simpler.

Suite talking.

And no, I don’t mean demanding a suite at check-in.

Hotel employees deal with demanding guests all day, so being nice can help you stand out. If you’re celebrating something, mention it. I’ve had hotels surprise me with everything from a dessert to little decorations in the room just because I mentioned I was celebrating something. And the nicer the hotel, the more likely they are to do something special.

I know it can feel a little awkward to mention these types of things to hotels, but it’s always worth a try. Worst case, they don’t do anything.

You can even do this before you arrive. Many hotel apps have a chat feature, so you can send a quick message saying you’re really excited about your stay and would love to be considered for an upgrade if there’s an opportunity.

You’re not demanding anything. You’re just putting yourself on their radar.

And timing can help, too. If you’re checking in later in the day, the hotel may have a better idea of what rooms are still available. So if you have some flexibility, asking about an upgrade closer to check-in can be worth a shot.

And if you don’t have status, you can still ask nicely. If there’s a suite sitting empty, the hotel may decide to give it to you.

Of course, the biggest factor is still availability. If the hotel is sold out, no amount of sweet talking is going to magically create a suite.

Now, for a different kind of hotel upgrade, you may be able to take control of your room temperature.

Some hotels limit how cold or warm you can set the thermostat. If your room feels way too hot or way too cold, try pressing the up and down temperature buttons at the same time for a few seconds. On some hotel systems, that can unlock a wider temperature range.

It doesn’t work on every thermostat, especially newer systems, but it’s an easy thing to try before calling the front desk.

And finally, a quick luggage reminder.

Put an AirTag in every checked bag. They’re pretty cheap, especially if you buy a four-pack. I think about it the same way I think about sharing my location with my friends. If everyone in the group chat can see where I am, I want to know where my suitcase is, too.

If your bag goes missing, you can see where it is instead of relying entirely on the airline’s tracking system. And some airlines now let you share your AirTag’s location directly with them when a bag is lost, which can make it easier for them to track it down.

Whether it’s a better room or just knowing where your suitcase is, these are all pretty easy ways to make your next trip a little better without spending more.

I’ll see you Wednesday.