Get a Free Upgrade For a Special Occasion

Many companies offer extra gifts, surprises and general special treatment for customers celebrating any kind of special occasion. You can almost guarantee that if you’re getting special treatment, you’ll also be getting excellent service (staff can expect larger tips from special occasion events).

If you really are celebrating, (or just want to see what you can get away with) once staff at a company are under the impression you’re celebrating, you’re usually set to have a first class experience, on the house!

The Blag

Without being particularly obvious or overly suggestive, you need to let it be known that either you, or someone in your group, is celebrating something (be it a birthday, wedding anniversary, exam success, or anything else you can think of).

It is best to let news of your celebration come out slowly and subtly and in the company of the highest ranking member of staff, rather than risk seeming rude or undeserving by announcing that you want special treatment because you’re special. Although getting a friend to do it on your before is more likely to get you an upgrade.

Build rapport with staff from the moment you meet them, asking them questions about themselves and their job. Make jokes, keep conversation simple and easy going and don’t come across as pressurising. Let it slip that you are celebrating and then talk about how happy you are that you’ve spent the last 30 years with your wife, you’ve passed some important exams or something else entirely.

Give staff time to react. Don’t expect people to immediately drop what they are doing to fetch you some complimentary wine. These things can take time! However, if no kind of special treatment has been offered after a few hours it may be worth suggesting to staff that they offer an upgrade, or something similar, to the person celebrating. Never request special treatment directly for yourself, as this can seem rather greedy. Remember not to pressure anyone and come across as friendly and polite!

Applications

Hotels: Most Hotels are more than aware of people’s upgrade tricks, including couples claiming it’s their honeymoon, wedding anniversary or birthdays. If you want to an upgrade, or to get your hands on free booze, or dine in the best hotel restaurant on the house it is wise to have some proof to hand, to back up your story, if requested. Ask friends to call the hotel to check up on “the wedding couple” or “the silver wedding couple” to give staff the impression of legitimacy.

Flights: Like Hotels, airlines have become used to repeat upgrade blaggers constantly asking for moves to first class. To really beat the system, you will again need proof that you really are honeymooners or celebrating a key wedding anniversary. Rather than approaching staff at the check-in desk, befriend staff at the departure gate as they hold much more power to upgrade you! Introduce your upgrade request after several minutes of conversation and make sure your request is humorous and not blunt.

Clubs: Unlike other applications for this blag, you are likely to be slightly (or more than slightly) inebriated when entering a club. For this reason dropping subtle comments upon entry may be more difficult than planned! Most clubs accommodate people’s celebrations. Some will even lay on special treatment if you call ahead and request it. Others may ask you to pay a small surcharged for group VIP entry.