Usually, these offers are presented at check-in, when travel companies figure it’s too late to sell their premium inventory to somebody else. But sometimes the upselling begins just after you’ve booked.
Elite members of travel loyalty programs are not happy about this development, because it can mean fewer free upgrades for them – i have suffered this personally with Iberia Plus-, although some companies are figuring out ways to keep these perks in the mix for their most loyal customers. Below are more details about who is offering paid upgrades, and how to decide if they are worth the price.
It turns out most travelers don’t ask for upgrades, and many clerks don’t offer them, so a company called Nor1 (nor1.com) has automated the process, essentially letting computers handle the negotiation. Working with chains like Hilton, Hyatt, InterContinental, Carlson and Fairmont, as well as independent hotels, Nor1 e-mails an “eStandby Upgrade” offer to some guests who already have reservations. The deals vary based on how full the hotel is, the type of room booked and variables like loyalty membership, but a typical upgrade invitation might offer a bigger room for an extra $10 to $30 a night.
Jason Bryant, Nor1’s founder, said the standby upgrade generally costs 25 to 40 percent less than booking the better room in the first place, since accepting the offer doesn’t guarantee you’ll get the upgrade (hence the word “standby” in the name). But if the hotel doesn’t sell that nicer room to someone else for the regular price, your upgrade will be confirmed when you check in. Not everyone who books a room will automatically get an upgrade pitch, Mr. Bryant said.
John Ollila, who tracks loyalty programs at LoyaltyLobby.com (and has elite status with the major hotel chains), said he usually tries his luck by asking for a better room when he checks in. But for travelers without elite benefits, he said, Nor1’s eStandby upgrades can be a reasonable deal. “Check how much the upgraded room would have cost you in the first place,” Mr. Ollila said, adding that it might still be worth bargaining to see what you could get without charge.
Airlines are also more aggressively selling paid upgrades, although their business model seems to be more varied than that of hotels. For instance, Alaska Airlines offers paid upgrades within 24 hours of the flight’s departure through Web check-in, airport check-in kiosks, the ticket counter and even at the departure gate. For a one-way flight of 1,250 miles or less, the cost is $50 to upgrade to first class, which increases to $200 for a flight of 3,751 miles or more (with other price points in between). The savings can be $300 to $400 for domestic flights.
Delta’s “same-day standby upgrades” start at $50 for flights of up to 500 miles and increase to $350 for flights longer than 3,000 miles, but you must be traveling on an eligible fare (K or higher) to qualify for a paid upgrade. For a flight from New York to San Francisco, the price difference between an eligible economy class fare and business class is more than $1,500 one way, versus $225 for a same-day standby upgrade, if one is available the day you fly.
United uses “personalized” pricing for its paid upgrades. The offer is based on your frequent flier status, seat availability, itinerary and date of ticket purchase, so different travelers may pay different amounts.
The car rental industry has a different approach to upgrades, usually offering them at the counter rather than e-mailing an offer to customers before their trip. But Gil Cygler, president of Allcar Rent-a-Car in Brooklyn, said that upgrades offered at the rental car counter are generally more expensive than booking a bigger car in the first place. When you do it at the counter, the agent is getting a commission,” he said. “So you’re usually going to be paying about $8 to $10 more.”
Mr. Cygler said the price difference between car classes is typically only a few dollars when you book your reservation, which is what I found when I checked sample airport rentals online. The difference between a compact and an economy car was just $1 or $2 a day, and bumping up from an economy to an intermediate car was an extra $2 to $4 a day.
There are still times when you might get a free upgrade — especially if you’re a frequent renter, you’re traveling at an off-peak time or gas prices are high (and companies have trouble renting bigger, less fuel-efficient cars). Neighborhood dealers may also be more willing to throw local renters a bone.
“Be nice to the person at the counter,” Mr. Cygler said. “If I have one reservation today and four cars, something is going to sit. So if I can make you happier, I will.”
