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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.

Register for the Hilton Honors bonus points promo: https://www.hilton.com/en/offers/promotions/more-points-to-play/

Register for the IHG bonus points promo: https://www.ihg.com/content/us/en/deals/member-offers/3xpts?offerCode=72539

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:15 Hilton and IHG Hotel Promotions

1:07 How to Get a Free Hotel Upgrade

3:22 The Hotel Thermostat Trick

3:50 Why You Should AirTag Your Checked Bags

4:21 Sign-Off

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Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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One of our favorite travel credit cards is celebrating its birthday with hundreds of dollars in limited-time travel offers, including up to $200 back on a JSX flight and up to $125 back on an eligible hotel stay after qualifying spend. Just be sure to activate the offer before you book. The JSX offer alone could cover a big chunk of a one-way semi-private flight.

Then we head to Amsterdam Schiphol, where Amex just opened its first Centurion Lounge in Europe. The nearly 6,000-square-foot lounge has local art, floor-to-ceiling windows, a full bar, food and a barista-made coffee bar. We cover where to find it, who can access it and why its relatively small size could mean waits at one of Europe’s busiest airports.

And to round things out, the new AirPods 5 are now available with Active Noise Cancellation and Live Translation, which could be especially useful when traveling.

Learn more about one of our favorite travel credit cards: https://go.departuredigest.com/travelcard

Get $100 off your first JSX flight: https://go.departuredigest.com/jsx

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:20 Travel Offers for Flights and Hotels

1:55 First European Centurion Lounge in Amsterdam

2:54 AirPods 5 for Travelers

3:48 Sign-Off

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Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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———

Spotting a fake hotel review starts with knowing what to look for, from overly polished marketing phrases and buzzwords to suspicious reviewer profiles and photos that seem too perfect. Real reviews tend to include specific details, like weak shower pressure or thin walls, that give you a better sense of the stay. AI has made this harder since a fake review can now sound completely human, but searching a hotel on Reddit can help you see what actual travelers are saying.

Then we head to New Orleans, where the 13-room Blackbird Hotel has something you don't find at most boutique hotels: a resident mystic. Every Thursday and Friday evening, guests can stop by the lobby bar for tarot, astrology, palm readings and psychic readings. The hotel isn't part of a major loyalty program, so you can't use points here, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth considering.

Finally, it's time for some credit card homework. With Q3 ending Sept. 30, it's worth checking your credit card accounts for quarterly statement credits that are about to reset. For example, you might have easy-to-use Resy or Lululemon credits expiring. Also, if your card has rotating 5% cash-back categories, make sure you're using the current ones before the deadline and activate the new categories once October begins.

Timeline

0:00 Start Here

0:21 How to Spot Fake Hotel Reviews

2:26 The Blackbird Hotel's Resident Mystic

3:12 Credit Card Benefits Expiring Sept. 30

3:57 Rotating 5% Cash-Back Categories

4:15 Sign-Off

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Advertiser Disclosure: Departure Digest may receive compensation through our partnership with advertisers when you click on links to offers on this page. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain. Terms apply. The information is valid at the time of posting.

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