What is the $20 Trick? Is it real? Does it really work? What in the world am I talking about? Those are some of the questions I’m asked when I mention the $20 Trick. Even after answering those questions, I still get a reaction mixed with doubt and disbelief. In short, the $20 trick is a method to getting very travel hack to get upgrades at hotels. This article is everything that you need to know about the $20 Trick!
What is the $20 Trick?
Obviously, in order to check in to a hotel, you’ll need to present your credit card and identification. The first step to pulling off the $20 trick is to slip a folded $20 bill (of course) between your ID and credit card. The front desk host will likely set it aside. When they do, you should make your intentions clear – ask for an upgrade. Do not demand one!
What You Should Know Before Trying
When attempting the $20 Trick, you should not try it without some due diligence. You need to know a few things:
What kind of room did you book?
What do you want to end up with if you succeed?
What rooms are available?
Why should you know what you booked? The cheapest rooms aren’t always the worst rooms. You’ll want to know what you have reserved so you will be able to know how what you get compares to it.
Why do you want to know what you want to end up with? As with many things in life, it’s good to know what you want. With regards to the $20 trick, it doesn’t hurt to be specific. So doing a few minutes of research and knowing what kind of rooms a hotel has would aid that.
Why should you know what rooms are available? This is simple. Let’s say you want to stay in a corner suite at the Aria. If you ask for a corner suite and there isn’t one available, they may not offer you an alternative.