(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see add disclosure) Itinerary Boss is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as YourBestCreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.

Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

In episode 126 of World Travel Made Easy With Itinerary Boss, we sit down with Ben from Ben’s Big Deals to break open the world of hotel upgrades and real-life elite status strategy. If you’ve ever wondered why some people always seem to snag better rooms, free nights, and special treatment, this hotel upgrade deep dive is your playbook.

Ben shares how he went from La Quinta business trips to luxury stays using hotel upgrades, elite status, and smart use of free night certificates instead of just chasing flashy flights. You’ll learn why emailing the property before arrival matters, how ownership and brand relationships affect your stay, and when to pay cash vs. points. We get into IHG, Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton, best rate guarantees, elite status shortcuts, and how to think like a VIP guest without overcomplicating the game. If you want your next trip to feel like an intentional experience instead of a random hotel night, this is one you’ll want to replay and take notes on.

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

itineraryboss.com

Credit Card Resources:

Points and Miles Cheat Sheet

Best Credit Cards for Travel

Bonus Offer Notifications

Transfer Bonus Notifications

Mesa HomeOwners Card: Use code KWHDBY to earn 5,000 bonus points

Favorite Travel & Points Tools:

TravelPayouts: Turn your trips into income and earn!

Gondola AI: Find better hotels, earn more points, travel for free!

Rakuten: Earn cash back/rewards on every purchase!

Seats.aero: Discover the best flights for your points

SaveWise: Maximize Cashback, Miles, & Points

AwardWallet: Organize & track your points and miles

RoveMiles: Earn and redeem miles on flights/hotels without a credit card

CardPointers: Earn more from your credit cards daily

Our Favorite Daily Personal & Business Tools:

Kit: Grow and monetize your email list

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ClickUp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Stay organized and master projects

Function Health: Optimize your health, explore the world!

Ben’s Social Media:

LinkedIn

Website

Itinerary Boss Socials:

LinkedIn

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pinterest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Itinerary Boss LLC has affiliate partners and some of these are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products or services we believe will add value to our listeners.

Disclaimer: The information provided by Itinerary Boss is for informational purposes only. We are not responsible for any outcomes, including injuries, damages, or losses, related to your travel plans. All travel is undertaken at your own risk, and Itinerary Boss assumes no liability for third-party services or actions.