What to Ask Your Hotel Concierge: Free Upgrades, Insider Deals, and What Most Travelers Miss

Learn what hotel concierges can do for your next stay, from getting free upgrades to saving you money.

Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French explore what hotel concierges could do for your next stay. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including the opening of the new Chase Sapphire Lounge at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, a new points-conversion and status-challenge partnership between World of Hyatt and Air Canada's Aeroplan program, and Marriott Bonvoy's expanded partnership with Japan Airlines that could fast-track travelers to Oneworld elite status.

Then, joined by Fredrick Jones, Director of Rooms & Guest Relations at NH Hotel Group, they explore what hotel concierges can realistically do for guests, with tips on whether upgrades without elite status are possible, how to request perks most travelers don't think to ask for, and why a four-star property with a strong concierge desk could rival a five-star experience. They also help listener Sharon figure out how to put 150,000 Chase points to work for a family trip to Hawaii.

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Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve Review: A High-End, High-Maintenance Card

• Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business Review: Big Perks, Bigger Fee

• Best Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards of July 2026

Resources discussed in this episode:

• First Look at the New Dallas Chase Sapphire Lounge

• Hyatt-Air Canada Partnership Adds Redemptions, Status Challenges

• PointsYeah Award Search Review: A Great Tool for Points Collectors

• Points Path Review: A Free Tool to Compare Points vs. Cash

• Travel Inflation Report: July 2026

Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.  

*The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.

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