Using your points or getting an upgrade from an airline can be a hassle, but there are ways, and times, when it can be a whole lot easier.

"The Travel Detective" Peter Greenberg says the biggest obstacle to getting an upgrade is that since you don't know anybody at the airport or airline, for all intents and purposes, it's like you're flying with them for the first time, every time.

Getting an Upgrade

Getting to know the airline employees at the airport and establishing relationships are the key to better service, and more upgrades, according to Greenberg. 

"The best way to get an upgrade is not to ask for one, and I'll explain, you can probably tell me the name of your butcher, your baker and your candlestick maker, but I bet you can't tell me the first or last name of anybody who works at the airport or the airline," Greenberg says.

Getting to know someone is as easy as starting a polite conversation. "If you just go out there and talk to them and don't ask for the upgrade, they might just give you the...five magic words right before you board saying 'let me see your ticket,' and that means you're getting the upgrade."

On the other hand, Greenberg says you should be honest about what you are doing and recognize that there there are limits to how much you should push for the upgrade so you're not spending too much time "hovering near that counter."

Using Your Points

Everyone knows that when it comes time to use those travel rewards points, you never can find the seats you need, on the dates you want, to city you hope to visit.

But Greenberg says "you've got to beat them at their own game, playing by their rules."

"Think alternate airports...think different routings, you don't always need to go non-stop." He adds that flying to nearby airports like Ft. Lauderdale, Florida rather than Miami, can save the time and aggravation that comes with a busier airport.

A less busy airport is also likely to mean less congestion, less crowds, better service, fewer delays, and a better chance you'll get your bags, he says.

Using an alternate route may mean you need to make multiple stops, and the trip will take longer, but it will still get you to your destination on the date you want.

When to Buy

Yes, there is even a better time to buy your tickets so that you can get them for a lower price. According to Greenberg, there is a specific time and day when seats are likely to become available at a cheaper fare.

"If you can stay up late it's one minute after midnight on a Tuesday night, which really means 12:01 a.m. Wednesday morning in the city where the airline is based," Greenberg says, and you have about a one hour window to get those cheaper fares.

This is because "arilines like to do all their discount sales over the weekend to see who's going to match them...all the matching finally ends on Monday, and as you know, once you book a ticket you're given 24 hours in which to purchase it, so on Tuesday night all those people who booked tickets on Monday, but didn't pay for those discount tickets, all those fares come flooding back into the computer system."

Baggage Safety

While Greenberg would always rather avoid checking luggage, (he believes there are two types, carry-on and lost), he does have a few suggestions to make sure that your bags get to your destination with you.

Due to the way baggage is handled, he suggests "don't just put you ID on the outside of the bag, because conveyor belts like to eat those for breakfast, lunch and dinner, put your ID on inside of the bag." That way if it is lost, it can be found again.

Greenberg also suggests travellers open their bags as soon as it comes off the carousel, instead of rushing out the door.

Greenberg says "Open the bag before you leave the airport because baggage thieves do not steal bags, they steal individual items from bags, and if you wait to get home to find out that something that's key to you is missing, it's your word against the airline and guess who loses, you do."