Finding Deals With Paid Upgrades - NYTimes.com

With all the complaints about escalating fees that travelers have to pay, another pricing trend is on the rise that some customers may actually like: paid upgrades. Hotels, airlines and car rental agencies are more aggressively promoting the chance to upgrade your room, seat or set of wheels for a price that is often (but not always) less than you would have paid if you had reserved that business-class ticket or hotel suite in the first place.