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It pays to be born. Beyond a complimentary dessert at your favorite restaurant, there are plenty of free birthday travel promotions that should be on your radar. Whether it’s extra bonus miles, hotel discounts or even upgrades on long-haul international flights, you’d be surprised how much you could potentially save on your special day.

Getting excited to celebrate? Don’t worry, we already did the hard work. Check out our list of places that offer the best birthday freebies.

Southwest Airlines

inside Southwest plane

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Even though you may not get anything for free when turning a year older, Southwest Airlines loves to celebrate other holidays at 30,000 feet in the air. Travelers have reported receiving free premium drinks when flying on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day and other holidays.

Plus, Southwest does celebrate its own birthday on June 18. So make a note and feel free to plan around it during the summer.

Compare Southwest Consumer Credit Cards

Credit Card Annual Fee Intro Bonus Perks Learn More

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

$69 50,000Southwest Rapid Rewards Points More Info

Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $700 (50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points * 0.014 base)

  • Lost luggage reimbursement
  • Baggage delay insurance

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

$99 50,000Southwest Rapid Rewards Points More Info

Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $700 (50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points * 0.014 base)

  • Lost luggage reimbursement
  • Baggage delay insurance

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

$149 50,000Southwest Rapid Rewards Points More Info

Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $700 (50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points * 0.014 base)

  • $75 Southwest annual travel credit
  • 25% back on inflight drinks & Wi-Fi
  • 4 upgraded boardings when available

China Airlines

This may not seem like a lot, but a discount is a discount. If you book a flight during your birthday month with China Airlines, you’re eligible to receive 5% off economy tickets and 10% off on business class routes in Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, Guam, Palau, Hong Kong and China.

You just have to sign up for the airlines’ loyalty program to take advantage of the promotion (it’s free to sign up).

Marriott

JW MARRIOTT DESERT SPRINGS RESORT & SPA

Marriott

The more you stay at Marriott hotels, the higher your loyalty status will be. In the past, some members have received a free future night for their birthday, though this appears to be paused for now.

There are no guarantees, but it could pay off to indicate your birthday on your account to increase the odds of receiving an offer like this someday. The best part is that the night might count toward the number of stays you have to accrue for a certain loyalty status. To put things in perspective, you only need 10 nights to gain Marriott’s lowest Silver status.

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Kimpton Hotels

Kimpton St Honoré Paris

Kimpton St Honoré Paris/IHG

Some customers have reported getting birthday surprises from Kimpton Hotels. These could include balloons or dessert placed in their room after giving the property a heads up they were celebrating a birthday. This isn't guaranteed every time, but it doesn't hurt to let the hotel know it's your big day and see if they reward you with something special.

Recommended Travel Credit Cards

Credit Card Intro Bonus Annual Fee Rewards Rate Learn More

Chase Sapphire Preferred®

60,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points More Info

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,380 (60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.023 base)

$95 1x- 5xPoints More Info

The card offers 5x points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3x points on dining (including eligible takeout and delivery services), as well as 3x points on select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs). This card earns 2x points on all other travel spending and 1x point per dollar everywhere else. Chase broadly defines travel to include not just airfare, hotels and rental cars, but expenses like parking, tolls and public transit too.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

50,000Southwest Rapid Rewards Points More Info

Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $700 (50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards Points * 0.014 base)

$99 1x - 3xPoints More Info

Earn 3 points for every $1 on Southwest Airlines® purchases, 2 points for every $1 on Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners, 2 points per $1 on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), 2 points per $1 on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming, and 1 point for every $1 on all other purchases.

United Gateway℠ Card

20,000United MileagePlus Miles More Info

Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Dollar Equivalent: $280 (20,000 United MileagePlus Miles * 0.014 base)

$0 1x - 2xPoints More Info

Earn 2X United miles per dollar on United purchases, local transit and commuting and at gas stations. You’ll earn 1X mile per dollar on all other purchases.

Citi Premier® Card

60,000Citi ThankYou Points More Info

Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou Points after making $4,000 worth of purchases during the first three months of account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,080 (60,000 Citi ThankYou Points * 0.018 base)

$95 1X-10XPoints More Info

10X total ThankYou® Points per $1 spend on hotel, car rentals and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024. 3X -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels 3X -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets 1X -- Earn 1 Point on All Other Purchases

Vegas Hotels

Bellagio in Las Vegas

Unsplash

If Vegas is on your birthday itinerary, it’s worth checking if you can get a little something for free as you celebrate another year. For example, the Wynn Las Vegas offers complimentary credit to use at its properties, along with a dinner credit for many of its locations, to those with Platinum or Black Wynn Rewards Tier membership.

The Plaza makes it even easier to score a freebie with its birthday discount, which just requires using the provided promo code when you make a reservation.

The next time you're in Vegas, let the hotel or restaurant know it's your big day, and see if any surprises come your way.

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Alaska Airlines 

Alaska Airlines

Unsplash

Again, it’s not much, but with Alaska Airlines you might be able to save up to 5% off tickets for you and a friend. The promo codes are reportedly unique to each member account and emailed to you around your birthday. It doesn’t hurt to get an already affordable flight for even cheaper.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is also known to offer birthday freebies for travelers, from a host of hot and cold drink options to birthday cake, as a former flight attendant recently detailed on Tiktok.

@geiwosushi Reply to @_xiaotheng_ PART 2: 🍝🥪🍎🍬🍰🍦#fyp #singaporeairlines #tiktoksg ♬ original sound - OMGXIAOQIAN

To score the free cake on your birthday, you’ll want to let the airline know in advance so they can bring it on board, but in general, free drinks and some foods are available most of the time on Singapore Airlines, birthdays included.

Disney

parade at Disney World

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Leave it to the happiest place on Earth to make your birthday magical. At Disney World and Disneyland, guests receive a free birthday button so the staff can properly greet you as you make your way through the grounds. It’s also an easy way for employees to know when they should give you the series of freebies from the different theme parks.

A few examples include a free pretzel at Disneyland’s Wetzel’s Pretzels with no purchase necessary, or a special offer at the Lego store. However, you have to sign up for the loyalty program beforehand. At Disney World, you might snag complimentary birthday desserts at an array of restaurants or an Icee from Club Cool in Epcot.

Additionally, outside franchises like Starbucks and Earl of Sandwich scattered around both parks sometimes honor their company’s birthday freebies for loyalists. It may only save you a few dollars, but nothing beats a free Frappuccino or Earl’s popular roast beef sandwich.

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Cruises

cruise at sunset

Unsplash

If you love the water, you might be able to swing a free cruise on your next birthday. While you’re unlikely to get a free oceanfaring weeklong cruise for free, some companies offer free harbor cruises on your birthday. Captain Cook Cruises, in Sydney, Australia, does, and they also offer a dining discount on birthdays. If you’ll be stateside for your big day, City Cruises in San Diego also offers a similar harbor tour the week of your birthday.

Tell People It's Your Birthday

As seen here, not all birthday promotions are officially advertised, so one of the best ways to score a deal on your big day may be just to ask. If you're flying, dining at a favorite restaurant or visiting a hotel, it could pay to let people know it's your birthday.

Best case scenario, you'll get a free piece of cake or a nice discount. Worst case, someone will wish you happy birthday—and while that won't do much for your bank account, it's always nice to hear.

Make sure you’re always getting the best prices when you travel by setting a Deal Alert. We’ll let you know as soon as there’s a new offer for your favorite airline or hotel.

SS

Slickdeals Money Staff

The Slickdeals Money editorial team is dedicated to helping readers navigate the personal finance space. We’re passionate about educating our readers on the very best financial tools & products on the market today.