Originally Posted by
pokee
I paid with points and so my early departure date is my 5th (free) night. I'll be leaving at around 6pm.
I've done app checkouts a few times without issue, so thought that would be the safe bet...
Then there's no problem. The early departure fee applies when you decide to leave early rather than paying for your entire reservation period. Moreover, to guarantee a 6 pm checkout at the time of reservation, you would need to pay for the night anyway, so you're not really checking out early.
I've taken advantage of the fifth night free to get either a very early check in or very late check out for hotels in Asia.