Finkface

I also upgraded in March (March 14) and received the email from Amex about the free night cert yesterday and the email from Hilton with the actual cert this morning. Prorated annual fee was billed May 10.

Travel22

Data point: I was approved for the Aspire on/about March 15. Two days ago, I received the Amex free night email. This morning, I received the Hilton free night email with the code and associated instructions. So, just over two months from approved application to free night arrival.

asdfghjk

We have not been billed the AF yet. Probably soon I guess.

san888

So what I am seeing here is that there is no pattern for the pro-rated $450. The cert looks like about 8 weeks. I upgraded April 1st so I'm guessing the cert will come in the next few weeks.

Any one else with updates/data points?

Beachchaser

I upgraded on 3/30 so it looks like we are in the dp lottery together

MNSWEEps

I don't have Aspire but planning to get one...I am also planning to use AMEX MR to book 6 nights and then use free weekend night as 7th day ..is that possible? Basically combine 2 reservations ? one on amextravel.com and other using free night?

sdsearch

That's because AF timing has nothing to do with the cert timing on an upgrade.

On an upgrade, the AF timing is related to the month you originally got the first card that this upgrade came from (possible through other upgrades along the way). Ie, if you first got this card as a no-AF card back on March of 200x, and you upgraded to Aspire in May of this year, you may not get the (barely if at all prorated) AF until March of 2020, while you'll get your cert in summer of 2019. OTOH, if you first got this card as a no-AF card back on May of 200x, you upgrade to Aspire in March of this year, you may get the prorated AF before you get the cert.

So there is a pattern to the pro-rated $450, it's just that it's a pattern related to when you first applied for the card you have, which may have been many years ago and you may no longer remember what month of the year it was. It's just that most people aren't mentioning (and may not even know) when exactly they first opened the card that they recently upgrade to Aspire. (And your credit report can't even tell you if your original HH card was opened before Amex stopped backdating card opening dates circa early 2015.)

cheaptom

I've done this before, but they had to make 2 separate reservations, plus they would not guarantee that the free night would be a continuation of the first 6 nights. In other words, they said after the 6th night, you may need to change rooms. This did NOT happen, but they warned me it was possible. You should be fine.

asdfghjk

Update: I received my cert today (upgraded in mid March). Still no prorated AF yet.

Beachchaser

Thanks for the follow up, could you please tell me when you received your email from amex telling you the cert is on the way?

cheaptom

I got mine a few months ago, and it says "To make a Reward reservation before the expiration date of 05-Mar-2020, call 1-800-4HONORS"

My question is...do I have to complete my stay by March 5th, or just make a reservation? What if I call on March 1st and make a reservation for the following December...allowed?

asdfghjk

Less than 24hrs before the cert email for both of us.

hyperzulu

Stay has to be completed by the expiry date.

asdfghjk

Update #2 : My wife and I just received another free night cert each. I think we got lucky. I assume these are the anniversary certs. I am not sure how Amex sets the anniversary date for a card, but I thought we upgraded a few days after the old card's approval date.

Beachchaser

Upgraded late March and received 2 emails on 6/1 thinking it had to be a mistake in being sent twice. On 6/2 I received 2 emails minutes apart with different certificate numbers. Is this a glitch as my acct was opened 3rd week of March?