Mar 14, 2019, 8:27 am
Last edit by: rrgg
Expiration: The 12 month expiration date on a certificate means you must reserve and complete the stay by the expiration date. You can't reserve something beyond the 12 month period. You can't extend the expiration date. (Some exceptions starting with this post.)
Eligible Dates: A certificate can be used for a Standard Room Award any day of the week. (Old policy limited them to Fri, Sat, Sun).
Other Notes:
Eligible Dates: A certificate can be used for a Standard Room Award any day of the week. (Old policy limited them to Fri, Sat, Sun).
Other Notes:
- If you earned a free night from a credit card and cancel the card, the free night certificate remains intact.
- If you cancel a reservation made with a free night certificate, the certificate becomes available right away.
- After making a reservation with a free night certificate, you'll get an email that says you booked a Standard Room Award. It will also show the points value, but no points will actually be deducted.
- The free night from the Aspire card arrives by email within 2 months of being approved and anniversary date, and the free night from spend on the Aspire/Business/Surpass arrives within a week or sooner of reaching the spending threshold. This is irrespective of your card statement date. If you upgrade from another Hilton Amex to the Aspire, the free night may post more quickly.
- Available, reserved and used certificates can be seen midway through the My Account page (https://www.hilton.com/en/hilton-hon...st/my-account/)
- If you're waiting for a free night certificate to arrive, Hilton reps say it does not help to make a points reservation and then swap it later. The reason is they have to cancel the old points reservation one and make a new reservation. The old one can't just be edited to change the payment to a FNC.
- From the Hilton email regarding a special 2020 policy on some certificates, "For all unexpired Weekend Night Rewards as of March 11, 2020, and all new ones issued until August 30, 2020, we are extending the expiration date through the end of next summer (August 31, 2021). There is no need for you to do anything, as your certificate(s) are being automatically updated in our systems. We hope this adjustment gives you some additional flexibility for your travels
Consolidated "Free Night Certificate Questions & Experiences" thread
Aug 8, 2019, 10:33 pm
#167
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: BGI | MIA
Programs: AA Platinum Pro | Hyatt Globalist | HH Diamond | SPG Gold
Posts: 316
took almost 4 weeks after AF posted. Completed Minimum spend within 30 days. I know they aren't related but I had the bonus well before the Night Cert
Aug 9, 2019, 11:31 am
#168
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Planet Earth
Programs: IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy Gold, Hertz PC, AA Plat Pro
Posts: 149
DP:
Upgraded Ascend to Aspire June 13th
Received Weekend Night Email August 8th
Redemption code posted to my account August 9th
Upgraded Ascend to Aspire June 13th
Received Weekend Night Email August 8th
Redemption code posted to my account August 9th
Aug 23, 2019, 4:11 pm
#169
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: Delta Silver, Marriott Gold, HH Diamond, Ex-UA Gold, Ex-AA Gold , Ex-SPG Gold, Peon everywhere else
Posts: 616
Any recent DP's on how long it takes AMEX to award the Ascend/Surpass free night cert after meeting the $15k spend threshold. I am literally $85 short of the $15k but really need the certifcate to be good through the end of 2020.
Aug 24, 2019, 12:47 am
#172
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Signed up for the Ascend earlier this year when I got annoyed with Bonvoy and wanted to fast track to Diamond (as a Marriott Titanium). Was pleased to use the free weekend night certificate for a trip to Japan that we have planned for this upcoming March at the Conrad Osaka (95k points/night) and the other two nights covered by points (mostly from getting the card) -- awesome redemption since rack rates are $700+
Aug 27, 2019, 8:05 am
#173
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Washington DC
Programs: United Premier Plat, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 100
I was checking around the benefits section of my Aspire card and it shows I have a free night certificate issued back in February. I could have sworn I used this in April or May 2019, but I could be confusing myself. Does the benefits page update (like it does with airline fee reimbursements) or is it just static and it could be showing me a certificate number I've already used? Anyway short of calling in to find out (I'm mostly deaf so calling in can be difficult unless I reach a very clear speaking CSR)?
Aug 27, 2019, 10:09 am
#174
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DAY
Programs: Rapid Rewards, Skymiles, Hilton HHonors, SPG/Marriott Rewards
Posts: 4,952
Aug 31, 2019, 2:14 pm
#175
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: Delta Sky Miles Silver, United Mileage Plus Silver, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 37
I have a weekend certificate that expires in November but my account comes up for the Annual Fee in September. I am going to cancel the Aspire card as my husband also has one. Does anyone know if you have to have an active Hilton Aspire Amex account when you actually use your certificate? I only have about 15 days before my account will renew so I was hoping to not waste the certificate. I looked through the T&Cs and didn't see anything stating that your Amex Aspire account must be in an open status when you use the certificate. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Sep 1, 2019, 12:55 pm
#176
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,934
I have a weekend certificate that expires in November but my account comes up for the Annual Fee in September. I am going to cancel the Aspire card as my husband also has one. Does anyone know if you have to have an active Hilton Aspire Amex account when you actually use your certificate? I only have about 15 days before my account will renew so I was hoping to not waste the certificate. I looked through the T&Cs and didn't see anything stating that your Amex Aspire account must be in an open status when you use the certificate. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Amex USA terms now penalize:abuse,misuse,gaming;1st yr downgrade/close;leaked offers.
Amex (USA) restricts bonus based on number of accounts opened/closed (June 2018)
As to your original question, does your free night info even say anywhere that it was earned on an Aspire card? Mine doesn't even mention Amex at all that I can see! And there are different ways to earn free night awards (including spend on other cards). So I don't see how Hilton would even know for sure that it came from an Aspire card, plus whether Hilton would know whether that card was still open.
Sep 2, 2019, 5:03 pm
#177
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 171
Went ahead and called in. For anyone doing changes in the future, make sure the agent cancels the original reservation first. That puts the cert back into your account. Then create a brand new booking. First agent I called didn't do that, so I had to call back to get it resolved.
So now I'm left with a certificate that expires soon with no immediate real travel plans. I called into the Hilton Honors line and they simply said there's nothing they can do about it. So they screw up and somehow I have to pay the price? An absolutely absurd customer service response.
I then filed a complaint using their online system and was given a ticket number. They stated that they'd "contact the hotel on my behalf." Um, this wasn't the hotels fault at all. This was the hilton booking agent through-and-through.
Anyone been through this type of situation? Any suggestions?