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
Jan 16, 2020, 2:27 am
#241
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Hilton Honors
Posts: 76
Jan 16, 2020, 10:06 am
#242
Join Date: May 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: AS; Hyatt Globalist; Hilton Gold; NEXUS
Posts: 979
Generally speaking, what is the best way to logistically use the certificate for stays longer than a night? Should I book the paid portion online and then call to redeem the free night? Book both over the phone? Is there any way to avoid a check out/check in dance in the middle?
Jan 16, 2020, 1:44 pm
#243
Join Date: Jul 2015
Programs: HH Diamond, HGVC, WN RR, National Exec, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,057
Generally speaking, what is the best way to logistically use the certificate for stays longer than a night? Should I book the paid portion online and then call to redeem the free night? Book both over the phone? Is there any way to avoid a check out/check in dance in the middle?
Jan 16, 2020, 1:46 pm
#244
Join Date: Jul 2015
Programs: HH Diamond, HGVC, WN RR, National Exec, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,057
I meant did you call the 800# to see if they could help you out in light of the previous error and make an adjustment on the existing reservation for the Standard night.
Jan 24, 2020, 12:09 pm
#246
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,012
Anyone know if a Hilton agent can book two certificates together for a hotel that is blocking single night standard awards but allows for two nights?
UPDATE: Yes, the diamond desk is able to accomplish this (unlike Hyatt, in my experience).
UPDATE: Yes, the diamond desk is able to accomplish this (unlike Hyatt, in my experience).
Last edited by trouble747; Jan 25, 2020 at 11:22 am
Jan 26, 2020, 5:11 pm
#248
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: MileagePlus, Amex MR, Chase UR
Posts: 24
Min 3 nights with Free Night Certificate?
I am having a very similar issue except I'm trying to book 2 nights with cash and then the 3rd night with the free night certificate, on a hotel with a 3 night min. I am told it's impossible to do that, even by the Diamond desk. Has anyone had any success doing this that could give some advice? Apparently the only way to do it is to do the entire thing with points only, but the point value is terrible on this hotel so I really rather save my points for a better redemption...
Mar 14, 2020, 2:31 pm
#249
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,904
Some certificates are being extended:
“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.“
“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.“
Mar 14, 2020, 2:50 pm
#250
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: SoCal; DO-RAGS: Old Gold tagged, PIP, LatPass 1/2, AA 4MM, HH LT Diamond, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, Omni
Posts: 9,180
Yesterday AMEX emailed nine times gushing about my free Hilton weekender. I’m eagerly awaiting all nine certs to populate my account.
Mar 16, 2020, 9:23 pm
#252
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFOSJCOAK
Programs: AA-EXP & 1MM+, AS, MR-LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 7,581
Mar 17, 2020, 8:23 am
#253
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA Exec Plat, UA 1K, BA Gold, AF Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriot Plat
Posts: 303
Got the extension to Aug 2021 email for both the wife and my HHonors account as well this past Saturday. As of this morning Tuesday EST, called the diamond desk and our existing certs still all have their original unchanged expiration dates (Mar 2020, May 2020, Aug 2020, Sep 2020). If anyone has their actual expiration dates changed to Aug 2021 please share your datapoint cheers
how in the world do you get 9 certs? the most I can think of is 2 concurrently if you hold the aspire card (1 renewal year + 1 spending over $60K in calendar year)
Mar 17, 2020, 8:36 am
#254
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: SoCal; DO-RAGS: Old Gold tagged, PIP, LatPass 1/2, AA 4MM, HH LT Diamond, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, Omni
Posts: 9,180
Got the extension to Aug 2021 email for both the wife and my HHonors account as well this past Saturday. As of this morning Tuesday EST, called the diamond desk and our existing certs still all have their original unchanged expiration dates (Mar 2020, May 2020, Aug 2020, Sep 2020). If anyone has their actual expiration dates changed to Aug 2021 please share your datapoint cheers
how in the world do you get 9 certs? the most I can think of is 2 concurrently if you hold the aspire card (1 renewal year + 1 spending over $60K in calendar year)
how in the world do you get 9 certs? the most I can think of is 2 concurrently if you hold the aspire card (1 renewal year + 1 spending over $60K in calendar year)
Mar 17, 2020, 10:53 am
#255
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: USA
Programs: AA Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 310
Special Policy This Year: Hilton is automatically extending the expiration date to Aug. 31, 2021 "For all unexpired Weekend Night Rewards as of March 11, 2020, and all new ones issued until August 30, 2020."
