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
Mar 7, 2019, 11:45 am
#61
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: USA
Programs: AA Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 310
Mar 7, 2019, 12:06 pm
#62
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 346
Yup you can do that. I recently did this with a FN cert. The agent will book it under the other person's name but you will receive the confirmation of booking under your account (or whoever's account the cert was issued to)
Mar 7, 2019, 12:47 pm
#63
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: USA
Programs: AA Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 310
Thank you, that's perfect. Who gets the night credit, out of curiosity? (Or does anyone?)
Mar 13, 2019, 3:09 pm
#64
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Northport, NY
Posts: 1,732
I received my certificate and made a reservation last August. I cancelled the reservation in October. For months every time I called I was told that due to a system problem the certificate was unavailable but it was a known issue and I shouldn't worry about the expiration date, it would be extended. Well........ I'm on the phone now and guess what? The Diamond desk can't find any notes and has no idea what I am talking about. They say the STAY must occur before the expiration date. The wording is not clear. So be warned, the expiration date is for the stay, not making the reservation. Of course, YMMV
In any case I feel they should honor (pun intended) what I was told and extend the certificate as I was unable to use it for five months due to Hilton's buggy IT.
ETA: After 35 minutes on the phone the Diamond Desk finally booked my award with the certificate. They extended it 30 days due to the prior issues. They confirmed that the STAY must be prior to the expiration. IMHO the certificate is poorly worded. A simple "reserve and stay before expiration" would leave no room for doubt.
In any case I feel they should honor (pun intended) what I was told and extend the certificate as I was unable to use it for five months due to Hilton's buggy IT.
ETA: After 35 minutes on the phone the Diamond Desk finally booked my award with the certificate. They extended it 30 days due to the prior issues. They confirmed that the STAY must be prior to the expiration. IMHO the certificate is poorly worded. A simple "reserve and stay before expiration" would leave no room for doubt.
Last edited by Schutzee; Mar 14, 2019 at 9:12 am Reason: add resolution
Mar 13, 2019, 4:19 pm
#65
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,904
Schutzee is the only one reporting an actual data point, but in that case the free night was used, then cancelled, and then not restored in time. I don't know if that's a special case.
For a Hilton Ascend free night certificate, does any know definitively if the stay must be completed by the certificate's expiration date? I wrote to HHonors hoping to get a written answer. Thanks.
Last edited by rrgg; Mar 13, 2019 at 4:31 pm
Mar 14, 2019, 6:21 am
#66
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Hilton Honors Diamond, IHG Spire, Marriott Titanium, Wyndham Diamond, Caesar's Diamond
Posts: 536
I guess I'm not the only one with this question.
Schutzee is the only one reporting an actual data point, but in that case the free night was used, then cancelled, and then not restored in time. I don't know if that's a special case.
For a Hilton Ascend free night certificate, does any know definitively if the stay must be completed by the certificate's expiration date? I wrote to HHonors hoping to get a written answer. Thanks.
Schutzee is the only one reporting an actual data point, but in that case the free night was used, then cancelled, and then not restored in time. I don't know if that's a special case.
For a Hilton Ascend free night certificate, does any know definitively if the stay must be completed by the certificate's expiration date? I wrote to HHonors hoping to get a written answer. Thanks.
Mar 15, 2019, 8:56 am
#67
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: LAX/ONT
Posts: 201
Anybody here meet the criteria for 2 free nights with the Ascend card that merged from Citi? I spent over $15K on my card, which meets the criteria for 2 free nights in early Dec. my statement date was end of Dec. I still haven't received any of the free nights 11 weeks from my statement date. How long does it usually take to receive the free nights?
Mar 16, 2019, 11:49 am
#68
Join Date: Jul 2015
Programs: HH Diamond, HGVC, WN RR, National Exec, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,057
I've got a bit of a weird situation and looking for some guidance. I'm looking to accomplish the following booking at a Conrad later in the year and run into a bit of a snag:
Sat night: Looking to use a Free Night Cert I have in hand (Note: Std Reward not avail if reserved as a standalone night)
Sun night: Would book with points now and change to FNC I should have in June. Able to book Sat & Sun nights using Std Rewards, just can't do Sat as standalone. Can currently book Sun as standalone reward.
Mon & Tues nights: Have booked a reservation using the Aspire $100 property credit promo.
I've read of some others changing an award night to a Free Cert Night, so should I booked the Sat/Sun Night award stay using Points, then call to have Sat night changed to the FNC I currently have and then call in May/June to have the Sun award night changed to the FNC I have then or am I out of luck here?
Sat night: Looking to use a Free Night Cert I have in hand (Note: Std Reward not avail if reserved as a standalone night)
Sun night: Would book with points now and change to FNC I should have in June. Able to book Sat & Sun nights using Std Rewards, just can't do Sat as standalone. Can currently book Sun as standalone reward.
Mon & Tues nights: Have booked a reservation using the Aspire $100 property credit promo.
I've read of some others changing an award night to a Free Cert Night, so should I booked the Sat/Sun Night award stay using Points, then call to have Sat night changed to the FNC I currently have and then call in May/June to have the Sun award night changed to the FNC I have then or am I out of luck here?
Last edited by birdiedouble; Mar 17, 2019 at 9:08 am Reason: Updated use of points/current cert + last paragraph.
Mar 23, 2019, 9:39 am
#69
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Berkeley, CA
Programs: UA Silver, Southwest A-List, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 818
FIgured I would reply on this thread rather than create a new one.
If I have a free weekend certificate reservation, but I want to change the date to another weekend (to a date within the certificate validity) at the same hotel, does any know if that can be done online or is the only way to call in?
Thanks!
If I have a free weekend certificate reservation, but I want to change the date to another weekend (to a date within the certificate validity) at the same hotel, does any know if that can be done online or is the only way to call in?
Thanks!
Mar 23, 2019, 12:30 pm
#70
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Berkeley, CA
Programs: UA Silver, Southwest A-List, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 818
FIgured I would reply on this thread rather than create a new one.
If I have a free weekend certificate reservation, but I want to change the date to another weekend (to a date within the certificate validity) at the same hotel, does any know if that can be done online or is the only way to call in?
Thanks!
If I have a free weekend certificate reservation, but I want to change the date to another weekend (to a date within the certificate validity) at the same hotel, does any know if that can be done online or is the only way to call in?
Thanks!
Apr 5, 2019, 4:57 pm
#71
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 239
Does anyone know if you can get upgraded as an Honors elite member when using a RN certificate? The T&C state that it is only good to *book* standard accomodation, but upgrades happen outside the booking process. Anyone have any experience? I have plastic-Diamond, i.e., status via the Aspire card. 
Apr 5, 2019, 5:23 pm
#72
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 943
Does anyone know if you can get upgraded as an Honors elite member when using a RN certificate? The T&C state that it is only good to *book* standard accomodation, but upgrades happen outside the booking process. Anyone have any experience? I have plastic-Diamond, i.e., status via the Aspire card.
Apr 5, 2019, 5:44 pm
#73
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: BNA (Nashville)
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 6,229
I have been upgraded by the hotel as a gold while using the weekend cert for one of my nights. The last time was the Conrad HK on an award/weekend cert combo stay.
It it is only restrictive when you book, but hasn’t prevented upgrades since the hotel seems to consider it the same as an award stay.
It it is only restrictive when you book, but hasn’t prevented upgrades since the hotel seems to consider it the same as an award stay.
Apr 8, 2019, 5:46 pm
#74
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 113
Apr 8, 2019, 11:03 pm
#75
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Programs: Delta DM
Posts: 425
Best use of free weekend night certificate???
Wanted to get people of FT’s opinion when it came to using the free weekend night certificate for a stay in the US? Las Vegas based and wanted to try the Waldorf Astoria in NYC but didn’t realize they’re closed u til 2020. So into plan B. Any suggestions? Thanks!
OPS
OPS