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
Jul 5, 2023, 2:05 pm
#1021
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,350
It's not about what you recommend but if it's doable or not for the OP. See post #983 and my post #1000 for starters. There are other DPs as well.
I'm not sure what you're referring to can go sideways but perhaps you can enlighten us so we'll be aware of any misfortune that may await anyone that extends a certificate.
Jul 5, 2023, 2:46 pm
#1022
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
Programs: HH Diamond, Sixt Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Marriott/SPG Gold .....
Posts: 3,215
Question about free nights certs. I made a reservation for a night in Paris, and I have a family of three, but the standard award only had rooms with double occupancy. I called the hotel directly asking about buying an upgrade over the phone to a room that could sleep three, but the front desk told me that I should wait for the app to tell me when I can upgrade. After some googling, I understand that Hilton has that 72 hour upgrade via the app sometimes. Now, I have a backup hotel in case this doesn't work, but what are the prices usually like? Should I expect to pay exactly the difference in the rooms? For example I'd be going from a standard king bed room, and would be looking for a paid upgrade to a room with a queen and a sofa bed. I know the rule is to book a room you'd be happy with, but the certificate in summer in Paris is pretty hard to use, to say the least.
Should I call Hilton's reservation line to see if they can help? I was under the impression most hotels can process paid upgrades at the front desk but I guess not this Hilton...
Thanks all.
Should I call Hilton's reservation line to see if they can help? I was under the impression most hotels can process paid upgrades at the front desk but I guess not this Hilton...
Thanks all.
Jul 9, 2023, 6:32 pm
#1023
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: DEN
Programs: Hilton Diamond Hyatt Globalist Marriott Gold AA EXP
Posts: 1,019
I have a FNA expiring Aug 12 2023 but would like to book the Waldorf Rome for Aug 22 - which is within the 14 day extension window they offer. However when I chatted with an agent they said I have to call back within 48 hours of expiry to get the extension. I'm worried the standard award rooms will no longer be available by then. Is there a workaround?
Jul 9, 2023, 6:34 pm
#1024
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 825
I have a FNA expiring Aug 12 2023 but would like to book the Waldorf Rome for Aug 22 - which is within the 14 day extension window they offer. However when I chatted with an agent they said I have to call back within 48 hours of expiry to get the extension. I'm worried the standard award rooms will no longer be available by then. Is there a workaround?
Jul 10, 2023, 7:23 am
#1025
Join Date: Oct 2022
Posts: 8
I have searched and haven’t seemed to find an answer to this question that isn’t 5+ years old.
I have two FNCs I’d like to book for two family members to stay in Sedona next month. I believe I can do this easily by booking and adding their names to the reservation which will allow them to check in without me present. Is that still correct?
I have an Aspire as well, and Bell Rock is eligible for the $250 resort credit. If I book using my Aspire for incidentals, will my family have any issues at check out? Can I pre approve this in any way prior to their trip?
Any advice would be wonderful, TIA!
I have two FNCs I’d like to book for two family members to stay in Sedona next month. I believe I can do this easily by booking and adding their names to the reservation which will allow them to check in without me present. Is that still correct?
I have an Aspire as well, and Bell Rock is eligible for the $250 resort credit. If I book using my Aspire for incidentals, will my family have any issues at check out? Can I pre approve this in any way prior to their trip?
Any advice would be wonderful, TIA!
Hi, any updates on this? Were you able to use the FNC for the family member and they checked in just fine?
Jul 10, 2023, 7:36 pm
#1026
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: DEN
Programs: Hilton Diamond Hyatt Globalist Marriott Gold AA EXP
Posts: 1,019
somehow between yesterday and today, it went from standard rooms AND suites available all week to being completely sold out both those nights 8-22 and 8-23 on all room types and rates. Those are the only 2 nights that week that filled up and aren't near a weekend. Very weird. Will those rooms come back?
Jul 15, 2023, 1:58 am
#1027
Join Date: May 2023
Posts: 40
I recently signed up for (a couple) AMEX cards that came with signup bonus point + free night certificate. The bonus points for one of the cards hit my account (about a week after I passed the spend threshold but before the statement closed) - how long before I should expect to see the free night certificate arrive?
Jul 15, 2023, 7:34 am
#1028
Join Date: Jun 2023
Posts: 9
Jul 16, 2023, 2:01 pm
#1029
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: Midwest USA
Posts: 130
Hey yes, this did end up working. They were able to check in and complete the stay without me, though I believe they stuck to virtual check-in/check-out. I warned them I didn't know if the $250 resort credit would work out so to not spend anything they didn't intend on paying me back for just in case it didn't. Ultimately they only ate at the resort once and spend about $45 which DID get comped under the resort credit.
jrusson - apologies I meant to reply to you but hit quick reply by accident.
jrusson - apologies I meant to reply to you but hit quick reply by accident.
Jul 19, 2023, 5:14 am
#1031
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,486
Just book the night with the FNC separately then call the hotel and let them know you have a separate reservation for night 6. You won't have to switch rooms or check out and check back in or anything like that.
Jul 19, 2023, 7:57 pm
#1032
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New York, New York, US
Programs: KF, FB, HH, AA
Posts: 206
Jul 20, 2023, 4:57 am
#1034
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 2,263
Jul 20, 2023, 12:37 pm
#1035
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 82
Tried to extend a free night certificate that expires on Dec 25th, for a booking on Jan 14th.
Agent did some investigation, then advised that they can extend the certificate (didn't specify for how long, but said that it could be done for my dates), so seems like 2-3 weeks of extension is doable.
However, they said that the extension could only be done closer to the expiration of the certificate, if I call in anytime from 2 weeks prior to 2 weeks after the expiration (so sometime in December or January, which is ~6 months from now). They were not able to make my booking at this time with the certificate. They had me instead make a booking in cash, that I should then call in to basically have the agent rework the bookings. Upon my questioning them, this would effectively be cancelling the cash booking and then booking an award booking with the free night. I brought up that sometimes rooms cancelled don't always go back into inventory. They said that this is technically a risk but they almost always go back to being available (again... we know that's not always the case at properties the WA Maldives or Conrad Bora Bora. I'm targeting Zemi Beach House, and I haven't seen that type of stuff with their inventory, so I was slightly less concerned). In any event, I opted to make a points booking for that night, that I will then cancel and hope goes back into inventory to allow me to use the then-renewed certificate. From my discussions with them, they were adamant from the notes on my account and the booking that customer service would definitely extend the certificate, but still conceded that there was a small risk that an award night might not be available at that time (even if I pre-booked the room then cancelled).
Agent did some investigation, then advised that they can extend the certificate (didn't specify for how long, but said that it could be done for my dates), so seems like 2-3 weeks of extension is doable.
However, they said that the extension could only be done closer to the expiration of the certificate, if I call in anytime from 2 weeks prior to 2 weeks after the expiration (so sometime in December or January, which is ~6 months from now). They were not able to make my booking at this time with the certificate. They had me instead make a booking in cash, that I should then call in to basically have the agent rework the bookings. Upon my questioning them, this would effectively be cancelling the cash booking and then booking an award booking with the free night. I brought up that sometimes rooms cancelled don't always go back into inventory. They said that this is technically a risk but they almost always go back to being available (again... we know that's not always the case at properties the WA Maldives or Conrad Bora Bora. I'm targeting Zemi Beach House, and I haven't seen that type of stuff with their inventory, so I was slightly less concerned). In any event, I opted to make a points booking for that night, that I will then cancel and hope goes back into inventory to allow me to use the then-renewed certificate. From my discussions with them, they were adamant from the notes on my account and the booking that customer service would definitely extend the certificate, but still conceded that there was a small risk that an award night might not be available at that time (even if I pre-booked the room then cancelled).
Both times, I encountered an initial agent who was adamant that they (speaking about themselves the agent) would not be able to extend a certificate or make a booking with a certificate for after its expiry, not now and not closer to expiry and not after expiry. I mentioned that I had previously been told it was possible and there should be notes on the reservation. Both times, they expressed surprise, then referred me over to another department (I'm guessing some part of HHonors rather than the booking department), and both times that next person I spoke to told me that:
1. They could not extend the certificate now
2. They will extend it when it is closer to expiry (one went so far as to use the word "guarantee", similar to the my initial call back in June)
3. I should call back up to 2 weeks prior to expiry
So, this might not be consistent with what other people have experienced, but it's at least been a consistent message to me throughout my multiple calls.