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
Apr 21, 2021, 7:21 pm
#346
Join Date: Mar 2009
Programs: Hilton credit card Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,651
I have an upcoming trip that I booked using points (standard room rewards). Currently I have 2 free night certificates and tried calling Hilton diamond line to change my booking from points to FNCs.
They told me hotel currently doesn't have any standard room rewards. Normally they said they are making new reservation with FNCs then cancel the old booking. And if they cancel my reservation first they said they don't know when those rooms will be available again.
Has anyone have any experience about this? If I cancel my reservation, will these rooms become available to rebook again?
They told me hotel currently doesn't have any standard room rewards. Normally they said they are making new reservation with FNCs then cancel the old booking. And if they cancel my reservation first they said they don't know when those rooms will be available again.
Has anyone have any experience about this? If I cancel my reservation, will these rooms become available to rebook again?
You would be better off looking in the thread for the specific hotel (if one exists) to find out about other's experiences.
Apr 21, 2021, 11:15 pm
#347
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,306
I have an upcoming trip that I booked using points (standard room rewards). Currently I have 2 free night certificates and tried calling Hilton diamond line to change my booking from points to FNCs.
They told me hotel currently doesn't have any standard room rewards. Normally they said they are making new reservation with FNCs then cancel the old booking. And if they cancel my reservation first they said they don't know when those rooms will be available again.
Has anyone have any experience about this? If I cancel my reservation, will these rooms become available to rebook again?
They told me hotel currently doesn't have any standard room rewards. Normally they said they are making new reservation with FNCs then cancel the old booking. And if they cancel my reservation first they said they don't know when those rooms will be available again.
Has anyone have any experience about this? If I cancel my reservation, will these rooms become available to rebook again?
TD
Apr 27, 2021, 5:41 pm
#348
Join Date: Apr 2021
Programs: Diamond
Posts: 1
Weekend Night Certificate
Diamond member with several weekend night certificates trying to book Waldorf Monarch Beach. I don't see it on the exclusions list and there are all sorts of articles online noting as a good place to use the certs...but I call and the rep tells me she can't book me there. Anyone else have this issue and worked around it? Thanks!
Apr 27, 2021, 6:41 pm
#349
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 875
What dates are you trying to book? To use your free night cert, you need to find dates with standard award redemption availability (max 95,000 points). Incidentally the cert should also be good for weekedays temporarily as a courtesy extended from Hilton due to these Covid circumstances.
Apr 29, 2021, 12:54 pm
#350
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 113
Anyone successfully extended Hilton free night certificate?
I have three free night certs due to expire on Aug 31, 2021. I found it very hard to use them, giving the current COVID situation, especially since we originally plan to use them in French Polynesia. So I called the diamond desk trying to see if there is any chance to extend them. I got three completely different answers from 3 reps.
1st: I cannot extend it right now, since there are still some time before expiration. You should call back in August or Sept.
I asked: So you mean I should call after they expire?
He said yes. He also indicated that he can extend it for one month. But when I try to confirm, he said they will see what they can do at that time.
2nd: I just find the document regarding this. You should call within two weeks of expiration, and the maximum we can extend is two weeks.
She seems pretty firm about this, as when I asked again if this is the official policy, and she said yes.
3rd: No way to extend at all.
It seems to me that the reps actually have some room to decide what to do based on situations. It's likely that they can extended it for at least two weeks, but not clear what's the maximum.
I am wondering if should try to use them in some lesser locations when there are still time to plan for that, or take chance to see if in August they can do anything different.
Are there any one who successfully extended Hilton FN? I did some search but cannot find any data point. It seem neither of IHG and Marriott as well. Only Hyatt can be changed to points after expiration, but I didn't see any recent data point.
1st: I cannot extend it right now, since there are still some time before expiration. You should call back in August or Sept.
I asked: So you mean I should call after they expire?
He said yes. He also indicated that he can extend it for one month. But when I try to confirm, he said they will see what they can do at that time.
2nd: I just find the document regarding this. You should call within two weeks of expiration, and the maximum we can extend is two weeks.
She seems pretty firm about this, as when I asked again if this is the official policy, and she said yes.
3rd: No way to extend at all.
It seems to me that the reps actually have some room to decide what to do based on situations. It's likely that they can extended it for at least two weeks, but not clear what's the maximum.
I am wondering if should try to use them in some lesser locations when there are still time to plan for that, or take chance to see if in August they can do anything different.
Are there any one who successfully extended Hilton FN? I did some search but cannot find any data point. It seem neither of IHG and Marriott as well. Only Hyatt can be changed to points after expiration, but I didn't see any recent data point.
Apr 29, 2021, 1:24 pm
#351
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,811
I haven’t seen a report of an extension beyond AUG21 yet.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilt...estion-21.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilt...estion-21.html
Apr 29, 2021, 1:45 pm
#352
Join Date: May 2012
Location: AMS
Programs: BA KL LH Hilton Marriott
Posts: 1,230
I have three free night certs due to expire on Aug 31, 2021. I found it very hard to use them, giving the current COVID situation, especially since we originally plan to use them in French Polynesia.
I am wondering if should try to use them in some lesser locations when there are still time to plan for that, or take chance to see if in August they can do anything different.
I am wondering if should try to use them in some lesser locations when there are still time to plan for that, or take chance to see if in August they can do anything different.
(a) is your intent to extend the certificates, and
(b) is the question you are asking yourself about your intended destination.
Either of these options could work, or maybe a combination of both is the best path at the moment.
Apr 29, 2021, 3:25 pm
#353
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Springfield, MA
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 434
I was booked to go to the Koh Samui Conrad for a week in June 2021 on points and 2 free nights. I had sent a fair chunk of money in anticipation of this for credit at the resort. Obviously that is not possible. I called Hilton Honors, and they told me that I should have no problem getting my nights extended for a year when the hotel is booking in June. But this may be based on different circumstances.
Apr 29, 2021, 8:44 pm
#354
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 113
At the very least I am personally not restricting myself to "original plans". These unprecedented times call for (a) patience and willingness to hold out or (b) immense flexibility.
(a) is your intent to extend the certificates, and
(b) is the question you are asking yourself about your intended destination.
Either of these options could work, or maybe a combination of both is the best path at the moment.
(a) is your intent to extend the certificates, and
(b) is the question you are asking yourself about your intended destination.
Either of these options could work, or maybe a combination of both is the best path at the moment.
I haven’t seen a report of an extension beyond AUG21 yet.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilt...estion-21.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilt...estion-21.html
My guess is, if you ask them to directly change the expiration date, it is not likely to work. However, if you ask them to book a later date, it might work. The 1st rep actually asked me when do I want to use them, I told him preferably after the pandamic. Had I give him a specific date say Spet 30 at say Conard BB, it may work.
I was booked to go to the Koh Samui Conrad for a week in June 2021 on points and 2 free nights. I had sent a fair chunk of money in anticipation of this for credit at the resort. Obviously that is not possible. I called Hilton Honors, and they told me that I should have no problem getting my nights extended for a year when the hotel is booking in June. But this may be based on different circumstances.
Last edited by Canarsie; May 3, 2021 at 12:30 pm Reason: Consolidation.
Apr 30, 2021, 8:41 am
#356
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Springfield, MA
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 434
They already know I can't make it, and I've already cancelled. I can't rebook yet because reservations haven't opened up that far yet. I've been asuured that they will be extended once reservations open up that far.
Apr 30, 2021, 3:32 pm
#359
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,431
I just called on 4 individual certs due to expire on 8/31/21 and the rep,said each one is now expiring on 8/31/22. She checked each individually and it was the same answer for each expiration date: 8/31/22. Good news for sure.
ETA. I don’t trust Hilton CSRs and just called back and told the first CSR was wrong. I am on hold with supervisor now. Has employee training been completely eliminatec?
ETA. I don’t trust Hilton CSRs and just called back and told the first CSR was wrong. I am on hold with supervisor now. Has employee training been completely eliminatec?
Last edited by cruisr; Apr 30, 2021 at 3:45 pm
Apr 30, 2021, 4:06 pm
#360
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,026
I just called on 4 individual certs due to expire on 8/31/21 and the rep,said each one is now expiring on 8/31/22. She checked each individually and it was the same answer for each expiration date: 8/31/22. Good news for sure.
ETA. I don’t trust Hilton CSRs and just called back and told the first CSR was wrong. I am on hold with supervisor now. Has employee training been completely eliminatec?
ETA. I don’t trust Hilton CSRs and just called back and told the first CSR was wrong. I am on hold with supervisor now. Has employee training been completely eliminatec?