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
May 7, 2019, 7:32 pm
#136
Join Date: Mar 2009
Programs: Hilton credit card Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,651
"The sale or barter of any Hilton Honors Points, Certificates, Rewards Confirmations or other Hilton Honors benefits other than by Hilton Honors is prohibited. Any Points, Certificates or benefits which Hilton Domestic Operating Company Inc. deems in its sole discretion to have been transferred, sold or assigned in violation of Program Terms and Conditions may be confiscated or canceled."
May 8, 2019, 3:38 am
#137
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: PHL/EWR
Programs: AA, US, WN, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 1,528
May 13, 2019, 7:57 am
#139
Join Date: Jun 2018
Programs: HIlton Diamond, Delta , Southwest, Amex Corp Plat, AA
Posts: 184
I'm pretty sure the answer is no from prior reading of threads. You could call, cancel the reservation then immediately book. So long as your room you are holding is a standard reward you should be ok, but clearly no guarantees.
May 17, 2019, 10:52 pm
#140
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 314
If I make a reservation with a free night, then cancel the reservation, I get the certificate back right away to re-use?
I have 2 free nights I can use at the Dublin Conrad, but to buy the middle night is $500! So I'd like to hold the 2 that are open and keep checking for the third.
I have 2 free nights I can use at the Dublin Conrad, but to buy the middle night is $500! So I'd like to hold the 2 that are open and keep checking for the third.
May 21, 2019, 8:40 am
#141
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: USA
Programs: AA Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 310
I just did this last night actually. Standard night availability opened up at my ideal hotel so I cancelled my backup hotel rez, got my certificate back, and then re-applied it to the new hotel rez. Rep needed the cert number again but it worked like a charm.
May 21, 2019, 1:23 pm
#142
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Suwanee,Ga ,usa
Posts: 3,617
I'm ,hopefully, using my cert in a couple weeks. I say "hopefully" because I booked it over the phone, but under the reservation in my HH profile it shows that it's being paid with 50,000 points. Yet, nothing has been subtracted from my account. Not sure if this is how they show this, or if I'm going to have a huge hassle later trying to get points back and get this cert properly applied. Any thoughts?
May 21, 2019, 1:45 pm
#143
Join Date: Mar 2009
Programs: Hilton credit card Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,651
I'm ,hopefully, using my cert in a couple weeks. I say "hopefully" because I booked it over the phone, but under the reservation in my HH profile it shows that it's being paid with 50,000 points. Yet, nothing has been subtracted from my account. Not sure if this is how they show this, or if I'm going to have a huge hassle later trying to get points back and get this cert properly applied. Any thoughts?
May 21, 2019, 1:54 pm
#144
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: AA PLTPRO, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,559
I'm ,hopefully, using my cert in a couple weeks. I say "hopefully" because I booked it over the phone, but under the reservation in my HH profile it shows that it's being paid with 50,000 points. Yet, nothing has been subtracted from my account. Not sure if this is how they show this, or if I'm going to have a huge hassle later trying to get points back and get this cert properly applied. Any thoughts?
May 26, 2019, 4:22 am
#146
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: South Carolina
Programs: A3 *G, Hilton Diamond, Accor Silver
Posts: 218
After reviewing these two posts I still have a question:
I called in today and used my Aspire weekend certificate and everything seemed to go okay on the phone with the rep.
While still on the phone, I received the confirmation email and it showed 30,000 points being used for the reservation. I asked the rep about this and she said this was normal and the cert would be used. After hanging up I then received an email from Hilton regarding a points activity. The 30,000 points were deducted from my account.
This is my first time using the weekend cert and I was wondering if this is indeed normal; the points being deducted when the reservation is made.
I called in today and used my Aspire weekend certificate and everything seemed to go okay on the phone with the rep.
While still on the phone, I received the confirmation email and it showed 30,000 points being used for the reservation. I asked the rep about this and she said this was normal and the cert would be used. After hanging up I then received an email from Hilton regarding a points activity. The 30,000 points were deducted from my account.
This is my first time using the weekend cert and I was wondering if this is indeed normal; the points being deducted when the reservation is made.
May 26, 2019, 8:28 pm
#147
Join Date: Mar 2009
Programs: Hilton credit card Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,651
May 28, 2019, 4:22 am
#148
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: South Carolina
Programs: A3 *G, Hilton Diamond, Accor Silver
Posts: 218
Jun 2, 2019, 2:23 pm
#149
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,301
Just got my cert, was hoping to use it in a Sat-Tuesday stay at the WA Cavalieri in Rome.
points are available on Sunday and Monday night. Currently holding a three night points reservation.
will Hilton allow me to cancel just the last two nights of the three night reservation? Then I could rebook and wind up with three consecutive one night reservations. Or will they insist on cancelling all 3 nights?
points are available on Sunday and Monday night. Currently holding a three night points reservation.
will Hilton allow me to cancel just the last two nights of the three night reservation? Then I could rebook and wind up with three consecutive one night reservations. Or will they insist on cancelling all 3 nights?
Jun 2, 2019, 11:20 pm
#150
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 314
beachfan I have had zero luck with them modifying reservations. In October I wanted to just drop 1 night of a 6 night reservation and they wouldn't even allow that without cancelling the whole thing and repricing it at the current rates. Now I always make a series of single night reservations, unless I am staying 5 nights to get the 5th night free.
