Last edit by: beltway
FAQs
1. What are the current types of free-night certificates (FNC)?
2. Where do I find the FNC(s) in my IHG online account?
3. Is a FNC revoked if I cancel my Chase card?
4. If I make a reservation using my FNC and then need to cancel, are there any special procedures? Do I have to call IHG?
5. Can I use my FNC for a date past the certificate's expiration, provided that I make the reservation prior to that expiration date?
6. Can I trade/gift my FNC?
7. If I have multiple IHG cards (other than the Traveler card), do I get more than one FNC?
1. What are the current types of free-night certificates (FNC)?
As of April 2023, there are four different active FNC types. Described below in order from newest to oldest (roughly), they will appear in your account under the following headings:
2. Where do I find the FNC(s) in my IHG online account?
After you log into the website, click on the section at the top of the window showing your first name and current point balance. This will take you to the Overview page of the My Account section. Underneath the gray box showing your status level, member number, and points balance you will see a submenu with "Overview" selected. Click on "Rewards Wallet" to go to the page summarizing your FNCs. Click "Details" to see the type(s) of FNC(s) in your account.
You can also go directly to the Details page by logging in and visiting http://www.ihg.com/rewardsclub/us/en...gmt/freenights (for English-speaking US members).
3. Is a FNC revoked if I cancel my Chase card?
No.
4. If I make a reservation using my FNC and then need to cancel, are there any special procedures? Do I have to call IHG?
You may cancel your reservation online using the same process as for any other reservation. The certificate is normally returned to your account immediately and available for re-use with no wait and no need to call IHG. For unknown reasons, on rare occasions a FNC will not instantly reappear; in such cases, call IHG customer service to have the FNC redeposited manually.
5. Can I use my FNC for a date past the certificate's expiration, provided that I make the reservation prior to that expiration date?
As of January 2019, members are reporting that they are unable to do this.
Formerly, some members reported success in doing this. (See, for example, the discussion at post #516.) Two basic recommendations:
6. Can I trade/gift my FNC?
No. FNCs are non-transferable.
7. If I have multiple IHG cards (other than the Traveler card), do I get more than one FNC each year?
Yes. The Select card (legacy), the personal Premier card, and the Premier Business card all include an anniversary FNC as a benefit. But note the difference, discussed above, between the Select card FNC--capped at 40K value--and the "flex" FNCs associated with the other cards. The no-fee Traveler card does not provide a FNC benefit.
In previous years, Chase issued the anniversary FNC shortly before the annual fee was billed. More recently, Chase has begun delaying issuance of FNCs until at least 8 weeks after the annual-fee statement date, presumably to prevent accountholders from canceling their cards while keeping the FNC.
Questions related to the extension of the certificate due to the Coronavirus are discussed in its own thread, which is here.
1. What are the current types of free-night certificates (FNC)?
2. Where do I find the FNC(s) in my IHG online account?
3. Is a FNC revoked if I cancel my Chase card?
4. If I make a reservation using my FNC and then need to cancel, are there any special procedures? Do I have to call IHG?
5. Can I use my FNC for a date past the certificate's expiration, provided that I make the reservation prior to that expiration date?
6. Can I trade/gift my FNC?
7. If I have multiple IHG cards (other than the Traveler card), do I get more than one FNC?
1. What are the current types of free-night certificates (FNC)?
As of April 2023, there are four different active FNC types. Described below in order from newest to oldest (roughly), they will appear in your account under the following headings:
- Premier Credit Card Annual Flex Night: The anniversary FNC, good for a base room up to 40K points, for the personal Premier card. This FNC is described as “flex” because you can redeem for an award in excess of 40K by adding points on top of the FNC (aka "topping up").
- Note: points used to top up a Flex FNC are not subject to the 10% rebate for Select cardholders.
- Business Credit Card Annual Flex Night: The anniversary FNC for the IHG Business card. This is identical in all respects to the Premier flex cert.
- New Cardmember Bonus Free Night: Some recent offers for the personal Premier card have included one or more FNCs in the signup bonus. These FNCs are capped at 40K value; there is no "flex"/"top-up" option.
- Select Credit Card Anniversary Night: The anniversary FNC for the older Select card, for which Chase stopped accepting applications in 2018. As with the previous category, this FNC type has a hard cap of 40K redemption value.
- Premier Credit Card Anniversary Night: Prior to March 24, 2022, the personal Premier card FNC was hard-capped at 40K value. On March 24, all unused FNCs of this type were automatically converted to Premier "flex" FNCs as described above.
- Credit Card Anniversary Night: Prior to May 1, 2018, anniversary FNCs for the Select card were uncapped--that is, they could be used at any IHG property.
2. Where do I find the FNC(s) in my IHG online account?
After you log into the website, click on the section at the top of the window showing your first name and current point balance. This will take you to the Overview page of the My Account section. Underneath the gray box showing your status level, member number, and points balance you will see a submenu with "Overview" selected. Click on "Rewards Wallet" to go to the page summarizing your FNCs. Click "Details" to see the type(s) of FNC(s) in your account.
You can also go directly to the Details page by logging in and visiting http://www.ihg.com/rewardsclub/us/en...gmt/freenights (for English-speaking US members).
3. Is a FNC revoked if I cancel my Chase card?
No.
4. If I make a reservation using my FNC and then need to cancel, are there any special procedures? Do I have to call IHG?
You may cancel your reservation online using the same process as for any other reservation. The certificate is normally returned to your account immediately and available for re-use with no wait and no need to call IHG. For unknown reasons, on rare occasions a FNC will not instantly reappear; in such cases, call IHG customer service to have the FNC redeposited manually.
5. Can I use my FNC for a date past the certificate's expiration, provided that I make the reservation prior to that expiration date?
As of January 2019, members are reporting that they are unable to do this.
Formerly, some members reported success in doing this. (See, for example, the discussion at post #516.) Two basic recommendations:
- It is advisable to obtain advance written confirmation, ideally from the hotel itself, that your certificate will be honored under these circumstances.
- Once the certificate expiration date passes, you will not be able to make any changes to the reservation (occupancy, date, room type, etc).
6. Can I trade/gift my FNC?
No. FNCs are non-transferable.
7. If I have multiple IHG cards (other than the Traveler card), do I get more than one FNC each year?
Yes. The Select card (legacy), the personal Premier card, and the Premier Business card all include an anniversary FNC as a benefit. But note the difference, discussed above, between the Select card FNC--capped at 40K value--and the "flex" FNCs associated with the other cards. The no-fee Traveler card does not provide a FNC benefit.
In previous years, Chase issued the anniversary FNC shortly before the annual fee was billed. More recently, Chase has begun delaying issuance of FNCs until at least 8 weeks after the annual-fee statement date, presumably to prevent accountholders from canceling their cards while keeping the FNC.
Questions related to the extension of the certificate due to the Coronavirus are discussed in its own thread, which is here.
Annual Free Night Cert from IHG (Rewards Club) Visa / Mastercard
#527
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 5
Thanks for letting me know!
I am back from my trip for almost a month now but the system is still showing 1 unused night, and allows me to book another
free night. No points were deducted either.
Any one has experienced something similar before?
I am back from my trip for almost a month now but the system is still showing 1 unused night, and allows me to book another
free night. No points were deducted either.
Any one has experienced something similar before?
#528
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 41
I booked my 1 annual free night at IC Vienna and combined it with another night on points. No problems with booking the free night online. I was also given a room upgrade upon check-in. After booking, my account showed that there is 0 Available Free Night and 1 Used Free Night.
#529
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,767
Eventually when the hotel does its quarterly audit, it would realize it has not charged you in any kind of form - cert, points or CC. Then depends on the competence of the hotel's accounting dept, you would be charged in one of these "currencies".
I used a free night cert in conjunction of a point reward at HI Torino. 5 months later, my CC used to guarantee the reservation was charged on the free night cert stay because the hotel did not know how to bill the Priority Club. It was a mess especially at the time this charge hit, we were a week from leaving for a month long trip. If you are interested you could do a search to find the thread I started on this ordeal and how incompetent both the hotel and the IHG / Priority Club were.
#530
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,431
Quote:
Originally Posted by kellyfjn
I mean, if it's true that the availability is the same, then I can probably try to book with "free night" quickly after I cancel the reservation by points.
It still does not work that way. If there is availability when you are ready to book then you are fine. If not, it is very unlikely that canceling the points reservation will free up a room for rewards of any type. It just usually does not work that way, but you are free to hope.
Originally Posted by kellyfjn
I mean, if it's true that the availability is the same, then I can probably try to book with "free night" quickly after I cancel the reservation by points.
It still does not work that way. If there is availability when you are ready to book then you are fine. If not, it is very unlikely that canceling the points reservation will free up a room for rewards of any type. It just usually does not work that way, but you are free to hope.
#531
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 156
$62.50 Fee for Free Night at Intercontinental San Juan
I just used my free night certificate at the Intercontinental San Juan. I see my bill as $62.50. Should this be the case? Is there an added fee for this property?
with the $20 for parking my stay would be $82.50--I'd rather pay for another hotel somewhere else at that rate.
Any ideas? I saw a reference to a service fee on this forum but I didn't know what it was for.
with the $20 for parking my stay would be $82.50--I'd rather pay for another hotel somewhere else at that rate.
Any ideas? I saw a reference to a service fee on this forum but I didn't know what it was for.
#532
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,720
I just used my free night certificate at the Intercontinental San Juan. I see my bill as $62.50. Should this be the case? Is there an added fee for this property?
with the $20 for parking my stay would be $82.50--I'd rather pay for another hotel somewhere else at that rate.
Any ideas? I saw a reference to a service fee on this forum but I didn't know what it was for.
with the $20 for parking my stay would be $82.50--I'd rather pay for another hotel somewhere else at that rate.
Any ideas? I saw a reference to a service fee on this forum but I didn't know what it was for.
#533
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: HHonors Gold, Hyatt Platinum, IHG Platinum, Accor Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 42
change anniversary date?
My wife and I each have this card but our anniversary dates are 6 months apart. I'd like to have them on the same dates so we can book our trips together more easily.
Anyone have any luck changing/realigning their anniversary dates? I called Chase but the rep said she couldn't, though I didn't have the most confidence she knew for sure.
Anyone have any luck changing/realigning their anniversary dates? I called Chase but the rep said she couldn't, though I didn't have the most confidence she knew for sure.
#534
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,767
My wife and I each have this card but our anniversary dates are 6 months apart. I'd like to have them on the same dates so we can book our trips together more easily.
Anyone have any luck changing/realigning their anniversary dates? I called Chase but the rep said she couldn't, though I didn't have the most confidence she knew for sure.
Anyone have any luck changing/realigning their anniversary dates? I called Chase but the rep said she couldn't, though I didn't have the most confidence she knew for sure.
Besides, when the cert becomes available, it is completely automatically generated by the system - there is NO human intervention and would never be - until when you cancel the current card, then re-apply it with a better timing.
You can always use both certs together by not using the first one for 6 months.
#535
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: AA, UA, Hilton, Choice, Wyndham
Posts: 415
Quick question. I'm looking at Intercontinental Tahiti and/or Intercontinental Moorea. The 40k point rate is good for a 2 person room. For a 3 person room, you have to pay cash.
Can anyone with an annual free night voucher check for me please to see if the voucher can be used for a 3 person room in Moorea or Tahiti?
Thanks!
Can anyone with an annual free night voucher check for me please to see if the voucher can be used for a 3 person room in Moorea or Tahiti?
Thanks!
#537
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,682
has anyone here managed to use the free night for someone else????
i want to use it to book a stay for my father tomorrow night....
i want to use it to book a stay for my father tomorrow night....
#540
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
No. Why would you be charged anything (other than for consuming the free-night cert itself)?