Mar 21, 2014, 1:39 pm
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
May 6, 2019, 8:50 pm
#1066
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 314
I have a reservation for 6/4/19 that I want to cancel, that I made with a free night certificate that expired 4/9/19. But they won't let me move it to a different reservation that I do want to keep. I tried email, phone and chat. I guess they really have cracked down and there's no way around this. I will still be in Prague, just at the Hilton instead of the Intercontinental. So I guess at this point I might as well keep it and go check the room out. Who knows, maybe my husband and I will be fighting that night :-)
May 6, 2019, 9:36 pm
#1067
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 78
I have a reservation for 6/4/19 that I want to cancel, that I made with a free night certificate that expired 4/9/19. But they won't let me move it to a different reservation that I do want to keep. I tried email, phone and chat. I guess they really have cracked down and there's no way around this. I will still be in Prague, just at the Hilton instead of the Intercontinental. So I guess at this point I might as well keep it and go check the room out. Who knows, maybe my husband and I will be fighting that night :-)
May 7, 2019, 1:22 pm
#1068
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 779
For the "new" igh card, when will I receive the annual free night cert? For the old ihg card, the cert posted to my ihg account the date after the card's anniversary. I still haven't received the cert for my new card even though the anniversary is a week ago. Thank.
May 7, 2019, 1:24 pm
#1069
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: California
Programs: American, SWA, United, IHG,Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,840
Airline benefits like AA are limited to one. No matter how many cards you hold. barclay and Citi.
May 7, 2019, 1:28 pm
#1070
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 779
I am pretty sure you can get 2 free nights if you hold both cards. The are considered to be 2 different products.
May 8, 2019, 7:58 am
#1071
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: flyover country
Posts: 2,433
May 8, 2019, 11:12 am
#1072
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 779
May 11, 2019, 6:26 am
#1075
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,651
May 11, 2019, 10:36 am
#1076
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: flyover country
Posts: 2,433
May 14, 2019, 1:54 pm
#1077
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 22
May 21, 2019, 2:43 pm
#1079
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: ORD
Posts: 701
Is anyone else having trouble booking a room with the chase free night good at any property. I have tried with two different certificates and they both error out on the final page after clicking book. I have tried hotels near ohare to hotels in Moorea. Both certificates are good past the date I am looking.
Whats really odd is the rate details are showing an amount owed instead of saying free. In example, Crowne Plaza Ohare is showing a rate of $40.
TIA
Whats really odd is the rate details are showing an amount owed instead of saying free. In example, Crowne Plaza Ohare is showing a rate of $40.
TIA
May 21, 2019, 2:55 pm
#1080
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 314
Yes, I was having this problem with other night. When I tried to use the cert it showed free, then 64 euros on the fnal page, but then errored out when I tried to submit. I called and they were able to book it without problem and without the extra fee. I will add that I thought my certificate was limited to 40,000 point value, but it worked on a 55,000 point room.
