Sep 30, 2018, 1:43 pm
Last edit by: SanDiego1K
SPG AMEX Ts and Cs:
The Free Night Award will be automatically deposited into your loyalty member account within 8-12 weeks after your Card Account anniversary date in the form of an e-certificate. You will receive an email from SPG to the email address listed on your loyalty member account confirming that the Free Night Award e-certificate has been deposited into your loyalty member account. The email will also provide instructions on how to redeem your Free Night Award e-certificate. To redeem the Free Night Award e-certificate, you must log into your loyalty member account and apply the e-certificate during booking. The Free Night Award e-certificate will expire after 1 year from issuance. E-certificates may not be transferred, extended beyond the expiration date, or re-credited for points.
The Free Night Award will be automatically deposited into your loyalty member account within 8-12 weeks after your Card Account anniversary date in the form of an e-certificate. You will receive an email from SPG to the email address listed on your loyalty member account confirming that the Free Night Award e-certificate has been deposited into your loyalty member account. The email will also provide instructions on how to redeem your Free Night Award e-certificate. To redeem the Free Night Award e-certificate, you must log into your loyalty member account and apply the e-certificate during booking. The Free Night Award e-certificate will expire after 1 year from issuance. E-certificates may not be transferred, extended beyond the expiration date, or re-credited for points.
Am I supposed to receive a free night certificate? (August renewal SPG credit card)
Sep 23, 2018, 2:31 pm
#32
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Santa Barbara, CA, Park City, UT
Programs: AA EXP, Delta Plat, Marriott Plat,Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat
Posts: 901
Using free nights from Mariott/SPG cc's
Hilton seems to only allow the person the free night is attached to to check in and use these. Wondering about Marriott as given the cards we have we stand to get 3 nights per year.
If my wife gets one on her SPG Amex am I able to use this without her being present? Seems it might be just like booking reward travel. Way to do online?
If my wife gets one on her SPG Amex am I able to use this without her being present? Seems it might be just like booking reward travel. Way to do online?
Sep 23, 2018, 5:17 pm
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,738
All right, so I'm trying to book a hotel (the DTW Westin). I click Use Points. There is an available rate of 35,000 points/night. If I click it, there's no Details page with an option for using my certificate. Am I doing something wrong?
My annual fee for my SPG Amex posted this past month. Do I just need to wait longer? When have other peoples' certificates shown up?
My annual fee for my SPG Amex posted this past month. Do I just need to wait longer? When have other peoples' certificates shown up?
You may want to find out EXACTLY when it is your anniversary date due to the FN cut off eligibility date is August 1st. In other words anyone whose anniversary date is before August, s/he has to wait till 2019 to receive their free night certs! This may make a difference in whether one would keep their SPG cards, just sayin.
Sep 28, 2018, 1:53 pm
#34
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 1
The FN is based on Anniversary Date which has NOTHING to do with the AF post date due to AMEX generally posts AF on the 13th month's statement closing date.
You may want to find out EXACTLY when it is your anniversary date due to the FN cut off eligibility date is August 1st. In other words anyone whose anniversary date is before August, s/he has to wait till 2019 to receive their free night certs! This may make a difference in whether one would keep their SPG cards, just sayin.
You may want to find out EXACTLY when it is your anniversary date due to the FN cut off eligibility date is August 1st. In other words anyone whose anniversary date is before August, s/he has to wait till 2019 to receive their free night certs! This may make a difference in whether one would keep their SPG cards, just sayin.
Sep 28, 2018, 2:20 pm
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,738
Thanks for the input.
I believe no one has seen the FN cert in their Marriott or SPG accounts yet. Seems to me it has been the case for the AMEX HH card that has the FN at account opening (not anniversary). The FN cert did not show up until a couple months later from what I read at the time. AMEX operates very differently comparing to, say, Chase posting their cobrand cards' FN certs.
I believe no one has seen the FN cert in their Marriott or SPG accounts yet. Seems to me it has been the case for the AMEX HH card that has the FN at account opening (not anniversary). The FN cert did not show up until a couple months later from what I read at the time. AMEX operates very differently comparing to, say, Chase posting their cobrand cards' FN certs.
Sep 29, 2018, 6:34 pm
#36
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: DL PM, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, AA, WP
Posts: 840
This was the only reason I decided to keep the SPG card, and barely. Sure, it could be worth twice or more the annual fee, but you have to remember to use it. My annual fee posted on August 12, fingers crossed. I wonder what happens if you cancel your card during the year, do you get a pro-rated refund of the fee, and keep your free night?
Sep 29, 2018, 7:19 pm
#37
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Bonvoy Platinum, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,809
The FN is based on Anniversary Date which has NOTHING to do with the AF post date due to AMEX generally posts AF on the 13th month's statement closing date.
You may want to find out EXACTLY when it is your anniversary date due to the FN cut off eligibility date is August 1st. In other words anyone whose anniversary date is before August, s/he has to wait till 2019 to receive their free night certs! This may make a difference in whether one would keep their SPG cards, just sayin.
You may want to find out EXACTLY when it is your anniversary date due to the FN cut off eligibility date is August 1st. In other words anyone whose anniversary date is before August, s/he has to wait till 2019 to receive their free night certs! This may make a difference in whether one would keep their SPG cards, just sayin.
Sep 29, 2018, 8:14 pm
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,738
This was the only reason I decided to keep the SPG card, and barely. Sure, it could be worth twice or more the annual fee, but you have to remember to use it. My annual fee posted on August 12, fingers crossed. I wonder what happens if you cancel your card during the year, do you get a pro-rated refund of the fee, and keep your free night?
With your AF billed on August 12, you should make sure you are eligible for the FN in 2018...
The free night is based on Anniversary Date. When your AF is posted has nothing to do with the Anniversary Date. You may want to find out for sure whether your anniversary date is on or after August 1st - because else you would have to wait till 2019 anniversary date to be eligible for the FN cert...
You have only 30 days from the date the AF is billed in order to get a full refund. AMEX does not do pro rate refund for 2 years by now. It only occasionally do the pro-rated refund on cards that have no fee version, i.e. Hilton basic card. Since SPG NEVER has a no fee version, hence no way to downgrade because it has to be the same cobrand card.
Sep 30, 2018, 5:34 pm
#39
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: DL PM, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, AA, WP
Posts: 840
Thanks! I did call to check and my anniversary date was July 23, before the Aug 1 cutoff, and as I mentioned the fee posted on Aug 12. I asked them to waive the fee, they refused, so I canceled the card. No point in spending $190 to get a free room that might not even cost $190. They wouldn't reallocate the credit limit to one of my other Amex cards either, but that's no great loss. I haven't used the card in at least six months, and I guess I'll be using my Marriott Visa more now anyways.
Sep 30, 2018, 6:04 pm
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,738
Thanks! I did call to check and my anniversary date was July 23, before the Aug 1 cutoff, and as I mentioned the fee posted on Aug 12. I asked them to waive the fee, they refused, so I canceled the card. No point in spending $190 to get a free room that might not even cost $190. They wouldn't reallocate the credit limit to one of my other Amex cards either, but that's no great loss. I haven't used the card in at least six months, and I guess I'll be using my Marriott Visa more now anyways.
I am surprised though they would not relocate the credit line to your other AMEX cards.
Mine is the basic SPG Biz and the anniversary is end of Sept I believe but it is almost 4 years ago when I opened it so could not remember the exact date but the $95 AF was billed on the 3rd week of Oct. Still not sure if I should keep it though.
There is virtually no retention offer on the SPG business but there are some on the personal cards based on what reported on the net.
Oct 1, 2018, 2:07 pm
#42
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Bonvoy Platinum, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,809
Oct 2, 2018, 3:30 pm
#43
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,738
Oct 2, 2018, 11:50 pm
#45
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 522
So happy that the AMEX rep got it wrong!
When I called AMEX on August 23 among the issues I addressed was the free night cert - since my annual fee posted August 20. So she looked up my anniversary date and said it was a date in July, and that the annual fee posted at the close of my statement for my July/August cycle, which was on August 20. She said it's the anniversary date which is used to mark my eligibility not the date the fee posts, and that I'll get my first free night cert after my anniversary date in July 2019. And that for this year I'd get the 5 night stay credit as per the old T&Cs.
I hope she's wrong about her facts (some of what she told me has already proven erroneous), because I'd much more appreciate the free night cert - but, I do see on my account the 5 night stay credit which would seem she was correct.
For those of you with annual fees that posted in August but who have yet to receive the Free Night, check your stay credit. Do you see an added 5 nights?
I hope she's wrong about her facts (some of what she told me has already proven erroneous), because I'd much more appreciate the free night cert - but, I do see on my account the 5 night stay credit which would seem she was correct.
For those of you with annual fees that posted in August but who have yet to receive the Free Night, check your stay credit. Do you see an added 5 nights?
If the following is of use to anyone else: regarding the 5 night stay credit that I reported above, (which led me to believe I was receiving the old AMEX benefit in lieu of the new FN), those 5 nights were subsequently deleted. (I asked about this matter on another thread FWIW.)
In summary:
- Was told by AMEX rep that my Anniversary Date was in July
- My Annual Fee posted on August 20
- Received Free Night Certificate on October 2 (I'm assuming it posted today based on SP03's post, and the fact the cert's expiration date is October 2, 2019)
