Last edit by: rrgg
If you need to cancel a reservation booked using a free night certificate, follow the process in this post before cancelling to avoid potentially losing your certificate. If the certificate is lost it should be re-enstatable by Marriott customer service, but it may take a while and require some extra work on your part.
Certificate “top-off” is available as of April 30th: and discussed in a separate thread. Marriott has announced that starting “in early 2022,” members will be able to combine free-night certs with up to 15,000 points when making redemptions. See the FT thread discussing the 10/26/21 announcements and Marriott’s FAQ for current info.
EXTENDING AN EXPIRING CERTIFICATE:
Before 18 Aug 2018, Chase issued certificates good for specific categories of hotels. Post 18 Aug 2018, all certificates have been converted or will be issued at a specific level of points. SPG AMEX and Ritz Carlton credit cards have also begun to issue certs.
25K points - lower level certificates
35K points - higher level certificates
50K points - luxury level certificates
Marriott will introduce peak and non peak levels for hotels after 1 Jan 2019. Certificates will be capped at the points level where they can be redeemed rather than for a specific category of hotel. Thus, if a hotel is 25K at the non peak level and the peak level is higher, it cannot be booked in the peak level window.
Nine co-branded credit cards offer an annual free night worth up to 85,000 points:
NEW EXTENSION OF CERTIFICATES announced in October 2021:
The expiration date on certificates this year is pushed to 1/31/21.
Certificate “top-off” is available as of April 30th: and discussed in a separate thread. Marriott has announced that starting “in early 2022,” members will be able to combine free-night certs with up to 15,000 points when making redemptions. See the FT thread discussing the 10/26/21 announcements and Marriott’s FAQ for current info.
EXTENDING AN EXPIRING CERTIFICATE:
- A blogger reported that as of 12/7/2023 Marriott removed the internal tool to extend an FNA, so it may or may not still be possible.
- Your best chance for an extension is to call Marriott within 1 month of the expiration and consider having a specific property and date in mind to book. It's not necessary but even without one in mind, pick something you might use and change it later. 1-800-MARRIOT
- Most importantly, have a good reason for needing the extension, like illness or injury.
- If granted, the new expiration date is 1 year from the date of the request. You cannot get a 2nd extension on the same certificate, meaning the maximum life of a certificate is 2 years.
- If not granted, some have luck by calling later a few times.
- In 2022, Marriott seemed to deny all extension requests except a few exceptions such as here, here, and here. They may be allowing some again in 2023.
Before 18 Aug 2018, Chase issued certificates good for specific categories of hotels. Post 18 Aug 2018, all certificates have been converted or will be issued at a specific level of points. SPG AMEX and Ritz Carlton credit cards have also begun to issue certs.
25K points - lower level certificates
35K points - higher level certificates
50K points - luxury level certificates
Marriott will introduce peak and non peak levels for hotels after 1 Jan 2019. Certificates will be capped at the points level where they can be redeemed rather than for a specific category of hotel. Thus, if a hotel is 25K at the non peak level and the peak level is higher, it cannot be booked in the peak level window.
Nine co-branded credit cards offer an annual free night worth up to 85,000 points:
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card (formerly Starwood Preferred Guest Luxury Credit Card from American Express) - up to 85K (Second with $60k spend)
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless (formerly Rewards Premier Plus) Credit Card - up to 35K
- Marriott Bonvoy Premier (formerly Rewards Premier) - up to 25K
- Marriott Bonvoy from American Express (formerly Preferred Guest) - up to 35K
- Marriott Bonvoy Business from American Express (formerly Preferred Guest Business) - up to 35K
- Marriott Rewards Business Premier Plus Credit Card - up to 35K
- Ritz Carlton Rewards - up to 85K
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy - up to 50k (with $15k spend)
- Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful - up to 50k (with $15k spend)
- Amex credit card free night certificates are issued 2 months after the anniversary date of the credit card. For example if the Brilliant fee posts 7/1, the certificate is available in your Marriott account on 9/1. Chase FNA certificates can appear much sooner, within 1 week.
- The certificate expires one year after it is issued. You must complete your stay by the expiration date.
- Can NOT be combined with a 3-night award to get a "Stay for 5, Pay for 4" award.
- Can be used for a standard room only
- Cannot be used for "redemption with cash upgrade" or any points and cash combination
- According to Marriott's terms, points reservations can be gifted to another person but certificates earned from a credit card cannot. This means the certificate owner (cardholder) must check-in even if someone else is listed as a guest on the reservation. In some cases a property has given leeway and allowed just the guest to check-in anyway without the certificate owner present, but it is risky to depend on this.
- If you use "top-off" with a certificate and the room price later decreases, you can modify the reservation to rebook the same date and recover the difference in top-off points.
- If you made a reservation with a FNA and want to know its expiration date, you can find it by editing the reservation as described at this link.
- If you downgrade the Amex Brilliant to the $95 Amex Bonvoy card, you can still get your anniversary FNA.
- Search for a points booking at an eligible hotel and the option to use the certificate a replacement for some of the required points should appear during the booking process
- Some have had trouble booking certificates from the 2020 credit card offer to get 5 free nights. In that case, try this website for booking: https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/red...free-nights.mi
- Officially Marriott allows gifting of points awards but not gifting of free night certificates from credit cards. For the latter, your name will still need to be the reservation. Whether the property requires you to be present for check-in may depend on the hotel.
- If you have 2 certificates of different value and try to redeem one, the Marriott website offers the one expiring first. If that's not what you want, work around this issue by making a dummy booking with that certificate. Then book the real reservation with the desired certificate. Then cancel the dummy. Be sure to pay attention to any cancellation terms since a few properties are more strict than others.
NEW EXTENSION OF CERTIFICATES announced in October 2021:
- Free night awards, Suite night awards, and travel certificates will be given a new expiration date of June 30, 2022
- The Marriott Bonvoy app shows the original issue date of your free night certificates. Go to Account -> Free Night Certificates to find the issue date in small print above each certificate. It's unlikely you have a certificate that won't be extended. If you don't see the issue date in the app, you'll have to wait for the actual extension to happen to check the new expiration.
- Expiration of points is paused through December 31, 2022. At that time, your points will only expire if your account has been inactive for at least 24 months
- In March 2022, Marriott will eliminate hotel categories and use variable point pricing for awards. Only a small number will be affected at first, so you won't see an immediate sweep of all properties at once.
- "Starting May 6, members who had a FNA with an original expiration date in 2020, or which will expire before January 2, 2022, as part of their Cobrand Credit Card Benefit, Annual Choice Benefit, promotions or travel package will be able to redeem it through January 3, 2022.
- Please note that FNAs with an original expiration date before 2020 will not be eligible for the additional extension. Members do not need to take any action because the system will automatically update their account with these extensions on May 6, 2021."
The expiration date on certificates this year is pushed to 1/31/21.
- “...Members who currently have an active Free Night Award (FNA) expiring in 2020 as part of their credit card benefit, annual choice benefit, promotions or travel package will be able to use it through January 31, 2021.”
- Expiration dates will be updated by the end of April, giving priority to those expiring soonest.
- If yours will expire within just a couple days, contact a Marriott representative here by private message.
Marriott Branded Credit Cards Free Night Certificate FNA Discussion Thread
#377
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,657
The wait time to get these free nights on the AMEX card credited are ridiculous now! I am at 11 weeks and they say it can take up to 13 weeks. Why does it take so long now?
#378
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Alexandria, VA - DCA
Programs: BA Gold, American Airlines, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 5,075
I have received two separate emails today from AMEX saying they had a glitch (tech error) and the Free Night Award associated with my Amex Bonvoy cards have been deposited to my account. These were unsolicited emails. Not sure what the story is but nothing new is showing in my Marriott account.... anyone else get this email today/recently?
#379
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: NYC, LAX, HKG
Posts: 286
I am at 8 weeks and counting. Anniversary was mid-October so I was disappointed not to see the certificate in early December (based on prior datapoints).
#380
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: CT/ Germany - Ich spreche deutsch
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy LTTE, HH Dia, HY Expl
Posts: 4,657
Update! My certificate finally posted last night. Not sure if it was because I raised crap on the phone with them on Tuesday about it taking so long or if it just posted. '
To recap:
Oct. 1 - card renewal anniversary
Dec. 18. - Free night posted....so 11 weeks and 1 day.
This was an AMEX free night. Positive is that they did NOT screw with the expiration date as it is Dec. 18, 2020.
To recap:
Oct. 1 - card renewal anniversary
Dec. 18. - Free night posted....so 11 weeks and 1 day.
This was an AMEX free night. Positive is that they did NOT screw with the expiration date as it is Dec. 18, 2020.
#381
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 15
Watch out for your free night certificates
Someone can take them without telling you. I stayed for a night at Moxy NYC last week, and they took my 50K certificate without asking me. My reservation was reserved with 30k point redemption, and for some reason the reservation got cancelled soon after I checked in. I received another reservation the next day looks like correcting the cancellation issue. My guess is the front desk made some mistake, and didn't pay much attention. Couple of days later, I noticed that my 50K certificate that's yet to expire next Aug was gone. After some searching, I finally found the new reservation made without my knowledge claimed my 50k free night.
There's a case opened over a week ago, and I am still waiting for a resolution. I also left a voice mail to Moxy's billing last Sunday regarding the issue, but have never heard back from them. I am just frustrated that I have to deal with other people's mistake, and no one apologized for the mistake.
There's a case opened over a week ago, and I am still waiting for a resolution. I also left a voice mail to Moxy's billing last Sunday regarding the issue, but have never heard back from them. I am just frustrated that I have to deal with other people's mistake, and no one apologized for the mistake.
#382
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,678
Someone can take them without telling you. I stayed for a night at Moxy NYC last week, and they took my 50K certificate without asking me. My reservation was reserved with 30k point redemption, and for some reason the reservation got cancelled soon after I checked in. I received another reservation the next day looks like correcting the cancellation issue. My guess is the front desk made some mistake, and didn't pay much attention. Couple of days later, I noticed that my 50K certificate that's yet to expire next Aug was gone. After some searching, I finally found the new reservation made without my knowledge claimed my 50k free night.
There's a case opened over a week ago, and I am still waiting for a resolution. I also left a voice mail to Moxy's billing last Sunday regarding the issue, but have never heard back from them. I am just frustrated that I have to deal with other people's mistake, and no one apologized for the mistake.
There's a case opened over a week ago, and I am still waiting for a resolution. I also left a voice mail to Moxy's billing last Sunday regarding the issue, but have never heard back from them. I am just frustrated that I have to deal with other people's mistake, and no one apologized for the mistake.
#383
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: missing YX more every day
Programs: Delta KM/PM/MM, Nexus, CLEAR, Sharriott Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,105
cert can't be part payment?
The last sentence of the wiki indicates that we can use a cert for partial payment:
"How to use: Search for a points booking at an eligible hotel and the option to use the certificate a replacement for some of the required points should appear during the booking process."
However, this is my recent question and reply to CS:
"I would like to redeem a cc certificate worth 35k points for a Cat. 5 hotel peak-priced at 40k. May I do that by using the certificate and adding 5k points to the rez? If the system allows cash and points, it should allow this."
and the reply:
"Promotional free-night awards have a point value that determines which hotels can accept the award based on their current redemption rate. There may be times that a hotel that is normally within the certificate's range will have a higher point valued due to Peak pricing, meaning that the certificate cannot be used at that time; however, other dates or other nearby locations may be able to accept the award due to listing Standard or Off-Peak rates.
"How to use: Search for a points booking at an eligible hotel and the option to use the certificate a replacement for some of the required points should appear during the booking process."
However, this is my recent question and reply to CS:
"I would like to redeem a cc certificate worth 35k points for a Cat. 5 hotel peak-priced at 40k. May I do that by using the certificate and adding 5k points to the rez? If the system allows cash and points, it should allow this."
and the reply:
"Promotional free-night awards have a point value that determines which hotels can accept the award based on their current redemption rate. There may be times that a hotel that is normally within the certificate's range will have a higher point valued due to Peak pricing, meaning that the certificate cannot be used at that time; however, other dates or other nearby locations may be able to accept the award due to listing Standard or Off-Peak rates.
.................................................. ...........................................
"It unfortunately, can't be combined like a Cash & Points reservation as that is already a set rate code."
"It unfortunately, can't be combined like a Cash & Points reservation as that is already a set rate code."
#384
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,050
The last sentence of the wiki indicates that we can use a cert for partial payment:
"How to use: Search for a points booking at an eligible hotel and the option to use the certificate a replacement for some of the required points should appear during the booking process."
However, this is my recent question and reply to CS:
"I would like to redeem a cc certificate worth 35k points for a Cat. 5 hotel peak-priced at 40k. May I do that by using the certificate and adding 5k points to the rez? If the system allows cash and points, it should allow this."
and the reply:
"Promotional free-night awards have a point value that determines which hotels can accept the award based on their current redemption rate. There may be times that a hotel that is normally within the certificate's range will have a higher point valued due to Peak pricing, meaning that the certificate cannot be used at that time; however, other dates or other nearby locations may be able to accept the award due to listing Standard or Off-Peak rates.
"How to use: Search for a points booking at an eligible hotel and the option to use the certificate a replacement for some of the required points should appear during the booking process."
However, this is my recent question and reply to CS:
"I would like to redeem a cc certificate worth 35k points for a Cat. 5 hotel peak-priced at 40k. May I do that by using the certificate and adding 5k points to the rez? If the system allows cash and points, it should allow this."
and the reply:
"Promotional free-night awards have a point value that determines which hotels can accept the award based on their current redemption rate. There may be times that a hotel that is normally within the certificate's range will have a higher point valued due to Peak pricing, meaning that the certificate cannot be used at that time; however, other dates or other nearby locations may be able to accept the award due to listing Standard or Off-Peak rates.
.................................................. ...........................................
"It unfortunately, can't be combined like a Cash & Points reservation as that is already a set rate code."
"It unfortunately, can't be combined like a Cash & Points reservation as that is already a set rate code."
The line in the wiki means you can use the cert for one night of a longer reservation. You can’t do what you’re describing unfortunately.
#385
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 512
also is there any issue getting an extension if you already have multiple certs? I have three Marriott cards; so I'll was hoping to get an extension on one of them and which'll give me 4 to use for a booking.
#386
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 15
i just came across a similar issue today....i made a reservation yesterday using 25k points....at some point in the middle of the night the reservation was cancelled on its own & another one was made an hour or so later, this time using the 35k certificate i have in my account....luckily i spotted the error this morning & cancelled the reservation using the cert & made it again using points....i'm going to have to keep a close watch on this now so that the switch doesn't happen again....
#387
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,059
Marriott is a TOTAL UTTER SHITSHOW when it comes to certificates.
I had 2 one-week reservations, and I just needed Marriott to shift the entire reservation it to just one day earlier. This is what Marriott retards do:
1) Moved my start date by 1 day, but keep the same end date, despite explicitly instructions to move the entire reservation up by one day.
2) Used my ....ing points instead of the certificate, despite explicit instructions to use my damn cert.
3) Second reservation did not have enough points, so they used my one free-night certificate for one of those days. ...?
4) "Lost" the two one-week certificates, and made ........ excuses that they did not exist.
5) When I pointed out how totally farked up and how many mistakes they made, many of these mistakes were stuff I TOLD THEM EXPLICITLY to look out for, they got mad and upset because I told them they were doing a bad job. YES, you are doing a TERRIBLE JOB.
I'm not making this story up. I can't even imagine before this how someone could screw up SO BADLY.
I escalate to the Executive Office and they fixed everything. And I did not receive any extra points for dealing with these idiotic .......s.
I had 2 one-week reservations, and I just needed Marriott to shift the entire reservation it to just one day earlier. This is what Marriott retards do:
1) Moved my start date by 1 day, but keep the same end date, despite explicitly instructions to move the entire reservation up by one day.
2) Used my ....ing points instead of the certificate, despite explicit instructions to use my damn cert.
3) Second reservation did not have enough points, so they used my one free-night certificate for one of those days. ...?
4) "Lost" the two one-week certificates, and made ........ excuses that they did not exist.
5) When I pointed out how totally farked up and how many mistakes they made, many of these mistakes were stuff I TOLD THEM EXPLICITLY to look out for, they got mad and upset because I told them they were doing a bad job. YES, you are doing a TERRIBLE JOB.
I'm not making this story up. I can't even imagine before this how someone could screw up SO BADLY.
I escalate to the Executive Office and they fixed everything. And I did not receive any extra points for dealing with these idiotic .......s.
#388
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: JRF
Programs: AA Gold, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, National Executive Elite
Posts: 1,784
are you calling into Marriott or Amex/Chase to get the extension?
also is there any issue getting an extension if you already have multiple certs? I have three Marriott cards; so I'll was hoping to get an extension on one of them and which'll give me 4 to use for a booking.
also is there any issue getting an extension if you already have multiple certs? I have three Marriott cards; so I'll was hoping to get an extension on one of them and which'll give me 4 to use for a booking.
#389
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,895
Is a ~150 euro stay (before taxes) a good use of a 35K certificate? I feel like I would be leaving some money on the table, but it is a stay I know I have coming up soon. Otherwise I would use it on a summer stay in somewhere like DC, where hotels I guess can run $200 a night on a weekend
#390
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
Someone can take them without telling you. I stayed for a night at Moxy NYC last week, and they took my 50K certificate without asking me. My reservation was reserved with 30k point redemption, and for some reason the reservation got cancelled soon after I checked in. I received another reservation the next day looks like correcting the cancellation issue. My guess is the front desk made some mistake, and didn't pay much attention. Couple of days later, I noticed that my 50K certificate that's yet to expire next Aug was gone. After some searching, I finally found the new reservation made without my knowledge claimed my 50k free night.
There's a case opened over a week ago, and I am still waiting for a resolution. I also left a voice mail to Moxy's billing last Sunday regarding the issue, but have never heard back from them. I am just frustrated that I have to deal with other people's mistake, and no one apologized for the mistake.
There's a case opened over a week ago, and I am still waiting for a resolution. I also left a voice mail to Moxy's billing last Sunday regarding the issue, but have never heard back from them. I am just frustrated that I have to deal with other people's mistake, and no one apologized for the mistake.
i just came across a similar issue today....i made a reservation yesterday using 25k points....at some point in the middle of the night the reservation was cancelled on its own & another one was made an hour or so later, this time using the 35k certificate i have in my account....luckily i spotted the error this morning & cancelled the reservation using the cert & made it again using points....i'm going to have to keep a close watch on this now so that the switch doesn't happen again....
Such incident may indicate there are some serious programming errors when it comes to apply FN cert which at booking is a default but one could choose to pay with points instead. In the past we have not read about such incidents. This must be yet another "upgrade" of the BonVoy IT that went awry.
Why do we have to constantly watch the accuracy of our accounts?!