Oct 22, 2018, 11:18 am
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
Oct 27, 2020, 1:12 pm
#736
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: Marriott Ti/LTP
Posts: 1,329
RC or SR Langkawi. Or even the LC Andaman, which has the best beach by far, but lags in hotel quality.
Oct 27, 2020, 9:05 pm
#737
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 612
any thoughts on the US if Malaysia doesn’t work out?
Oct 29, 2020, 9:39 pm
#738
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,257
in view of the recent rule,
"Free Night Awards: Effective December 11, 2020, members who currently have a Free Night Award (FNA) that had [has] an original expiration date in 2020, or which will expire before July 31, 2021, as part of their cobrand credit card benefit, annual choice benefit, promotions or travel package will be able to redeem it through August 1, 2021. Free Night Awards with an original expiration date prior to 2020 will not be eligible for the additional extension. Members do not need to take any action. The system will automatically update your Account with these extensions on December 11, 2020"
has anyone have success in getting marriott rep to extend FN certs again by another year? (where the original date of issuance is before 2020).
seems easier to get extension in the past, but not anymore?
"Free Night Awards: Effective December 11, 2020, members who currently have a Free Night Award (FNA) that had [has] an original expiration date in 2020, or which will expire before July 31, 2021, as part of their cobrand credit card benefit, annual choice benefit, promotions or travel package will be able to redeem it through August 1, 2021. Free Night Awards with an original expiration date prior to 2020 will not be eligible for the additional extension. Members do not need to take any action. The system will automatically update your Account with these extensions on December 11, 2020"
has anyone have success in getting marriott rep to extend FN certs again by another year? (where the original date of issuance is before 2020).
seems easier to get extension in the past, but not anymore?
Oct 29, 2020, 9:43 pm
#739
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,257
Just wanted to let some of you know, I have 6 free night a one 7 night cert and 4 of them expired Jan 31, called MR and asked for them to be extended, they extended them one year from when i called ,on sept 24 and 27, so all my 4 Jan 31 certs now expire in Sept.
not sure if that has been discussed
not sure if that has been discussed
Nov 2, 2020, 5:46 pm
#740
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,921
Brilliant annual fee posted Sep 2, cert just showed up in my account today.
Nov 16, 2020, 5:03 am
#742
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,673
i started out this month with 5 free night awards in my account....i had a 2 40k certs, one each for crossing 75 nights in 2019 & 2020....i had 2 35k certs from both my marriott amex cards....& finally i had 1 25k cert via my chase visa....
earlier this month i used 3 certs for a stay in nyc....i attached both 35k & 1 40k cert for the stay....this left me with a 40k & a 25k cert in my account....
checked out of the stay & about a week later i noticed both the remaining certs were missing from my account....i called to have this looked into & was informed that a case has been opened up for me & i would hear back in 5 business days....
about 5 days later i get a reply stating that they have located the missing 25k cert that was somehow attached to a reservation i have no recollection of & was not showing up on my upcoming stays list but there was no record of the 40k cert ever being available in my account....the exact words from the email were:
so the 25k cert was returned to me but the 40k was not....luckily i still had the email that i received for selecting the 75 nights annual choice benefit from earlier this year in march....i replied with a copy of that email & this morning i got the following response:
so now i have the 40k cert back as well....
not sure if this has happened to anyone else....just thought i would share my experience....
earlier this month i used 3 certs for a stay in nyc....i attached both 35k & 1 40k cert for the stay....this left me with a 40k & a 25k cert in my account....
checked out of the stay & about a week later i noticed both the remaining certs were missing from my account....i called to have this looked into & was informed that a case has been opened up for me & i would hear back in 5 business days....
about 5 days later i get a reply stating that they have located the missing 25k cert that was somehow attached to a reservation i have no recollection of & was not showing up on my upcoming stays list but there was no record of the 40k cert ever being available in my account....the exact words from the email were:
If any award were deleted, it would remain on your account showing as deleted.
Thank you for giving me more information. I have looked farther into this and do see where it should have gone into your account but it is not there now. I have added that back to your account for you to use.
not sure if this has happened to anyone else....just thought i would share my experience....
Dec 1, 2020, 10:52 pm
#743
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 8
Problems booking 50k award night @ cat 7?
Hi all - first post on FT!
Bonvoy Plat here - recently received a free 50k night award (via cc) and seem to be having trouble using the cert at a cat 7 (low season 50k pts/night)
Booking with the certificate doesn’t show up online for the cat 7 hotel night. Call reps seem unaware of how to book these (was even told by a supervisor that these won’t work on category 7 hotels). Anyone have any experience or tricks on this?
Stuck on my third call with a supervisor and still no luck...
Bonvoy Plat here - recently received a free 50k night award (via cc) and seem to be having trouble using the cert at a cat 7 (low season 50k pts/night)
Booking with the certificate doesn’t show up online for the cat 7 hotel night. Call reps seem unaware of how to book these (was even told by a supervisor that these won’t work on category 7 hotels). Anyone have any experience or tricks on this?
Stuck on my third call with a supervisor and still no luck...
Dec 2, 2020, 10:41 am
#745
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 18
I have the same issue. I have five 50k night certificates from a new Chase Visa card sign up offer and have been trying to get them attached to a category 7 hotel at the off-peak rate of 50k points for a week now. Nice to know I am not the only one. This seems to be a larger issue and who knows whether Marriott is aware of it.
Dec 7, 2020, 11:01 pm
#746
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 423
AMEX free night certificate question
Sorry if this has been covered multiple times. I haven't travelled or looked at the award programs closely in forever. My husband has the free night certificate from his Amex and I have the opportunity to use it for a stay across town for an early morning TV taping. He wouldn't be staying with me. I know the certificates work for the prime member only, but if we make the reservation in his name, would he need to be there for the check-in, check-out, or both? He'd probably be able to do the check-in only.
Dec 9, 2020, 4:48 am
#747
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,673
Sorry if this has been covered multiple times. I haven't travelled or looked at the award programs closely in forever. My husband has the free night certificate from his Amex and I have the opportunity to use it for a stay across town for an early morning TV taping. He wouldn't be staying with me. I know the certificates work for the prime member only, but if we make the reservation in his name, would he need to be there for the check-in, check-out, or both? He'd probably be able to do the check-in only.
there have been many instances of people using the certs for a family member or friend & getting away with it but its not something i would do myself or recommend to anyone else....
Dec 9, 2020, 8:33 am
#748
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: IND
Programs: LT Marriott Uber Titanium; From US CP to dirt (Its been a while)
Posts: 292
Sorry if this has been covered multiple times. I haven't travelled or looked at the award programs closely in forever. My husband has the free night certificate from his Amex and I have the opportunity to use it for a stay across town for an early morning TV taping. He wouldn't be staying with me. I know the certificates work for the prime member only, but if we make the reservation in his name, would he need to be there for the check-in, check-out, or both? He'd probably be able to do the check-in only.
Have him make the Rez. Then call in and add your name to the room. Reason: Spouse will be arriving before me.
Just have him on standby if things go to hell.
If it were in a different town I'd follow-up with the hotel directly to make sure the name made it to the rez. I had the name get 'lost' once for whatever reason...Wife was 400 miles away and not pleased. Fortunately, we had an email confirmation with her name on it.
.
Dec 14, 2020, 2:49 pm
#750
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Programs: MR LT Titanium, IHG Plat.,UA Premier Silver, & PA/OH Turnpike Million Miler
Posts: 2,314
