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
Sep 9, 2018, 10:22 am
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
I have not combined accounts yet. I tried to use a soon expiring certificate yesterday. and called SPG since I wanted to use it at a Design hotel. The agent had no clue where to begin, but he spent a lot of time gathering information and learning what to do. In the end, he was unable to see it in my account, of course, because I had not combined accounts and said the only way would be to combine accounts first. Based on reports here, calling Marriott will do no good since it is an SPG hotel, and I am still a reluctant to combine accounts yet (still waiting for my account to reflect correct status). Hopefully they will simply extend the certificate if I ask instead.
Sep 9, 2018, 10:51 am
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,750
You should not need to combine accounts to book a room with the cert. Nor should you need to combine accounts to book an SPG room from your MR account. Now since your MR account is the one with the cert, booking from your MR account would make sense. This idea of separate MR & SPG reps only being able to deal with their legacy systems does not make sense and goes against the purpose of merging the programs. If you start getting finger pointing going on maybe not even mentioning you have an SPG account would help. There is no action needed if you only had one account so the combining is a bogus request.
And also No to your other suggestions / advice.
My experiences have been when you book an SPG property when logged in Marriott account, the site simply sends you to the LEGACY SPG Booking Engine to book. So you dont have the Point Advance feature for the Marriott properties.
When booking a Marriott property when logged in SPG account (where I keep many more points), the site simply sends you to the Marriott site to book. But because you are redirected there from SPG account, you still dont have the Point Advance feature!
Sep 9, 2018, 12:06 pm
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
No, your statement of one account if not combining both accounts is incorrect. You have TWO accounts, one with the original Marriott number, one with the assigned Marriott number to the legacy SPG accounts. They are indeed TWO accounts.
And also No to your other suggestions / advice.
My experiences have been when you book an SPG property when logged in Marriott account, the site simply sends you to the LEGACY SPG Booking Engine to book. So you dont have the Point Advance feature for the Marriott properties.
When booking a Marriott property when logged in SPG account (where I keep many more points), the site simply sends you to the Marriott site to book. But because you are redirected there from SPG account, you still dont have the Point Advance feature!
And also No to your other suggestions / advice.
My experiences have been when you book an SPG property when logged in Marriott account, the site simply sends you to the LEGACY SPG Booking Engine to book. So you dont have the Point Advance feature for the Marriott properties.
When booking a Marriott property when logged in SPG account (where I keep many more points), the site simply sends you to the Marriott site to book. But because you are redirected there from SPG account, you still dont have the Point Advance feature!
OP was talking about a phone booking, not online. Details make a difference.
Sep 9, 2018, 1:09 pm
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,750
It still cannot be applied to SPG property whether you book with phone or not UNTIL the SPG properties have migrated to the Marriott booking engine.
My point is, your claim that it does not make a difference because essentially is one account is incorrect because not only if you have both Marriott and SPG before, if not combined yet, you still have 2 accounts and that is OP's situation.
On top of that, when I said how the actual bookings would behave online, was to illustrate that would be the SAME issues encountered by the reps - the SPG properties currently are not bookable on Marriott platform, but the Chase FN cert only works on Marriott platform.
I hope you at least get that part and not give suggestions that do not apply in reality, quite similar to what you keep telling people on the Challenge thread. We all wish things would work the way you suggested, that are based on mostly theory, not practice. Unfortunately at the current Marriott mess, none works as it should have been. That is the sad reality.
Sep 9, 2018, 5:18 pm
#35
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan SE AND 1MM, HHonors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum , L'Accor Platinum
Posts: 9,580
The new charts and the related news have been released in June. There will be NEW higher Category in 2019 though currently the highest price is 60K but comes Jan 1st 2019 it will be 85K.
One more time, if your FN cert is from Old Chase card, it is the Old Category 5 for 25K. This category is now Category 1 to 4, also at 25K. If you want to use your old Cat 5, you would need to try the calling route to swap it, IF you succeed. Only NEW Chase cards have the 35K FN cert at anniversary.
Once again, Old Category 5 is now New Category 4.
The Old Charts do NOT convert to the New Charts with exact match in case you are still not aware of this.
Here is an easy to read blog write up on the Old Charts comparing to the New Charts, although it is for the Travel Package certs, the category concept is the same.
https://loyaltylobby.com/2018/08/18/...chart-new-old/
On top of that, in 2019 there will be 3 values within same category - Off Peak, Standard, and Peak.
This blog write up may help you to understand what has been going on since initial announcement in JUNE.
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/rewar...-spg-now-live/
This is the details of the NEW credit cards FN certs. Definitely NOT the ones you have.
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/marri...s-luxury-card/
This is the INTERACTIVE new category charts released sometime in June on Marriott site. I used the bookmarked link, but there should be better links (from some blogs) in case you have trouble reach this.
Free Night Redemption Rates ? Marriott Members
All your links show that current category 5 hotels require 35,000 MR points.
My old Chase credit card one night certificate allowed redemption for category 1-5 hotels.
I was issued that certificate at the end of April.
I guess that it would have only allowed for 25,000 MR points.
But I will call the agent, and see what happens.
Sep 9, 2018, 5:49 pm
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
Chase FN cert could not be booked online with the merger.
It still cannot be applied to SPG property whether you book with phone or not UNTIL the SPG properties have migrated to the Marriott booking engine.
My point is, your claim that it does not make a difference because essentially is one account is incorrect because not only if you have both Marriott and SPG before, if not combined yet, you still have 2 accounts and that is OP's situation.
On top of that, when I said how the actual bookings would behave online, was to illustrate that would be the SAME issues encountered by the reps - the SPG properties currently are not bookable on Marriott platform, but the Chase FN cert only works on Marriott platform.
I hope you at least get that part and not give suggestions that do not apply in reality, quite similar to what you keep telling people on the Challenge thread. We all wish things would work the way you suggested, that are based on mostly theory, not practice. Unfortunately at the current Marriott mess, none works as it should have been. That is the sad reality.
It still cannot be applied to SPG property whether you book with phone or not UNTIL the SPG properties have migrated to the Marriott booking engine.
My point is, your claim that it does not make a difference because essentially is one account is incorrect because not only if you have both Marriott and SPG before, if not combined yet, you still have 2 accounts and that is OP's situation.
On top of that, when I said how the actual bookings would behave online, was to illustrate that would be the SAME issues encountered by the reps - the SPG properties currently are not bookable on Marriott platform, but the Chase FN cert only works on Marriott platform.
I hope you at least get that part and not give suggestions that do not apply in reality, quite similar to what you keep telling people on the Challenge thread. We all wish things would work the way you suggested, that are based on mostly theory, not practice. Unfortunately at the current Marriott mess, none works as it should have been. That is the sad reality.
Sep 10, 2018, 1:26 am
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: San Jose, CA USA
Programs: UA Platinum 2MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 632
I pinged SPG support on twitter today (SPG Assist) and told them I made an award reservation at Le Meridien Stuttgart (2 nights at 25K/night) because it wouldn't let me use my 2 free chase nights. I asked them to attach the chase certs and refund the 50k points. At first they said they couldn't. Then I said I heard from Flyertalk that others had this done by twitter support. They searched for a while and then told me they were successful
I don't know what they did. When I look at my activity on marriott.com (my accounts are merged), my points are 50K higher than earlier today. I made this reservation on 8/28 and the original transaction "standard redemption -50K" has disappeared. There is a new transaction of zero points showing some sort of cancellation for Le Meridien Stuttgard dated 9/9 (when I called).
The reservation (which doesn't show on "my trips", but is searchable by confirmation number) is still there and still looks like a 50k for 2 nights points reservation.
In the phone app, the chase certs are gone. On my PC, the chase certs are still there. Who knows whether they will be there tomorrow.
Regardless, there seems to be some workaround for using chase certs at SPG properties. YMMV.
I don't know what they did. When I look at my activity on marriott.com (my accounts are merged), my points are 50K higher than earlier today. I made this reservation on 8/28 and the original transaction "standard redemption -50K" has disappeared. There is a new transaction of zero points showing some sort of cancellation for Le Meridien Stuttgard dated 9/9 (when I called).
The reservation (which doesn't show on "my trips", but is searchable by confirmation number) is still there and still looks like a 50k for 2 nights points reservation.
In the phone app, the chase certs are gone. On my PC, the chase certs are still there. Who knows whether they will be there tomorrow.
Regardless, there seems to be some workaround for using chase certs at SPG properties. YMMV.
Sep 10, 2018, 2:42 pm
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,750
All your links show that current category 5 hotels require 35,000 MR points.
My old Chase credit card one night certificate allowed redemption for category 1-5 hotels.
I was issued that certificate at the end of April.
I guess that it would have only allowed for 25,000 MR points.
But I will call the agent, and see what happens.
My old Chase credit card one night certificate allowed redemption for category 1-5 hotels.
I was issued that certificate at the end of April.
I guess that it would have only allowed for 25,000 MR points.
But I will call the agent, and see what happens.
Until you manage to get your cert to swap to the 35K variety (that goes with the NEW Chase cards), your existing cert can only book the 25K properties which are NEW Category 1-4.
Be prepare to very long hold time and a lot of HUCA.
Do report back if you succeeded to get a new cert.
Sep 18, 2018, 10:19 pm
#40
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: toronto
Posts: 914
extending Credit Card night certificates
I have a few single night certificates from credit cards, and one of them expires next week. This one is for a 25,000 pt hotel. Is there a way to extend the 'life' of the certificate by booking a hotel in the future, then canceling later?
I don't really have plans right now to use a reward stay at a 25,000 pt level.
Another question, can I book multiple nights with these bonus certificates? I have 3 of them with various expiration dates. How can I book 3 nights award stay and use 3 certificates?
I don't really have plans right now to use a reward stay at a 25,000 pt level.
Another question, can I book multiple nights with these bonus certificates? I have 3 of them with various expiration dates. How can I book 3 nights award stay and use 3 certificates?
Sep 19, 2018, 12:55 am
#41
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: Marriott Ti/LTP
Posts: 1,329
I have a few single night certificates from credit cards, and one of them expires next week. This one is for a 25,000 pt hotel. Is there a way to extend the 'life' of the certificate by booking a hotel in the future, then canceling later?
I don't really have plans right now to use a reward stay at a 25,000 pt level.
Another question, can I book multiple nights with these bonus certificates? I have 3 of them with various expiration dates. How can I book 3 nights award stay and use 3 certificates?
I don't really have plans right now to use a reward stay at a 25,000 pt level.
Another question, can I book multiple nights with these bonus certificates? I have 3 of them with various expiration dates. How can I book 3 nights award stay and use 3 certificates?
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...xpiration.html
Sep 19, 2018, 8:07 pm
#42
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
I have a few single night certificates from credit cards, and one of them expires next week. This one is for a 25,000 pt hotel. Is there a way to extend the 'life' of the certificate by booking a hotel in the future, then canceling later?
I don't really have plans right now to use a reward stay at a 25,000 pt level.
Another question, can I book multiple nights with these bonus certificates? I have 3 of them with various expiration dates. How can I book 3 nights award stay and use 3 certificates?
I don't really have plans right now to use a reward stay at a 25,000 pt level.
Another question, can I book multiple nights with these bonus certificates? I have 3 of them with various expiration dates. How can I book 3 nights award stay and use 3 certificates?
Sep 20, 2018, 2:58 pm
#43
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 3
Award Booking Fee
Stayed one night at a Residence Inn this past weekend using my Cat 1-4 certificate. Just saw today that they charged $45 on my credit card. Call the front desk, the manager told me and showed me a folio saying a $40 Redemption fee, and other were sales, state occupancy, and city tax. Did anything change that they charge for award booking now?
Sep 20, 2018, 3:00 pm
#44
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,446
No, nothing has changed. That's totally not right. There should not be sales or occupancy tax, either. Maybe city tax, depending on how it's calculated (if flat tax, yes, if percentage, no).
Sep 20, 2018, 4:02 pm
#45
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,520
Stayed one night at a Residence Inn this past weekend using my Cat 1-4 certificate. Just saw today that they charged $45 on my credit card. Call the front desk, the manager told me and showed me a folio saying a $40 Redemption fee, and other were sales, state occupancy, and city tax. Did anything change that they charge for award booking now?
