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)
#61
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
j2simpso’s info would have been more relevant in the Cdn Amex thread.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...press-144.html
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,760
It’s been documented that the US SPG Amex free night posts on the 2nd of the month, so check again tomorrow.
j2simpso’s info would have been more relevant in the Cdn Amex thread.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...press-144.html
The 2nd of the month is right on the dot - the certs show up today in our accounts.
Now let's see if the Chase targeted 50K/one purchase Upgrade Offer husband got on his business card (the old version) would go thru without an error or we have to call. Seems the targeted offer was only for personal card but Marriott is sending it to business card owners as well. We will see how it goes when we go thru it on Monday. This would give us the 3rd 35K FN cert on existing cards if it works.
#63
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: Marriott/Starwood Lifetime Titanium, Hilton HHonors Diamond, IHG Spire, United Premier Silver
Posts: 707
I inquired to AmEx CS this morning regarding this certificate. My annual fee hit November 9. I was told that it will take 8-12 weeks to receive the certificate, and that it would be an e-certificate that arrived by email, not deposited into my account.
#64
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
As for the e-certificate that should just automatically appear in whatever SPMarriott account you entered in when signing up for the card. If you merged your SPG and Marriott accounts to create an SPMarriott account, don't worry it will still appear in your SPMarriott account (I created my SPMarriott account after in August and the cert came in on Dec 1 without taking any action on my end). Overall, the perk is pretty sweet: I'm staying at the AC Hotel Time Square on NYE (rate was $1000 USD when I was booking in July) which just so happens to cost 35,000 points so I'm getting pretty good value of the AF.
Safe Travels,
James
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
Nov 15
Nov 15-19
Nov 27
Nov 30
Dec 1 (yours)
#66
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,059
The general consensus is that the free night certificate will appear automatically in your SPMarriott account 2 calendar months after your annual fee posts (on the 2nd day of that month). In my case my annual fee posted on October 22th and I received my free night 2 calendar months later, on December 1st (Canadian SPMarriott AmEx users appear to be receiving it on the first). Hence, I would expect your free night certificate to post on January 2nd, 2019.
As for the e-certificate that should just automatically appear in whatever SPMarriott account you entered in when signing up for the card. If you merged your SPG and Marriott accounts to create an SPMarriott account, don't worry it will still appear in your SPMarriott account (I created my SPMarriott account after in August and the cert came in on Dec 1 without taking any action on my end). Overall, the perk is pretty sweet: I'm staying at the AC Hotel Time Square on NYE (rate was $1000 USD when I was booking in July) which just so happens to cost 35,000 points so I'm getting pretty good value of the AF.
Safe Travels,
James
As for the e-certificate that should just automatically appear in whatever SPMarriott account you entered in when signing up for the card. If you merged your SPG and Marriott accounts to create an SPMarriott account, don't worry it will still appear in your SPMarriott account (I created my SPMarriott account after in August and the cert came in on Dec 1 without taking any action on my end). Overall, the perk is pretty sweet: I'm staying at the AC Hotel Time Square on NYE (rate was $1000 USD when I was booking in July) which just so happens to cost 35,000 points so I'm getting pretty good value of the AF.
Safe Travels,
James
#67
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,760
Wow this is TERRIBLE, that's going to be after the 30-day period for AMEX cards where I get my annual fee refund. Is there anyway to get the free cert and get the annual fee refund? Got played by AMEX, had I know they would pull this ........, I would have cancelled and freed up a 5th card slot instead of waiting for this nonsense.
Dont you realize that is precisely AMEX does not want you to cancel the card, not paying AF but still get to keep the eCert?
It has been explained in the update of the T&Cs when the benefit changes were announced way back before August 1st - 8 to 10 weeks after anniversary date to receive the FN cert. Been enough DPs since then and the first lot of FN certs appeared on Oct 2nd - precisely the 2 months after the eligible cut off anniversary date.
To be fair, AMEX has not lied, nor played you - as it openly stated in the notice on benefit changes.
Chalk this up a lesson learned when one is too lazy to read the fine print.
You either pay the AF, consider buying a 35K FN with $95 or forget about the FN and cancel the card, thus save your $95 payment. It is still time to cancel your card without paying, as long as you dont want the 35K FN cert.
Last edited by Happy; Dec 20, 2018 at 7:00 pm
#68
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
#69
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,760
I wish HKG laws would have the same provision like Singapore's.
Those fans would be prosecuted in US for sure.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/soci...orce-flight-be
https://www.upi.com/K-Pop-fans-delay...7051545115802/
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/soci...rport-security
#70
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Posts: 237
Question on free night certificate
I have 2 SPG cards (personal and business). I was supposed to received 2 hotel certificate but I only received one in my account.
My understanding is I should received 1 certificate per card but when I call, customer service told me that I only received 1 night certificate because both card in my name. Is that correct? I don't think she is correct because ALL of the questions that I asked her, she put me on hold and asked for a time to do her research.
My understanding is I should received 1 certificate per card but when I call, customer service told me that I only received 1 night certificate because both card in my name. Is that correct? I don't think she is correct because ALL of the questions that I asked her, she put me on hold and asked for a time to do her research.
#71
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: DFW
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, HH Gold, AA Lifetime Gold, United Silver, BA Gold
Posts: 864
I have 2 SPG cards (personal and business). I was supposed to received 2 hotel certificate but I only received one in my account.
My understanding is I should received 1 certificate per card but when I call, customer service told me that I only received 1 night certificate because both card in my name. Is that correct? I don't think she is correct because ALL of the questions that I asked her, she put me on hold and asked for a time to do her research.
My understanding is I should received 1 certificate per card but when I call, customer service told me that I only received 1 night certificate because both card in my name. Is that correct? I don't think she is correct because ALL of the questions that I asked her, she put me on hold and asked for a time to do her research.
HUCA
You should receive 1 per card.
I have 3 cards and I have received 3 in the past.
#72
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Rewards - LTPP
Posts: 4,240
I thought that it was announced last year that you would only get one award night no matter how many cards you had. New "perk" under the combined program. I could be wrong about that, but it does sound vaguely familiar.
#73
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: EDI/GLA
Programs: DL 2 MM Unobtainum | UA 1.1MM Gold | MR Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 2,269
I do believe you're thinking of the 15 Elite Nights Credit that comes with carrying a Marriott Bonvoy branded card and is capped at 15 Nights regardless of how many cards one has.
#74
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: CT/NY
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium; Amtrak Select
Posts: 61
I now have an Amex free night certificate sitting in my account under Earned Awards, but...you can't click on it and there's no number associated with it. It just says "Unused Certificates (1) Amex FNA up to 35k points" with an expiration date...so how does one actually redeem this?
#75
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,050
I now have an Amex free night certificate sitting in my account under Earned Awards, but...you can't click on it and there's no number associated with it. It just says "Unused Certificates (1) Amex FNA up to 35k points" with an expiration date...so how does one actually redeem this?
This is one of the few areas where Marriott IT actually works really well and is a clear improvement on SPG. You can also automatically use the certificate for one night and pay for the rest in points (or even do a booking where you select to pay some nights in points and some nights in cash, with one of the points nights automatically replaced by the cert) and it’s all quite straightforward, unlike in SPG where if you wanted to use a free night cert you had to call and make a separate one-night booking.