TPG reader Scott sent me a message on Facebook to ask about Citi Prestige benefits:
“If I use the Citi Prestige card for a 10-night stay at a hotel, do I get both the fourth and eighth nights free?”
Based on the emails and comments coming into TPG each day, there's a lot of interest right now in the Citi Prestige Card, which has quickly become one of the top travel rewards cards out there. One of the main attractions of this card is the 4th Night Free benefit, which gives you a huge discount on hotel stays of four nights or more when you book through the Citi Prestige Concierge.
This benefit is incredibly valuable, and recently became a bit easier to use when Citi updated the booking process. However, it does have its limitations. It would be great if you could score multiple free nights on longer stays, but unfortunately Citi doesn't allow it. The terms and conditions clearly indicate that you're only eligible for one complimentary night per stay, which Citi defines as consecutive nights booked on a single reservation.
The fine print goes on to specifically exclude back-to-back stays at the same hotel that are split into separate reservations. That means you could receive one complimentary night by staying Sunday through Wednesday nights. However, you couldn't receive a second complimentary night at the same hotel on a separate reservation for Thursday through Sunday nights. Each stay would be four nights and you'd stay eight nights total, but you'd only get a single complimentary night (the fourth one).
There are a few ways to work around these rules. One simple strategy is to switch hotels after four nights, since each of your reservations would then be eligible. Alternately, you could spend one night elsewhere in the middle of two four-night stays. Using the example above, you could stay Sunday-Wednesday nights (with Wednesday night free), change hotels on Thursday night, and then go back to the original property for Friday-Monday nights (with Monday night also free). It might be cumbersome to change hotels for one night, but it could be as simple as crossing the street if you're in a major destination.
Another option is to trade off reservations of four nights with a travel partner who also has the Prestige card. The stays will be booked separately, but the hotel will likely allow you to keep the same room if you put in a request at check-in.
Keep in mind that you get the fourth night free and not just 25% off, so you can maximize your savings by scheduling your fourth night to be the most expensive one. If you're on an extended stay, you could line up multiple Prestige reservations so the fourth night falls on a (generally more expensive) Friday or Saturday, and use another method to pay for the nights in the middle separately.
For more on Citi Prestige and the fourth night free benefit, check out these posts:
- Maximizing Benefits with the Citi Prestige Card in 2016
- Does the Citi Prestige Concierge Offer Good Hotel Rates?
- Maximizing Citi Prestige Benefits — TPG Reader Success Story
- How I've Gotten $2,250 in Value from the Citi Prestige Card
If you have any other questions, please tweet me @thepointsguy, message me on Facebook or send me an email at info@thepointsguy.com.
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