Quick Points: When you should redeem free night certificates instead of hotel points
Editor's Note
Free hotel night certificates are invaluable in a clever points and miles strategy, but you need to know how to maximize them.
You can earn free night certificates for staying a specific number of nights each year with a particular hotel chain, renewing a credit card or spending a certain amount on your hotel credit card each calendar year.
These certificates can each be worth hundreds of dollars in hotel stays, but you should be aware that there’s a reason award travel enthusiasts prefer regular ol’ points.
Let’s discuss why you should often strive to use your free night certificates before burning points. We’ll also examine some rules of thumb to help you ensure you’re getting the most value from free night certificates.
Related: Best hotel rewards programs in the world: Which one is right for you?
Free night certificates are more restrictive than hotel points
Free night certificates expire
The main reason you should use your free night certificates before you burn any hotel points is that free night certificates expire.
Hotel points expire, too, but it’s extremely easy to extend their life. Depending on the hotel currency, your points may expire after anywhere between 12 and 24 months. However, that clock resets every time your account experiences activity (namely, earning or redeeming points).
Free night certificates are typically valid for just one year after the issue date. Each hotel has its own rules for what happens when a free night certificate expires, but one thing is constant: They can’t be extended indefinitely. You might get a one-time exception that extends your certificate for a few months, but this is unlikely to happen more than once. So, use it before you lose it.
Related: Maximize hotel free night certificates by planning your credit card applications
Free night certificates have limitations
All free night certificates have an effective “points value.” For instance, Marriott issues free night awards with various points caps, like 35,000 or 50,000. Hilton's free night certificates apply only to standard award rooms, which cost up to 150,000 points per night; you can't use them toward premium room types. Hyatt offers a Category 1-4 free night certificate, which limits your options to properties in Categories 1 to 4.
Hotel points, on the other hand, aren’t hampered by these restrictions. If you want to stay at the Category 8 Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, for example, you can simply spend 35,000 Hyatt points for a free night.
Note: Marriott allows you to combine free night awards with up to 15,000 points. This increases the number of hotels where you can use your certificate but still caps the certificate below the points rate of some of Marriott’s fanciest hotels.
Related: What to do when your Hyatt free night certificate is expiring
Sometimes it’s better not to use free night certificates first
For all the merit of utilizing your free night certificates first, you shouldn’t do it if you aren’t getting a reasonable value from them. Here are two reasons to keep them in their holster and instead use points.
Free night certificates are single-use
If your first hotel stay after earning a 50,000-point free night certificate is with a property that costs 10,000 points, it wouldn't be wise to use your certificate.
That’s because free night certificates are single-use. If you stay at a hotel that costs less than the certificate, you’ll forfeit the remaining value. Try to use them at a hotel that costs around the same number of points your free night certificate is worth — unless it’s expiring really soon.
So if you have a Marriott 35,000-point free night certificate, for example, try to plan a hotel stay that would cost 30,000 points or more to get maximum value.
Related: Best Hiltons in the world to use your award certificate
Use free night certificates for short stays
Another restriction that may encourage you to save your free night certificate: You can't use it in conjunction with a fourth- or fifth-night-free perk.
Several hotel chains will give you a complimentary night when you book a certain number of consecutive reward nights:
- Marriott and Hilton offer the fifth night free when booking five or more consecutive reward nights.
- IHG offers the fourth night free for IHG credit card holders when booking four or more consecutive reward nights.
But if you booked four nights with Marriott points and one night with a Marriott free night certificate, you would not qualify for a free fifth night — because Marriott doesn’t count free night certificates as “award nights.” If you’re staying five nights with Marriott, it’s better to use points for all five nights and save your free night certificate for another stay of three nights or fewer.
Related: How to maximize Marriott Bonvoy award night redemptions
Bottom line
If you don’t redeem your free night certificate, it will expire. In most cases, there’s nothing you can do to indefinitely extend its life. For this reason, it’s better to use it as soon as (reasonably) possible.
If you have an upcoming stay at a hotel that costs nearly the same number of points as your free night certificate is worth, use it. Save your points for longer or costlier hotel stays that can’t be booked with a restrictive certificate.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.