Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
September 20, 2020 • 11 min read
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Quick summary
The article explores strategies for using expiring hotel free-night certificates, particularly those set to lapse at the end of 2020.
Travelers face challenges due to limited travel options and uncertain extensions on certificate expiration dates.
Options include using certificates for planned trips, domestic staycations or road trips, and booking new international travel if comfortable.
Waiting for a possible extension is a risk, as unused certificates may be forfeited if not redeemed in time.
What to consider
Most certificates require both booking and completion of the stay before the expiration date.
Some properties may have limited availability, especially for high-value or weekend nights, restricting redemption options.
If an extension is granted after booking, travelers can cancel and reclaim certificates, but waiting too long may result in loss if no extension occurs.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed guidance on evaluating risk and maximizing value when deciding whether to use or wait on expiring hotel free-night certificates.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
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But, the coronavirus pandemic has wrecked travel plans since it became a global concern in March. Like many other travelers, my husband and I have canceled some trips and rescheduled others to 2021.
Today, I'll discuss some options for using IHG Rewards Club free-night certificates that expire at the end of 2020. I'll also share how I plan to use our expiring IHG certificates before the end of the year.
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Expiring free-night certificates
InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort in Vietnam (Photo by Katie Genter/The Points Guy).
Before travel halted, I had grand plans for our IHG Rewards Club free-night certificates. My husband and I have accrued four nights in our IHG Rewards Club accounts that expire on Dec. 31, 2020:
I'm going to Istanbul, Turkey later this year. (Photo by Shaoyang Zhou/EyeEm/Getty Images)
One straightforward option is to use the expiring free-night certificates on a currently-planned trip before the end of 2020. After all, you generally have to book and stay before your certificate expires. In my case, I happen to have one trip left in 2020: a 6-night trip to Istanbul, Turkey.
The most luxurious IHG Rewards Club property in Turkey is the InterContinental Istanbul. But, this hotel isn't exactly where I want to use anniversary night certificates. After all, this hotel only costs 22,500 points per night on our dates.
Nonetheless, I forged ahead with the idea of using our expiring certificates at the InterContinental Istanbul. Unfortunately, the property has no availability for the first four nights of our six-night stay. And, there's no availability on the weekend we'll be in Turkey. So, using the InterContinental Ambassadorcomplimentary weekend night on this trip is out unless availability changes.
Sure, we could use two of the expiring 40,000-point anniversary nights to stay at the InterContinental for our last two nights in Istanbul. But, with a 7:40 am departure from the new Istanbul airport, this option isn't all that appealing. So, let's consider some other options.
But there aren't many IHG properties domestically that excite me enough to use an uncapped anniversary night. Sure, there are some impressive InterContinental and Kimpton hotels. These hotels may be an excellent option for some travelers with expiring nights. But parking the RV and potentially paying pet fees to use the certificates in the U.S. isn't compelling to us.
Specifically, the following IHG Rewards Club hotels in Mexico are appealing to me:
InterContinental Presidente Cozumel Resort Spa: Some nights are over 40,000 points, so you'll only be able to use a 40,000-point anniversary night for select dates
InterContinental Presidente Cancun Resort: Every night I searched was 40,000 points or less
InterContinental Presidente Mexico City: Every night I searched was 35,000 points or less
However, the other trip costs would be a lot to pay to have this experience a second time. In short, I just can't justify it. But, if you can, there's some uncapped anniversary night and points availability this fall at the InterContinental Bora Bora Thalasso.
One additional option for the uncapped anniversary night
If I go to Danang, Vietnam, I can visit the nearby famous giant concrete hands holding a bridge. (Photo by LINH PHAM/AFP/Getty Images)
If you have an uncapped anniversary night certificate from the IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card, one final option is to wait. IHG may extend expiration dates on certificates again. After all, many travelers are unwilling or unable to travel during the pandemic. And, I'd be frustrated if I used my uncapped certificate and then learned that it would have been extended if I had just waited.
The terms of IHG's anniversary night certificates state that "anniversary night certificates must be redeemed, and the stay must be completed, within 12 months from date of issue." These regulations apply for most IHG anniversary night certificates. But, I found that I could book my uncapped certificate for a stay in late August 2021.
So, I may wait until late December to see if IHG extends the expiration date on my uncapped anniversary night certificate again. If there's no extension, I can still book my last uncapped night for a stay in late 2021. One downside to this plan is if you cancel your night once it expires, you'll lose the certificate. So, depending on your risk tolerance level, this may not be the approach for you.
InterContinental Fiji is usually bookable for 40,000 points or less, but it's not how we're using our expiring nights. (Photo by JT Genter/The Points Guy)
While writing this article, I made some tough decisions on how to use our expiring IHG perks. Frankly, I still have some doubts about whether I made the best choices.
First, I decided to use the two 40,000-point anniversary night certificates that expire on Dec. 31, 2020, during our trip to Istanbul. I'm not thrilled to be using certificates worth up to 40,000 points for nights bookable for 22,500 points each. But, I'm not confident IHG will extend the certificate expiration date again.
I plan to wait until late 2020 to see if IHG extends the expiration date on our uncapped anniversary night certificate. If there's no extension, I'll book our last uncapped night at the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort for late 2021. Of course, I'll lose the uncapped night if Vietnam doesn't accept U.S. citizens when my stay arrives. A less risky option would be to book a 2021 stay in a country already taking U.S. citizens, such as French Polynesia or Mexico.
Finally, we don't currently have any plans for the InterContinental Ambassador complimentary weekend night that must be redeemed by the end of 2020. I'll keep checking availability at the InterContinental Istanbul for our dates. But, assuming availability doesn't open up, we don't plan to use this perk if it isn't extended again.
Travelers face a lot of uncertainty when using expiring IHG anniversary nights and InterContinental Ambassadorcomplimentary weekend night. After all, IHG may extend the expiration dates on these nights again. But, since most of these nights must be redeemed and used before their expiration, it's a risky decision to bypass using them in hopes of an extension.
One option to minimize risk would be to book a domestic staycation or road trip for late December, using your expiring nights. Then, as the cancellation deadline approaches for these nights, see if IHG announces an extension. If there is an extension, you can cancel your stay and get your nights back. But, if there isn't an extension, you can use your nights before they expire.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
