A weekend at the beach: How I got a free stay worth $1,500 from 2 hotel credit cards
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Travel is coming back — and in many ways, it already has.
Recent data from Experian shows that U.S. consumer spending on travel has increased 14% from lows in March 2020. And that’s just the beginning. The surge in travel demand will only continue as millions of more people get vaccinated daily.
In recent weeks, there has been an influx of travelers to leisure destinations, such as Florida. With both spring break season and pent-up desire to travel, hotels in many leisure-focused locales have been at or near capacity throughout March and April.
Related: If you haven’t made plans for Memorial Day, it may be too late
I was in Florida recently for a beach and food getaway (including this drive-thru dinner event), but I didn’t pay some of the exorbitant cash rates to stay at a hotel. Instead, I was able to leverage two free hotel night certificates from two different credit cards — and pay nothing at all. For the other nights, I used points.
For more TPG news and credit card tips delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Here’s how I managed to get over $1,500 in value for a South Florida beachfront weekend at two higher-end hotels, thanks to free night certificates on my World of Hyatt Credit Card and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
Related: The best hotel credit cards that come with an annual free night
The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
$1,000-plus value from the Hilton Aspire card
One of the most valuable perks of the Hilton Aspire card is a weekend night reward for each cardmember year (with even more flexibility to use the night on weekdays through 2021).
Even the most expensive Hilton properties (think: Conrads, Waldorfs and more) accept this free night. The only requirement is that the free night is valid on standard Hilton Honors awards — and there also is a list of several excluded properties. Most standard Hilton awards top out at 95,000 points per night.
In a more normal year, I’d consider using this reward at extravagant hotels such as the Conrad Koh Samui, a resort that can easily charge $2,000 per night. Note that you cannot use a free night award at Conrad Koh Samui Residences (with their larger private villas).
However, during the pandemic, I’m more than happy to redeem a certificate for even a domestic trip during a much-needed warm-weather escape. The all-suite, beachfront Conrad Fort Lauderdale fit the bill perfectly. And with cash rates nearing $1,000 per night, even for a base-level junior suite, I was still able to get incredible value from my one free night certificate.
With Hilton, all resort fees and taxes are waived on points and award stays — a huge win for a night where I would’ve been otherwise charged $145 in taxes and fees.
Of course, the Aspire card also provides a plethora of other perks, including top-tier Hilton Diamond status and up to $250 in statement credits for incidentals charged to your card at participating Hilton resorts. Diamond status provided free breakfast while the Aspire’s statement credit benefit waived my $100 dinner charge.
Remember, the Hilton Aspire card has a $450 annual fee (see rates and fees). But as you can see, I was able to easily outweigh this annual cost from burning just one free night certificate alone.
Related: Hilton Surpass vs. Hilton Aspire: Which card is right for you?
$500-plus value from the World of Hyatt card
On my second night, I moved farther south from Fort Lauderdale to Miami.
The World of Hyatt card also gives you an annual free night certificate. But unlike Hilton, Hyatt limits this to Category 1-4 properties (up to 15,000 points). However, this can be worth way more than the card’s $95 annual fee, as long as you play your, well, cards right.
On peak days, the beachfront Confidante Hotel in Miami charges well more than $500 per night when factoring in taxes and resort fees. However, I was able to use my free night certificate for a coveted weekend night stay during a busy spring travel season.
Similar to Hilton, all taxes and fees are waived on awards and free night stays. Even better, thanks to my top-tier Globalist status, I received a balcony room upgrade and a $70 breakfast on the house.
The World of Hyatt card has a $95 annual fee, which means I got 5x the annual fee value as a free night. That’s a pretty amazing deal, in my book.
Hyatt also has an ongoing promotion that awards 2,000 bonus World of Hyatt points for every two qualifying nights earned between March 1 and June 15, 2021. Even better, those with a World of Hyatt Credit Card earn an extra 500 points per two nights, for a total of 2,500 points earned for every two-night stay.
Additionally, all members earn a free night award valid at any Category 1-4 Hyatt after earning 10 qualifying nights during the promo period.
Bottom line
Hotel credit cards are underrated for the outsized value they can ultimately provide. Between both of these cards, I was able to get over $1,500 in value for a weekend in Florida from the two free nights and other card-specific perks.
If you’re looking to restart travel, now is a great time to add one or more of the best hotel credit cards to your arsenal. The World of Hyatt card and the Hilton Aspire card make a regular appearance in my own wallet, thanks to the value that they provide while away from home.
Featured photo of The Confidante Miami by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire Card, please click here.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022.
With Status Boost™, earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X Miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer ends 8/3/2022.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.