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There are a lot of fantastic perks with hotel credit cards. There are four co- branded American Express cards with annual fees ranging from $0 to $450 for theHiltonHonors. One or more free night rewards can be earned on three of these cards.

I wanted to take a closer look at everything you need to know in order to redeem a free night reward certificate.

There are three credit cards that you can use.

Hilton Aspire Card free night award

Up to two free night rewards are offered by the American Express Aspire card.

  • You receive one every cardmember year just for having the card, including the year in which you open the account
  • You receive one when you spend $60,000 on the card in a calendar year
Redeem your certificate at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam

Hilton Surpass Card free night award

If you spend $15,000 on the card in a year, you'll get a free night.

Hilton Business Card free night award

Every year, the American Express Business Card offers up to two free nights.

  • You receive one when you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year
  • You receive one when you spend $60,000 on the card in a calendar year

Can you earn Hilton free night certificates from multiple cards?

You definitely can. You could earn up to five free night certificates for your account each year if you have all three of the credit cards that offer free night certificates. You can get the welcome bonuses on each card. Free night awards can be earned with further promotional offers.

Redeem your certificate at the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal

How soon do free night rewards post to your account?

Free night rewards can be earned within 12 weeks of when they're earned.

  • In the case of those free night rewards earned through spending, expect the certificates to be deposited in your account 8-12 weeks after the spending threshold is reached
  • In the case of the Hilton Aspire Card annual certificate, expect it to post within 8-12 weeks of your anniversary (and in the first year within 8-12 weeks of when you open the card)

For what nights are free night rewards valid?

If you stay any day of the week, you'll get a free night reward. These were only redeemed for weekend nights in the past. They are now valid for seven days per week.

Redeem your certificate at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach

How long are free night rewards valid?

The certificates are valid for a year. The standard policy once again applies, even though some certificates were extended in 2020 and 2021.

At which hotels can Hilton free night certificates be redeemed?

At properties costing up to 150,000 points per night, the free night certificates are valid. Most of the properties that have free night certificates are all-inclusive orHilton Grand Vacation properties.

You can redeem most of the properties that are eligible for this certificate.

Redeem your certificate at the Conrad London

How do you view your Hilton free night certificates?

If you earn a free night certificate, you should receive an email from the hotel with all the details. Free night certificates can be viewed directly in your account with the hotel.

  • This only works on the Hilton website, and not the app
  • Just scroll down past your basic account info, and you’ll see a section that shows your free night awards
  • You can see how you earned the free night certificates, how long they’re valid, and what the last four digits of the certificate codes are
View your free night rewards in your online account

How do you redeem free night certificates?

You can view your rewards online, but you need to call to make a booking. If you don't have a code when you call, you can give it to the phone agents.

It would be great if it could be done online rather than by phone. You can get a free night certificate with virtually all other hotel loyalty programs. This benefit is so generous that I will not complain.

Do you receive elite benefits when redeeming free night awards?

When you redeem points or get a free night certificate, all perks apply if you have elite status with the company. This could include perks like complimentary breakfast and late check-out.

Receive elite perks when redeeming free night awards

But I don’t want to go to a great hotel for just one night?!

There is a single free night certificate for a redemption at a remote property. Most people won't go to the islands for a single night. There are two approaches to this.

Redeem your certificate at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives

The free night certificate can be used as part of a long stay. You can add on an extra night to the stay using this certificate if you use cash, points, or a combination of the two.

If you earn multiple of these certificates, you can potentially use them for back-to-back nights at the same hotel, which would make for a great vacation.

You can redeem this certificate at a lot of good hotels. This area is getting better as the portfolios of the two hotels grow.

There are a lot of great city hotels to choose from. There are many examples. There are a lot of great city hotels where you can redeem a free night award that is closer to home.

Redeem your certificate at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills

The free night rewards are one of my favorite perks, and I have an American Express card.

  • The Hilton Aspire Card offers one every year just for having the card, which for many people will more than justify the annual fee, in and of itself
  • For the Hilton Surpass Card and Hilton Business Card, I think it can be worth spending $15,000 on the cards each year to earn an anniversary free night certificate

I get great value out of this benefit because I can redeem these rewards for stays at hotels that sell for $1,000+ per night.

What have you experienced as a result of earning a free night award?