UPDATE: This offer has expired. You can view all current credit card offers here.
Back in March, I wrote about a limited time offer for the Hilton Honors™ Surpass® Card from American Express credit card. While this sign up bonus offers the same 100,000 points as it has in the past, they also added in a free night award certificate.
- Hilton Honors™ Surpass® Card from American Express – Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 months. Plus, earn a free weekend night on your anniversary date of Card approval. Some hotels may have mandatory services and resort charges. Offer Ends 5/31/17. *Terms Apply.
How Does the Free Night Certificate Work?
With this free night, within 6-8 weeks of hitting your cards one year anniversary date, you’ll be emailed a certificate to use at almost any Hilton hotel worldwide. Of course, there are a few restrictions to the certificate with the main one being that the certificate is only valid on a weekend night. A “weekend” consists of a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night. Additionally, the certificate is valid for a year from when it was issued. You then must stay by the expiration date, not simply just book by that date. Still a generous timeframe though!
The nice part about the free night certificate is that there are very few hotels that are excluded. All of the all-inclusive and Grand Vacation Club properties are excluded, along with the ones on this list here. That leaves a ton of high end properties were you can get your free night. Some popular properties that have a high price tag include: Conrad Bora Bora, Conrad Maldives, Conrad Tokyo, Conrad Koh Samui, Conrad London St. James, Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem, Hilton Tel Aviv, Hilton New York Midtown, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, Hilton Aruba, Hilton Los Cabos, Waldorf Astoria Boca Beach Club, Waldorf Astoria Park City, etc.
While some hotels can easily get you a $750 hotel room, chances are you wouldn’t have paid that anyways! I’d say on average, most people will get somewhere between a $200-$300 value. Since you have to keep the credit card for a second year and pay the second year annual fee of $75, this “free” night actually costs you the annual fee of $75. You can then extend your stay by using points from the sign up bonus, or you can really maximize if your traveling partner is able to get the free night certificate as well. All in, you’ll be paying $150 (the first years $75 annual fee, plus the second years $75 annual fee) to get the full 100,000 sign up points and the weekend certificate.
Other Card Benefits Include:
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold elite status each year you keep the card
- Earn Hilton Honors Diamond status after you spend $40,000 in a calendar year
- Earn 12x points at Hilton Hotels, 6x points at U.S. gas stations, supermarkets, and restaurants, and 3x points on all other purchases
Since this card comes with Gold status, when you use your points from the sign up bonus or the free weekend night certificate, you’ll receive complimentary breakfast and the possibility of an upgraded room and concierge lounge. And while you’ll also receive your 5th night free on award redemptions, that does not include redeeming your free night certificate.
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Isn’t it two $75 charges? Don’t you pay the $75 annual fee right away and then pay it again on the 1 year card anniversary date, after which you get the free night?
@Frank – Yes, you do pay the annual fee open opening the card, it is not waived for the first year. I think of the 100,000 points costing the first years $75 annual fee and then the free night costing the 2nd years annual fee of $75. But yes, ultimately you are paying $150 for the 100,000 points and the free weekend night certificate.
Is the Priority Pass with the $27 fee to the lounges still a part of HHS?
IHG fee of $49 is cheaper for a Intercontinental hotel on any night is SO much better.
@tomri – The IHG card is the best card to have and to keep for the free night.