Which Resort Free Night time Certificates Is the Most Highly effective?

Each of the three main hotel loyalty programs – Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and World of Hyatt – have their own version of a free night award certificate, which go by different names.

While free night certificates are not technically free since each one comes with an acquisition cost, they remain one of the most valuable benefits offered by hotel loyalty programs through co-branded credit card membership and/or completing stays at properties.

In this article, we’ll pit the free night certificates available through Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and World of Hyatt against each other to determine which are the most powerful, as well as the opportunities and limitations that come with each one.

Which Hotel Free Night Certificates Are There?

Prior to diving into the analysis, let’s revisit the different types of certificates that are available in each program, and how to earn them in the first place.

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy offers a few versions of Free Night Awards, which range in value depending on which avenue was used to acquire it.

Marriott Free Night Awards can be earned each year either by holding a Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit card issued in Canada or the United States, or as an Annual Choice Benefit for earning Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status.

In Canada, there are two Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit cards, with both the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card each offering cardholders one Free Night Award worth 35,000 points each year on the card’s anniversary date, beginning in the second year.

In the US, there are five co-branded credit cards that offer Free Night Awards just for being a cardholder. These certificates are issued each year on the cardholder anniversary date, with the following values:

Furthermore, you can earn more Free Night Awards of various values by reaching an annual minimum spending threshold on the following US-issued co-branded credit cards:

As mentioned above, if you reach Titanium elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program, you can choose a Free Night Award worth 40,000 points as your Marriott Bonvoy Annual Choice Benefit.

To put all this information together more clearly, we’ve created this chart to show the available Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Awards.

It’s worth noting that there are sometimes additional ways to earn Free Night Awards, such as through credit card welcome bonuses or promotions.

Hilton Honors

The ways in which you can earn a Hilton Honors Free Night Reward are more limited than with the Marriott Bonvoy program.

As with the Bonvoy program, Hilton’s Free Night Reward certificates can be earned through co-branded US-issued American Express credit cards; however, there is only one card that offers a certificate just for being a cardholder.

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offers a Free Night Reward when you become a cardholder, and every year that you renew thereafter.

Additionally, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card offers a Free Night Reward, but requires that you spend $15,000 (USD) in order to access this perk.

You may also find Free Night Rewards included as part of a card’s welcome bonus, or through the occasional promotion.

World of Hyatt

As with the Marriott Bonvoy program and the Hilton Honors programs, a World of Hyatt Free Night Award can also be earned by signing up for a US-issued co-branded credit card.

The World of Hyatt Visa from Chase offers cardholders a Free Night Award valid at any Category 1–4 hotel or resort every year after their cardmember anniversary. The card also lets members earn a second Free Night Award of equivalent value upon spending $15,000 (USD) in a calendar year.

Another way to earn Hyatt Free Night Awards is through the World of Hyatt Milestone Rewards.

Once you’ve earned 30 qualifying nights or 50,000 base points, you’ll reach Explorist status within the World of Hyatt loyalty program, and you’ll also receive a Milestone Reward of one Free Night Award certificate valid at any Category 1–4 Hyatt hotel or resort.

If you make it to 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 base points, as well as at 100 nights, you’ll receive a Category 1–7 Free Night Award, and you’ll have earned Globalist status.

Upon reaching 150 nights in a calendar year, you’ll be bestowed with an Ultimate Free Night Award, which is valid at any Category 1–8 hotel, Category A–F all-inclusive resort, or Miraval resort.

Value of Each Free Night Certificate

Now that we’ve laid out the free night certificates that can be earned, let’s take a look at some estimated values for each of them.

The Marriott Bonvoy program offers four different Free Night Awards, worth 35,000, 40,000, 50,000, and 85,000 points, respectively.

We value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.8 cents (CAD) or 0.6 cents (USD) apiece, which would give the above Free Night Awards the following values:

• 35,000 points = $280 (CAD) or $210 (USD)
• 40,000 points = $320 (CAD) or $240 (USD)
• 50,000 points = $400 (CAD) or $300 (USD)
• 85,000 points = $680 (CAD) or $510 (USD)

The Hilton Honors Free Night Rewards are unique in that they have no limitation on the point/cash value for which they can be redeemed, as long as there’s Standard Room Reward availability. Standard Room Rewards cap out at 150,000 points per night, so you can use a Free Night Reward for a hotel that costs 5,000 points, or for one that costs 150,000 points per night.

This lack of an upper limitation means that a Hilton Free Night Reward can be used to book some very aspirational properties, such as the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi (more on this later).

We value Hilton Honors points at 0.7 cents (CAD) and 0.5 cents (USD) each, and at its maximum, we’d estimate that a Free Night Reward is worth $1,050 (CAD) or $750 (USD).

World of Hyatt has three types of Free Night Awards. The first is valid for Category 1–4 hotels, which has a value of up to 18,000 points, the second is valid for Category 1–7 hotels, which has a value of up to 35,000 points, and the third is valid for Category 1–8 hotels, Category A–F all-inclusive resorts, and Miraval resorts, which has a value of up to 72,000 points.

We value World of Hyatt points at 2 cents (CAD) or 1.5 cents (USD) each, giving the Free Night Award certificates the following maximum values when used at various properties:

• Category 1–4, up to 18,000 points = $360 (CAD) or $270 (USD)
• Category 1–7, up to 35,000 points = $700 (CAD) or $525 (USD)
• Ultimate Night Award at Category 1–8 hotels, up to 45,000 points = $900 (CAD) or $675 (USD)
• Ultimate Night Award at Category A–F all-inclusive resorts, up to 58,000 points = $1,160 (CAD) or $870 (USD)
• Ultimate Night Award at Miraval resorts, up to 72,000 points = $1,440 (CAD) or $1,080 (USD) 

In previous articles, when determining the value of a free night certificate, we’ve looked at the cost of acquiring the certificates in the first place, such as the cost of the annual fee or the required credit card/hotel spend.

Of the free night certificates being discussed, some are earned by simply holding a specific credit card and paying the annual fee for a year or two; however, some of the free night certificates can only be acquired through credit card spending or by reaching different loyalty program status levels and milestones.

In the latter cases, it’s much more difficult to determine the dollar value cost of acquiring the certificates.

Given that trying to nail down a dollar value comparison for the cost of acquiring each certificate is like comparing apples and oranges, we won’t try to do that here.

Instead, looking only at the points value of each certificate, we can see that the most valuable free night certificate based on our valuations is the Ultimate Night Award from World of Hyatt. However, it’s also extremely difficult to obtain, since you have to earn 150 elite qualifying nights each year to earn one.

If we put the Ultimate Night Award aside, then the Hilton Honors Free Night Reward comes out on top in terms of estimated value based on the maximum amount of points it can be used for. 

The different certificates from Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt represent fairly similar value in terms of straight valuations, with both programs offering lower-value certificates worth $280–400 (CAD) or $210–300 (USD), and higher-value certificates worth $680 (CAD)/$510 (USD) and $700 (CAD)/$525 (USD), respectively.

Limitations with Hotel Free Night Award Certificates

One of the most significant limitations that exists for earning hotel free night award certificates is the ability to access each one in the first place.

As mentioned above, most free night certificates can only be accessed by holding a co-branded credit card or by spending a significant amount of money on an annual fee and/or with the hotel brand.

Furthermore, the Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt co-branded credit cards are only available in the United States, making it more difficult for Canadians and other global citizens to access these certificates in the first place.

Another limitation is that most of the free night certificates from each of the three hotel loyalty programs expire 12 months after they’re issued, with some of the World of Hyatt Free Night Awards expiring six months after issue.

In terms of making an award booking, both Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt let you use their online reservation systems for booking with Free Night Awards.

Comparatively, reservations using the Hilton Honors Free Night Reward can only be booked over the phone, making it more difficult to confirm redemption availability ahead of time.

In terms of value, the Hilton Honors certificate has no upper bound on Standard Room Rewards, making it very flexible and opening up access to some very impressive properties worldwide.

World of Hyatt uses fixed pricing that varies within a range based on whether the date of the booking falls within peak, standard, or off-peak times.

This is a straightforward structure, and has potential to be quite valuable if you’re looking to book a room during a peak time (e.g., New Year’s Eve, Mardi Gras), and you’re able to find an available standard room.

The most limited program in this area is Marriott Bonvoy, which uses a dynamic pricing structure.

With dynamic pricing, the cost in points of a night’s stay can fluctuate considerably depending on the demand, but the upper limit value of the Free Night Award certificate doesn’t change to accommodate this.

This means that you may be able to book a room one night with a Free Night Award, but not the next if demand is high and the price has risen.

Keep in mind that Marriott Bonvoy lets you top up your Free Night Award with up to 15,000 points, meaning that a Free Night Award worth 35,000 points can be topped up to book a stay that costs up to 50,000 points, assuming you have the extra 15,000 points necessary to do so.

This option allows for some additional flexibility in terms of using a Free Night Award for a desired booking within the dynamic pricing structure.

Opportunities with Hotel Free Night Certificates

To best illustrate the value available with each of program’s free night certificates, let’s look at some examples of properties that are accessible with each.

Marriott Bonvoy

The best way to use a Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Award is for a stay that has a high cash value and a redemption cost within the range of your certificate.

Based on our points valuations, we’d value a Free Night Award worth 35,000 points at $210 (USD). However, you can certainly get more value than that, perhaps for a night’s stay at the Fairfield Inn New York Manhattan/Financial District, which could have a cash value of $408 (USD).

With a Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Award, you can also look at booking rooms that cost up to 15,000 points more than the certificate’s value by using the program’s option to top up the value using your own points balance.

For example, you could book the Moxy Halifax Downtown using a Free Night Award worth 35,000 points, and then add 2,000 points from your account, allowing to essentially exchange 37,000 points for a stay priced at $450 (CAD).

If you have access to a Marriott Bonvoy Free Award worth 85,000 points from the US-issued Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card, you could perhaps use it to enjoy an exquisite stay at Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa in Dubai, which has cash prices of over $1,200 (USD) per night.

Hilton Honors

As previously mentioned, the Hilton Honors program has no upper limit in terms of the redemption value of Free Night Rewards, as long as you can find Standard Room Rewards.

This means that you can use a Free Night Reward to book some incredible experiences, including one of Hilton’s most expensive properties, the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi.

Although it can take a fair bit of dedication to find Standard Room Rewards at this property and other top-tier hotels, if you’re able to be flexible and plan far enough ahead, a Free Night Reward can offset what would otherwise be a significant cost, especially if you can snag multiple nights in a row.

Hilton Free Night Rewards have great application closer to home, too. For example, you can use it to book a winter getaway at the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa, which can have cash rates of over $800 (CAD) per night.

World of Hyatt

Since World of Hyatt uses fixed pricing for its award redemptions, a Free Night Award can come in handy for booking in peak seasons and during events when the cash price of rooms is elevated.

For example, a Category 1–4 World of Hyatt Free Night Award could be used to book a night at the Hyatt Centric French Quarter during Mardi Gras, which would otherwise cost $382 (USD).

The World of Hyatt certificates are also valuable for hotels that are generally more expensive due to their location. Since the certificate is based on categories, as long as you can find a standard room in a hotel of the right category, you should be able to book using a Free Night Award.

For example, a Free Night Award could be used to book a night at the Hyatt Place Anchorage-Midtown in Anchorage, Alaska on July long weekend.

In this case, the Free Night Award could be redeemed against a standard room cash cost of $444 (USD), which is considerably higher than our $270 (USD) valuation of the 18,000 World of Hyatt points that the redemption is listed at.

Of course, the Category 1–7 Free Night Award and Ultimate Night Award can unlock even more valuable stays at higher-end properties, which could bump up the value even higher.

Which Free Night Certificate is the Most Powerful?

The question of which free night certificate is the most powerful is a bit complicated to answer.

Given that accessing each free night certificate comes with a different set of requirements, and each certificate has different limitations and opportunities, it’s difficult to suggest that there is an unquestionable winner in this arena.

In terms of dollar value, the World of Hyatt Ultimate Night Award has the most potential; however, it also has the highest barrier to acquisition, and is far out of reach for most people.

On the other hand, the Hilton Honors Free Night Reward is easily accessible and has the potential to unlock excellent value. For many, it’s a good enough reason to pay the $550 (USD) annual fee on the Hilton Honors Aspire Card every year, since you can use it to book hotels that cost much more.

It also has the added benefit of being earned as soon as you become a cardholder, whereas the Free Night Awards acquired through the other co-branded credit cards are not earned until the second year of card membership.

As potential runner-up for the most powerful certificate, the Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Award worth 85,000 points also strikes a nice balance of a high redemption value and ease of acquisition through a co-branded credit card; however, it’s not awarded until the second year of card membership, meaning you’ll have to pay the annual fee twice before enjoying the perk.

The World of Hyatt Category 1–7 Free Night Reward has a high redemption value, but it’s only acquired after earning 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 base points at Hyatt properties, making it out of reach for many.

On the whole, Marriott Bonvoy has the most Free Night Awards, and they’re also the easiest to access, so there’s value to be found there, too.

In an ideal world, you’d be able to leverage as many free nights through credit cards and status each year across multiple programs, maximizing at every step along the way.

Conclusion

Free night certificates are excellent perks offered through co-branded credit cards and through completing qualifying stays at major hotel chains. Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and World of Hyatt offer their own versions, each with their respective strengths and weaknesses.

The most powerful free night certificate is ultimately the one that you’re able to access and make use of, and this can differ quite a bit from person to person depending on your spending habits, your loyalty to a specific hotel brand, and where in the world you’re based.

With a bit of planning and strategic use, you should be able to squeeze outsized value out of any free night certificate, which often justifies the effort or cost required to earn it in the first place.