James (Jamie) started The Forward Cabin blog to educate readers about points, miles, and loyalty programs. He’s spoken at Princeton University and The New York Times Travel Show and has been quoted in...
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If you have an eligible Hilton co-brand American Express card and have free nights as part of your benefits on that card, there’s good news for you. Your free night rewards can now be used any day of the week, a change from the previous restrictions that they could only be used on a weekend night.
The Old Restrictions
Free night rewards given on the American Express Hilton credit cards previously were only usable on weekends, one of the less desirable times of the week to stay in some places that would normally be flooded with business travelers during the week.
New Flexibility
Hilton is now allowing free night rewards issued as part of a co-brand credit card benefit to be used any day of the week, allowing you to use it essentially any time that you want, which is a drastic new positive change from the old weekend-only rules.
Because leisure travel has boomed over the past few years, many people are taking weekend trips, forcing rates to go up. Because the awards were previously only valid on weekends, these traditionally off-peak days are starting to become peak, and Hilton is hoping to shift stays to what’s now a less desirable time to go (weekdays) until business travel fully returns.
It’s worth noting that in 2021 and 2022, Hilton made the free night rewards usable on any night as a temporary move, but this is now an official permanent change for this year and beyond.
Hot Tip: Check out the best ways to redeem a Hilton free night certificate for maximum value in our detailed guide!
How You Can Earn These Free Nights
There are 3 American Express cards that allow you to earn these free night rewards:
Credit Card | Free Nights |
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card* | You can earn 2 free nights annually:
|
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card* | Spend $15,000 in a calendar year, get 1 free night |
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card | You can earn 2 free nights annually:
|
As you can see, it’s pretty easy to accumulate these free nights and now having the opportunity to use them any day of the week makes them even more valuable.
*All information about these cards has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.
Final Thoughts
If you have an eligible American Express Hilton card, your free nights just got more valuable as you can use them any day you choose. You no longer need to worry about using them just on a weekend! This is a permanent change to stay and is a great reason to pick up one of these cards with this benefit.
The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
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About James Larounis
James (Jamie) started The Forward Cabin blog to educate readers about points, miles, and loyalty programs. He’s spoken at Princeton University and The New York Times Travel Show and has been quoted in dozens of travel publications.
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