Updated
Certificate Tracker: Never Let a Free Night Certificate or Companion Pass Expire
The perks that pay for your annual fees are the easiest to lose
A hotel credit card's free night certificate is often the reason the card is worth keeping. A Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant certificate can cover a night worth hundreds of dollars. A World of Hyatt certificate can easily cover the card's $95 fee on its own.
But certificates don't sit in your points balance. They live in a separate corner of each hotel account, they each have their own expiration date, and most of them can't be extended. Miss the date and the value is simply gone. Companion passes and companion certificates from airline cards work the same way.
The Certificate Tracker keeps all of them in one list, sorted by which expires first: hotel free nights, airline companion certificates, gift cards and any other award with a deadline. Add each one when it posts, and you'll always know what you have and when you need to use it.
How to use the Certificate Tracker
-
Sign in and click Add New Certificate. Your certificates are saved to your AwardHack account.
-
Name it. Use a name you'll recognize, like "Hilton Free Night Award" or "Delta Companion Certificate". If the name includes the program, such as Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott or Delta, the tracker shows that program's logo.
-
Set the value. Choose an Estimated Value Type of Dollar ($) or Points, then enter the Estimated Value. A Marriott 35,000 point certificate can be entered as 35,000 points. A $100 gift card or travel voucher works better in dollars.
-
Set the expiry date. Pick the date from the certificate, or tick Never Expires for items without one.
-
Save, and mark it used when you book. Click Mark Redeemed on a certificate and confirm the Amount to Redeem, which starts at the full value. For a gift card or voucher you're using in parts, lower the amount and the tracker splits it, keeping the remaining balance active. If a booking is cancelled, click Restore to make the certificate active again.
At the top of the page, four summary cards show your Available Cash Value, Available Points Value, Total Redeemed and Nearest Expiration.
Tip: Enter the certificate the day it posts, not the day you plan to use it. The posting date is when the 12-month clock starts for most hotel certificates.
How the tracker keeps you ahead of deadlines
Active certificates are sorted by expiration date, soonest first, with items that never expire after them and redeemed items at the bottom. Each card shows a status badge:
| Badge | What it means |
|---|---|
| Expires (date) | More than 30 days to go |
| Expiring soon (days) | 30 days or less to go |
| Expired | The date has passed |
| Never Expires | No expiry date set |
| Redeemed | Marked as used |
Certificates expiring within 30 days also appear as urgent actions on your AwardHack dashboard. Thirty days is a short window for booking a hotel night, so treat the badge as a last warning and book well before it appears.
Hotel free night certificates from credit cards
These are the anniversary and spending certificates on current US hotel cards as of October 2026. Most are valid for 12 months from the date they're issued.
Marriott Bonvoy
| Card | Certificate | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| Bonvoy Boundless (Chase) | Up to 35,000 points | Each account anniversary |
| Bonvoy Bountiful (Chase) | Up to 50,000 points | After $15,000 in spending in a calendar year |
| Bonvoy Bevy (Amex) | Up to 50,000 points | After $15,000 in spending in a calendar year |
| Bonvoy Brilliant (Amex) | Up to 85,000 points | Each year after your card renewal month |
| Bonvoy Business (Amex) | Up to 35,000 points | After renewal, plus a second after $60,000 in calendar-year spending |
Since March 12, 2026, Marriott lets you add up to 25,000 points to a certificate, so a 35,000 certificate can book a 60,000 point night and an 85,000 certificate can book a 110,000 point night. You must book and check in before the certificate expires, and Chase's terms say certificates can't be extended.
Hilton Honors
| Card | Free night |
|---|---|
| Hilton Honors Aspire | One each cardmember year, plus one at $30,000 and another at $60,000 in calendar-year spending |
| Hilton Honors Surpass | One after $15,000 in calendar-year spending |
Hilton's certificates have no points cap: they work for a standard room reward at almost any Hilton. They're valid for 12 months, and the stay itself has to be completed before the expiration date.
World of Hyatt
| Source | Certificate | Valid for |
|---|---|---|
| World of Hyatt Credit Card, each anniversary | Category 1-4 | 12 months |
| World of Hyatt Credit Card, $15,000 in calendar-year spending | Category 1-4 | 12 months |
| Elite milestone at 30 nights | Category 1-4 | 6 months |
| Elite milestone at 60 nights | Category 1-7 | 6 months |
Hyatt changed its award chart on May 20, 2026, and some hotels moved up a category. A hotel that went from Category 4 to Category 5 no longer works with a Category 1-4 certificate, so check the category before you plan around a certificate. Hyatt certificates also expire a day earlier than many people expect: checkout has to happen before the expiration date.
IHG One Rewards
| Card | Anniversary night |
|---|---|
| IHG One Rewards Premier | Up to 50,000 points (renewals through Dec 31, 2026 still get 40,000) |
| IHG One Rewards Business | Up to 50,000 points, plus another at $60,000 in calendar-year spending |
| IHG One Rewards Premier Select | Up to 60,000 points |
Chase refreshed the IHG cards on October 1, 2026. Premier, Business and Premier Select certificates can be topped up with points. They're valid for 12 months, can't be extended, and the stay must be completed in that time.
Airline companion passes and certificates
| Benefit | How you get it | Deadline to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Companion Pass | 135,000 qualifying points or 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year | Valid for the rest of that year and all of the next |
| Delta Companion Certificate | Delta SkyMiles Platinum or Reserve card renewal | Travel must be completed by the date on the certificate |
| Atmos Rewards Companion Fare | Alaska Atmos Rewards Ascent card anniversary, after $6,000 in spending | Book within one year; travel can be later |
| Atmos Rewards Global Companion Award | Atmos Rewards Summit card anniversary | Book within one year; travel can be later |
| British Airways Travel Together Ticket | $30,000 in calendar-year spending on the Chase British Airways card | Must be used within 2 years |
The Southwest pass is the only one here that works like a status rather than a single ticket: your companion flies with you for just the taxes, from $5.60 each way, as often as you like until it expires. Southwest's credit cards add a 10,000 qualifying point boost each calendar year toward earning it.
Notice the difference between book-by and travel-by dates. The Atmos Rewards companion fare and Global Companion Award only need to be booked before they expire. Delta's certificate and hotel certificates need the trip or the stay to happen in time. When you add a certificate, enter the date that actually matters for it.
What a certificate is worth
The tracker doesn't value certificates for you, so it helps to have a number in mind. One simple way is to multiply the certificate's points cap by AwardHack's value for that program, the same benchmark used in the Points Valuator:
| Certificate | Points cap | Value per point | Approximate value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott | 35,000 | 0.93¢ | $325.50 |
| Marriott | 50,000 | 0.93¢ | $465.00 |
| Marriott | 85,000 | 0.93¢ | $790.50 |
| Marriott, topped up | 110,000 | 0.93¢ | $1,023.00 |
| IHG | 40,000 | 0.68¢ | $272.00 |
| IHG | 50,000 | 0.68¢ | $340.00 |
| IHG | 60,000 | 0.68¢ | $408.00 |
That's the floor for planning purposes. Your real value is the cash price of the night you book with it. Use a certificate at a hotel that would cost $600 a night and it's worth $600 to you. Use it on a $150 night and it's worth $150, no matter what the cap says.
You can enter either number in the tracker. Choose Points to record the cap, or Dollar ($) to record the cash rate of the stay you're planning, then update it once you book. Your redemptions can then be logged in the Redemption Tracker to see the value you actually got.
Five ways certificates get wasted
- Booking too late. Award space at the hotels people want most can disappear months ahead. Start looking as soon as a certificate posts.
- Confusing booking with staying. Most hotel certificates need the stay completed before expiry. A booking made in time doesn't save a stay that ends after the date.
- Hyatt's checkout rule. Checkout must be before the expiration date. A one-night stay checking out on the expiry date is too late.
- Cancelling after the expiry date. If you cancel a stay booked with a certificate after the certificate has expired, the certificate is generally lost. Cancel early if your plans change.
- Category and cap changes. Hotels change categories and programs change caps. Check that the hotel you're planning still fits the certificate before you count on it.
Free vs Pro
The Certificate Tracker is free with an AwardHack account. The free plan includes up to 2 certificates with full insights. You can add more, but certificates beyond the first two are locked and left out of the summary until you upgrade to Pro, which unlocks unlimited certificates. Pro also adds a partner profile, so each certificate can be assigned to the cardholder it belongs to.
What the Certificate Tracker doesn't do
- It doesn't import certificates from your accounts. You add them yourself when they post.
- It doesn't check award availability or book stays.
- It doesn't apply program rules. You enter the expiry date that applies, whether it's a book-by or a stay-by date.
- It doesn't track points balances or recurring card credits. Use the Points Tracker for points and miles, and the Benefits Tracker for statement credits like dining and travel credits.
Frequently asked questions
How long are hotel free night certificates valid?
Most credit card certificates from Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Hyatt are valid for 12 months from the date they're issued. Hyatt's elite milestone certificates are valid for 6 months. Check the expiration date in your hotel account, since that's the date that counts.
Can I extend an expired free night certificate?
Generally no. Marriott's and IHG's card terms say certificates can't be extended, and Hilton has no official extension policy. That's why it pays to track the date and book early.
Can I add points to a Marriott free night certificate?
Yes. Since March 12, 2026, Marriott lets you top up a certificate with up to 25,000 points, so a 35,000 point certificate can book a night costing up to 60,000 points.
Do I have to finish the stay before the certificate expires?
For Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Hyatt, yes. Booking before the expiry date isn't enough if the stay ends after it. For Hyatt, checkout has to be before the expiration date.
How do I earn the Southwest Companion Pass?
Earn 135,000 qualifying points or fly 100 qualifying one-way flights in one calendar year. The pass is valid for the rest of that year and the whole following year, and Southwest credit cards add a 10,000 qualifying point boost each year.
What is a free night certificate worth?
It's worth the cash price of the night you book with it. As a planning number, AwardHack's values put a 35,000 point Marriott certificate at about $325 and a 50,000 point IHG certificate at about $340, and choosing an expensive night can make either worth far more.
Can I track gift cards and travel vouchers too?
Yes. Enter them with a dollar value and an expiry date, or tick Never Expires. You can redeem part of the balance and the tracker keeps the remainder active.
How many certificates can I track for free?
Up to 2 certificates with full insights. Additional certificates are saved but locked until you upgrade to Pro.
The bottom line
A free night certificate is cash with an expiration date, and nobody reminds you when it's about to go. Add each certificate the day it posts, enter the date that actually matters, and book the stay while there's still award space to choose from.