IHG Free Night Certificates: Earn Them, Use Them, Get Real Value
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Ever wish you could snap your fingers and make a hotel bill disappear?
That’s the idea behind IHG free night certificates. They’re simple, powerful, and—used well—worth far more than the card fee that earns them. This guide shows you exactly what they are, how to get one in the U.S., how to redeem without headaches, and the smartest ways beginners turn a single cert into a memorable stay.
What is an IHG free night certificate?
Think of it as a one-night voucher loaded into your IHG One Rewards account.
You redeem it for a standard room at participating IHG brands (InterContinental, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, and more). Most certificates cover nights up to 40,000 points. Some promotional certs come with higher caps (50K–60K), but those are limited-time and less common.
Certificates are digital, live in your IHG profile, and usually expire 12 months after issue. Use it before the clock runs out—once it’s gone, it’s gone.
The U.S. cards that earn them
If you’re in the United States, the most reliable path is an IHG-branded Chase card:
Each card delivers an annual free night certificate on your account anniversary (typically capped at 40K). There’s also a legacy Select card some people still hold; it issues a cert too, but isn’t open to new applicants.
Here’s the kicker for beginners: those 40K certs on the Premier/Premier Business can often be topped up with IHG points if the hotel costs a bit more.
Example: hotel is 48K → cert + 8K points and you’re in.
Where do you find it—and how do you book?
Go to ihg.com. On the home page of your account, find Free Night or Certificates. Click Book a Free Night and enter your city and date.
You will be taken to the IHG booking home page, where you will see the free night certificate among the rate options.
After entering your destination, you will see all the options for using your certificate.
Some hotels will be marked as “Chase Anniversary Free Night” (meaning that the entire stay can be covered by the certificate), while others will be marked as “Chase Anniversary Night” plus a certain number of points that must be added to book the stay.
Results will tell you if your cert works:
- If it says FREE per night, you’re fully covered.
- If it says Chase Anniversary Night From + [X] points, that’s the top-up option—use your cert and add points for pricier dates.
- If you only see cash rates, either there’s no standard award space or the point price is out of range for that cert type.
2. Pick the room, confirm, and you’ll get a $0 room rate (taxes on the room rate are covered; incidentals and resort fees, if any, are not).
Key rules you should know
One certificate = one night
You cannot split a single certificate across multiple nights. For example, if a hotel is 20k points per night, you can’t use one 40k certificate to cover two nights of 20k each – it doesn’t work that way. The cert is only redeemable for one night, regardless of point cost. Save it for a night that maximizes its value.
Booking multiple nights
If you want to stay more than one night, you can use additional certificates or points for consecutive nights, but you’ll have to make separate bookings for each night. For instance, if you and your spouse each have a certificate, you could book back-to-back nights (one night in your name using your cert, the next night in their name using theirs) and then ask the hotel to combine the reservations. Or, if you want to do one night with a cert and additional nights on points or cash, you can – you just will have two separate reservations.
When doing this, call or email the hotel to link the reservations, so you won’t have to change rooms. Also note you cannot use IHG’s “4th night free on points” perk in conjunction with a certificate. The 4th-night-free benefit only triggers when you redeem points for a 4+ night single reservation, and since a cert booking stands alone, it can’t be combined in the same booking with a points reservation .
Award availability
A free night certificate essentially books an award night. If a hotel has standard award rooms available for points, you should be able to book it with the certificate (if within the point cap). Occasionally, certificate bookings might show availability where a normal points booking doesn’t – some users have found IHG sometimes gives extra award space to certificates. So it’s worth searching with the certificate selected; you might get a room where a points search showed none. If your initial search date shows no availability, try the “View available dates” option on IHG’s site to see a calendar of award availability .
Cancellation
What if you book a free night and then need to cancel? According to IHG’s policy, if you cancel a reservation that was made with a free night cert (within the hotel’s allowed cancellation window), the certificate will be returned to your account as long as it hasn’t expired yet. If it will have expired by the time of cancellation, you might lose it.
For example, say your cert expires September 1 and you used it to book a night on August 25. If you cancel that booking after Sep 1, the cert can’t be redeposited because it’s past expiration.
So just be mindful of the expiration date when rebooking or canceling. Generally, treat it as “use it or lose it” by the expiration.
Fees during your stay
The certificate covers the base room rate and any taxes/fees on the room rate. It does not automatically cover things like resort fees, parking fees, or other incidental fees the hotel charges. Some hotel loyalty programs waive resort fees on award stays, but IHG does not uniformly waive resort fees. So, if you use a cert at a hotel with a resort fee, you might be billed that fee (in cash or points) at check-out, even though the room was free. This is worth considering when choosing where to redeem (e.g., a ~$30 resort fee might be a minor gripe if everything else is free). Likewise, any meals or other services you charge to the room, or any upgrade fees if you choose to upgrade your room, would be extra.
The best ways to use a free night (beginner-friendly wins)
Here’s the deal: value comes from what you book and when.
Aim high (but realistic). Search for nights that sit close to your cap. A 40K cert on a $250–$350 night is a great trade. Luxury pricing without luxury spending.
Top up for special stays. That chic Kimpton or oceanfront InterContinental showing 52K? If you’ve got points, add 12K and turn a so-so redemption into a “wow” night.
Target peak dates. Big events, holidays, school breaks—cash rates spike, but your cert price doesn’t. If standard award space exists, your cost is the same: free.
Think city breaks and resort treats. New York, London, Amsterdam, Honolulu—major hubs often drop under 40K on the right dates. Resorts in shoulder season can, too. That’s where certificates shine.
Don’t overthink it. If you’re weeks from expiry, book something enjoyable and go. Perfection is nice; used is smarter.
Real examples people actually book
The InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort in Vietnam – a luxury beachfront IHG resort – often costs around 40,000 points or slightly more per night, making it a prime candidate for using a free night certificate. Travelers have raved about this resort’s overwater spa and activities. If you’re traveling through Southeast Asia, a free night here (even if you top up a bit) can save you hundreds of dollars and deliver a 5-star experience.
To give you a sense of what’s possible, here are a few real examples (from travel blogs and forums) of how people use their IHG certificates:
Tropical Luxury Resort
The InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa (Fiji) is an excellent place to redeem a certificate. Standard award nights can be 40k or less in off-peak times. One traveler used their cert here and enjoyed an upgraded room thanks to the Platinum status that comes with the IHG card. Considering rooms can cost $250–$300+, this is a high-value use in a bucket-list destination.
Iconic City Hotel
Many people choose well-known InterContinental hotels. For example, the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile (Chicago, Illinois), a classic city hotel built in the 1920s on Michigan Avenue, often costs around $40,000, making it the perfect place to use your certificate. Prices may be higher on peak weekends, but they can usually be unlocked by paying a small additional fee. You’ll get the “big city” experience — Riverwalk, Millennium Park, and Mag Mile shopping — without breaking the bank.
Boutique Hotel in Europe
The Kimpton De Witt in Amsterdam is a popular redemption that often hovers around 40,000 points per night. Given that rates in Europe can be pricey, using a free night in cities like Amsterdam, London, or Paris (where IHG has Hotel Indigo, Kimpton, InterContinental, etc.) can save a lot.
Domestic Getaway or Staycation
If international travel isn’t in your plans, there are also great options in the US. For example, Kimpton Canary Santa Barbara in California, or in New York (Kimpton Hotel Eventi, InterContinental Times Square, etc.), which sometimes cost 40,000 points or less on certain dates. This way, you can enjoy the city without paying for a hotel. Consider interesting ways to treat yourself closer to home: perhaps a night at a Kimpton hotel in the nearest large city or a quiet night at a suburban resort that you can drive to.
National Parks and Unique Locations
Sometimes the best use is where hotels are scarce or expensive. For instance, near Zion National Park (Utah), there’s a highly-rated Holiday Inn Express in Springdale. It’s just outside the park and can run for 40k points or less. Travelers have used their IHG cert to stay there for free , turning an otherwise costly national park trip into a more affordable one.
Similarly, if you’re visiting a place like Yellowstone or a college town during graduation (when hotel rates skyrocket), check for IHG properties where a free night could save the day.
These examples show the range of possibilities – from exotic beach resorts to city skyscrapers to road-trip stops. The “best” use of a free night certificate will depend on your travel goals. Are you looking for maximum monetary value? A special experience? Convenience during a trip? Keep an eye on point pricing (use IHG’s search tools) and don’t be afraid to use your cert somewhere unconventional if it suits your needs.
Bottom line
IHG free night certificates are a beginner’s best friend.
Hold the right U.S. IHG card, collect your annual cert, and aim it at a night that would sting your wallet—then smile when the rate drops to $0.
Pick a date near the cap, top up if it unlocks something special, and never let it expire. Do that, and this single perk can pay for your card year after year—while you enjoy a better trip.
