Chase Anniversary Nights Are Taking Longer to Post
This past weekend I shared with you how quickly the free night from the Hyatt brand explorer perk posts. I also commented on how slowly the credit card anniversary night posted. In the past the anniversary night always posted within days of the annual fee being charged. The email alerting me to the free night came a few weeks after the annual fee posted but the certificate never appeared. I don’t think this is a rare occurrence either according to the comments on my article or the response I received from the Hyatt Twitter team or Chase themselves. That has me thinking that Chase has smartened up to our games. And that is why the Chase anniversary nights are taking longer to post.
What Games?
Chase allows a full refund of your card’s annual fee if you cancel the card within 30 days of the fee posting. If it is outside of 30 days then there is no refund. They used to offer a prorated refund but that ended a few years back.
It was not such a well kept secret that you could have the anniversary night or points post and then cancel your card. The points/certificate would normally post within 30 days meaning that you could get a full refund and keep the bonus. People would sometimes do this if they decided to go after another welcome offer. It appears that loophole may be dead.
My Results
I did not plan on canceling my card but I was in need of that anniversary night for a upcoming stay in NYC. Luckily my brand explorer free night posted quickly so I used that instead.
Here was my recent timeline:
- Annual Fee Posted – July 1
- Email from Hyatt saying my award is waiting – July 21
- Award place in my account – August 27
It took Chase well over 30 days to put the anniversary night in my account. It was even well after the email from Hyatt that said it was in there. That could be why the Hyatt folks sounded so annoyed when I reached out to them. They just kept saying you should talk with Chase. This all leads me to believe that Chase is being proactive and stopping people from getting some extra value on their way out the door. I can’t blame them, it is what I would do.
Data Points Needed
I have enough data points on the World of Hyatt card. But I would like to hear from some of you on your recent IHG Premier, Marriott or Southwest card’s anniversary points and certs. Did it take this long to post there too. Or is this just an issue with the World of Hyatt card?
Final Thoughts
Let me be clear here I am not complaining about this. I totally understand why Chase would do this and I am surprised it took them this long honestly. It is annoying if you have an immediate use for that free night. So if you were intending on using your next one right away be prepared to wait a month or two before it becomes available.
 Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the old king of travel rewards cards. Right now
bonus_miles_full
Learn more about this card and its features!
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Replying a bit late but just recently went around and around with both Marriott and Chase to no avail. I have had the Marriott Bonvoy for quite awhile ( old and new name) always had my certificate around January with my card opening on 12-22 but never noticed when I paid the annual fee. This year I saw it on June 1st so I contacted both of them to find out why I pay in June and not receive the certificate till January. Neither one could explain the long time to deposit nor would adjust the timeline. I too am looking at booking a 4th night with this certificate for a trip in February but afraid that availability may run out. ( have to check that there are no black out dates).
My Hyatt anniversary is late July and the annual fee usually gets charged August 1. I always get my anniversary night late July before annual fee is charged. Last year was the only exception. Annual fee got charged August 1 and a week later no free night. I contacted both Hyatt and chase and it looked like they worked with each other. They also gave me 5k points for the trouble. This year it’s all back to usual schedule. I got my free night late July and annual fee for charged August 1.
Thanks P – do you have the old Hyatt card or the World of Hyatt card?
Mine took 7 weeks. This is not a card I wanted to cancel but beware they not only cancelled my Hyatt card for Manufactured spend but they also closed ALL of my Chase cards which hurts. I wanted to get Globalist so I was buying some VGC’s at grocery store and other places and all was ok but then I got a letter. They never even warned me. I didn’t know it was shut down until I got the letter.
They closed 7 Chase cards. I called to inquire but none of the agents had any other more information vs. what was on the letter which said “Awards abuse”. So if any of you are MS’ing Chase Cards beware Chase is watching and probably will close down your cards.
I had a good run doing it hard for about a year but ultimately wasn’t worth it as I didn’t want to lose ALL my Chase cards. Interestingly enough they kept open my checking and savings accounts where I keep large balances.
how hard were you hitting WoH (what was the utilization ratio?) Did you credit cycle? Did you achieve globalist? I imagine you would’ve spent over $125k if you didn’t have any organic stays.
Thanks for sharing Earl – you don’t hear that often coming out of Chase. Anymore info would be appreciated – the questions t asked were pretty on point.
AF posts on first of month statement closes whenever it closes say 17th, you have 30 days from statement close to cancel and get AF refund
The Hyatt night posted for me on the NEXT statement close, so the day after the last day you can cancel and AF refund
Seems imminently fair if not the incompetence we are used to.
Thanks Jacob!
My card anniversary was around July 7-9.
Annual fee posted 8/1
Free night cert delivered Sept 9.
Thanks for the DP Grant
New Hyatt card opened 8/5/2018. AF posted 9/1. Still waiting on free night
Thanks Mike – hopefully in the next few weeks you get it!
Going on memory here…Amex Marriott took 6-8 weeks after fee posted, Chase Marriott night posted immediately, IHG old card posted immediately.
You didn’t ask about United Club one-time passes, but…got email and passes 9-3 exactly on the anniversary of approval date. Annual fee hasn’t posted yet.
Thanks Mary!
Anniversary date: 6/28
Annual fee post: 7/1
Free night post: 8/28
Right on the dot of 2 months from the anniversary – interesting
So does that mean you only have 10 months to use it (instead of 12)?
Chase Ritz: Free night (and annual fee) showed up the day after the anniversary date. This was a week ago.
Thanks for the DP Mark
To me that’s BS by Chase — I kept the card for 1 year + a few days so I should get my certificate for keeping the card 1 year. The fact that I cancel after doesn’t matter — I earned it by keeping the card one year. Now it’s not a anniversary certificate, it’s “keep the card an EXTRA year certificate”
The cert is really for paying the annual fee so I can’t blame them for wanting to get the money – just wish there was a quicker way to do it.
[…] Has Chase Wised Up To Our Games? Need Your Data Points by MtM. […]
Amex Marriott Business card – free night posted 8 weeks after anniversary date
Chase Hyatt card – free night posted 10 weeks after anniversary date
Chase IHG card – free night posted right away
Chase Marriott card – free night posted right away
Chase Marriott Business card – free night posted right away
So weird that it is all over the place – thanks for the DPs
I have the old IHG Select card. The free night actually posted before the annual fee.
Thanks!
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless. Free night posted immediately after the anniversary date (May).
Thanks Brian
Both new IHG and Marriot posted within days of anniversary in
July
Thanks Kelnland
T&C “Please allow up to 10 weeks after your cardmember anniversary each year for your Free Night Award to be issued to you.“
I know they can take up to 10 weeks but it never took more than a few days in the past…that is the point.
US Bank Club Carlson has been this way for years. It might be 6-8 weeks after the AF for the 40k annual points to post. Drives me crazy.
Right, I wait 2 months!
That sucks although I wish everyone gave points 🙂
Chase Hyatt: AF posted 8/1, paid on 8/15, cert posted 8/27
The older version?
I have the older Hyatt card. I don’t know when the cert posted, but the annual fee posted 9/1 and it’s 9/6 right now and I already have the cert. Thanks
Nope, the newer one.
Interesting – thanks
My IHG new posted a few days after anniversary date. I wasn’t expecting that. I need to wait until Nov to see if my old Hyatt card will do the same.
Thanks Lynn – I hope it posts quickly!
Ihg both new and old versions posted quickly
Thanks Pan
While I’m a fan of bending rules, I’m not a fan of circumventing them altogether. And I hate waiting.
I really wish they’d advance you the free night if you agreed to the fee (make it nonrefundable for that year). The 99% who plan on keeping the card are made to wait because of the 1% who don’t play fair.
It could be made so much easier, too. Just turn the annual fee into a bill that’s issued on the first day of the new year. If unpaid by the end of its grace period, have it automatically be charged to the card. Whenever it’s paid (either manually or charged to the card), release the anniversary benefits.
(I’m sure there’s a rule for annual fees saying they have to be charged to the card, and a separate rule for bills of any type saying they can’t limit payment options to a single source… surely a creative accountant can come up with a way to circumvent all that.)
I am sure there are quite a few rules on annual fees out there. Maybe they could simply revoke the free night if you canceled or say you have to pay the fee if you used it before canceling etc. I wouldn’t even mind it hitting at 31 days but 2 months is a bit much.
agreed and seems different for everyone.
I cancelled my Hyatt card in August about a week after the fee posted because I had such a hard time finding an opportunity to use my 2018 free night that I decided it wasn’t worth keeping the card. To my surprise, I discovered after I cancelled the card that my 2019 free night had already credited. I wasn’t trying to game anything – just didn’t want the card any more. But since they gave me another free night I guess I’m going to have to figure out something to do with it. This was on the Hyatt card I opened in 2017, which I guess is the one you are calling the “old card,” the one with the $75 AF.
I am surprised you are having issues using it – I never have a problem using mine. Lots of good properties out there for 15K or under including one in NYC now 😉
That would be great if I had any reason to go to NYC. I would imagine that Hyatt is a more viable option for people who spend a lot of time traveling through large cities. Most of my travel involves smaller cities that have very little Hyatt presence.
Yeah Hyatt does not have as much coverage in the smaller cities. Pretty good coverage in the larger cities. Orlando has a lot of options if you ever have a reason to go to Disney 🙂
Chicago is great for cat 4 Hyatt nights. Often $300+ all-in if paying cash. A number to choose among.
The old Hyatt card, $75 annual fee posted 9/1, checked today and free night was ready to use. It could have arrived earlier but didn’t check until today.
Thanks Huy
It’s amusing that y’all think that Chase is so naive that they haven’t realized there were ‘gamers’. I’m sure the delays have more to do with their contract agreements and compensation vs teaching us a lesson.
Realizing it and getting around to doing something about it are two different things. You don’t think Amex realized how Airline Incidental credits were being used for years? Well they finally got around to doing something about it.
9 weeks on my Hyatt card. I’m hoping it’s not as long with the IHG card.
Sounds like IHG is quicker for most – hopefully it is for you too!
Fee posted 8/1. No email, no FN cert yet.
Thanks for the DP
Same with the olg IHC CC more than 35 days now….
Thanks for the DP!
Both of my Marriott cards took weeks (Don’t recall how many as I did not need them immediately) for the free night. Can’t remember on my IHG, but Hyatt, yeah. Called last week as I did need it and I was told that free nights take about TEN weeks to post.
Thanks for the DP’s Carl. I think they are pushing Hyatt as far out there as they can
IHG card free night posted 1 day after the annual fee charge.
Thanks for the DP nohohh – appears IHG isn’t in the same boat as Hyatt and Marriott.
Chase World of Hyatt card: Annual Fee posted Aug 1, nothing at all since then.
Thanks for the D.P. DJ
+1 here same dates same result
IHG might not be in the same boat. Newer IHG with the $89 fee – my fee posted 9/1 and my anniversary free night 9/3.
Interesting – thanks Max. It is good to have a DP on the old and new card. Good to know those still come quickly.
Mine is an older, but similar, DP for the IHG Premier: AF 6/1; FNC posted 5/29. Yes, FNC hit before the AF did.
Thanks Raylan – looks like IHG is still good for most people. Hopefully it stays that way.
Fees posted Aug 2nd, still waiting for Hyatt anniversary night certificate.
Thanks for the DP – AB. Will probably be later this month
I have a different data point me & my wife have $49 IHG card & my free night posted 2 weeks before they charged me the annual fee & my wife free night posted exactly a day after the annual fee posted to her account.
You know what is interesting Rukmi is that someone in our Facebook group said their free night posted before the annual fee but it was on the old Hyatt credit card.
Maybe the old Hyatt and IHG are working as they always have but just the newer/more expensive cards are set up differently. Strange.
Same with me on the old IHG card – certificate posted days before the fee.
DP: Soutwest premier
8/1 – fee posted
8/15 – points posted
9/3 – closed card and balance $0
Thanks Nikki!
Almost identical to you. Fee posted late June, never received an email about free night, free night posted August 28. As another data point, my free night for $15k spend posted within days.
Same here on the $15K free night. Gives us another clue that this is on purpose.
Same situation with the Chase Marriott card – has taken over 2 months past the anniversary date for the credit to post…
I forgot to lump Marriott in there, just added it. It is frustrating that it is taking so long. They could just do it at 31 days which wouldn’t be horrible. 2 months is getting into Amex Aspire territory. Thanks for the DP Avery.