Update: Still no official response from Chase, but reps are consistently giving this information now so I suspect the 1/1/18 to 4/5/18 dates are correct.
Update:Â Now the same reps on Twitter are saying it is restricted even for those who applied 1/1/18 until 4/5/18. Let me escalate it and get a real answer.
Yesterday we posted that the anniversary free night certificate on the Chase IHG card will be limited to properties that cost 40,000 or less starting on May 1st, 2018. A lot of readers that recently applied for the card felt this was unfair as one of the primary reasons for them signing up was to receive this unrestricted anniversary free night certificate. Chase is now informing cardholders that if they opened their card between 1/1/18 and 4/5/18 then they would receive the normal unrestricted free night certificate in the first year.
We certainly apologize for the news. Accounts opened between 1/1/18 and 4/5/18, will not see this change for the first year. ^JD
— Chase Support (@ChaseSupport) April 3, 2018
This is certainly good news, but you still have a segment of cardholders that applied from May 1st 2017, 2018 through December 31st, 2018 that will have never received an unrestricted free night certificate. What I’d like to see is for Chase to extend the grace period from 1/1/18 to 4/30/17. That way every cardholder will have received at least one unrestricted free night certificate.
Lol now the same reps on Twitter are saying it is restricted even for those who applied 1/1/18 until 4/5/18. Let me escalate it and get a real answer.
I opened mine in July 17 so my anniversary date is this July, Im hoping Ill be grandfathered in as well.
There was a letter sent, all certs issued after 05/01 will be limited.
So, since I received my certificate in September 2017 I can use it now and won’t be restricted? But, when my new certificate rolls back around in Sept of 2018 then I will be restricted?
This escalation should be escalated.
Think we can anticipate that in the new IHG, the higher-ups have concluded that with business booming, one of their brethren now running the country, with average rates skyrocketing, (etc., etc.) that they can screw over the little guys (& gals)….. and leave only little “reward” crumbs. “Loyalty lobby” now returns to where G*wd, Olila, & the Gop ordained it to be — reserveth to the blue bloods. Fact is, with profits soaring, taxes dropping, the mindset at IHG now seems to be that they have no incentive to use IHG “rewardist” program to drum up business with “normal” folks. *tic (expect more “coke” and soma promotion for the masses this summer, lotteries and the like)
Well bless their hearts.
Into the chaos, with IHG
While you’re at it, ask them what their next move will be to chase out the riff raff, the “losers,” the non Trump class, to banish from memory any concept of “travel is free.” (once upon at time) 😉
Just another data point. I applied & approved on 4/4/18 and today got an email confirmation saying my card will be arriving in the mail shortly. In it, a short verb in the fine Terms & Conditions:
“Anniversary night is valid at hotels in the IHG Rewrds Club Family of Brands and must be redeemed, and stay completed, within 12 months from date of issue…etc” Elsewhere in the email, it says “As a card member, you can spend one Free Night at any of IHG 5000+ hotels…”
I’m keeping this email for a yr when my anniversary certificate becomes available as proof.
Whats the final verdict? Are we (those who applied before the change) grandfathered in or not?
Chase still hasn’t given us a clear answer.
not to be overly dramatic, but really does feel like this could justify a class action lawsuit — it’s not fair at all for the summer/autumn folks.
Sent a few secure messages to Chase, and got this as a response.
“As your account was opened on March 26, 2018, the change in the terms of the Anniversary Free Night do not apply to your account for the first
anniversary. Please note that the fulfillment of this
benefit and its terms are designed/ handled by IHG
Rewards® and not Chase. Also, the Anniversary Free Night
rules and regulations are subject to change. In the
future, if there are any changes to the terms of this
benefit, we will communicate the change with you.”
Dear DEBRA T,
As a valued customer, we’d like your feedback and ideas to play a role in helping us create the best possible products, service and experiences. To that end, we invite you to join the Chase Innovation Community. As part of this select group of customers, you will be asked to participate in short online surveys and discussions with others in the community, focused on the IHG Rewards credit card. Your contributions will result in improvements and products inspired by you.
This email just came. IRONY? I should join.
Oh… please-please JOIN, and please-please PARTICIPATE 🙂
I doubt that would change anything, but I would have had my share of fun with it 🙂
Best to you!
I spoke with a rep from Chase. Everyone who get an anniversary certificate after May 1, 2018 will have it capped at 40,000 points. That includes those who got their cards in 2018. The Chase Support tweet is misleading in that nobody earns a certificate “in the first year.” You only receive it after paying the annual for at the start of the second year.
Did they offer you anything?
I tweeted a lot, and got a response that mentioned “calling the number on back of card to discuss impact of the changes.” Wondering if it can actually lead to me getting the unrestricted free night. I got my card in Summer 2017.
that’s what i’ve been saying all along. everyone is freaking out about a benefit that only starts in the 2nd year of card membership. Chase is in no way obligated to give people benefits for future years of membership. Nobody had anything taken away from them that they were promised in their current cardmember year (that’s why when our annual fee comes due, we all get to evaluate and decide if its worth paying)
I got mine September 2017 and got the bad news letter yesterday. Are there any Kimptons at the 40k level? Booooo……such is this game.
Does anyone know what’s going to happen to this card moving forward? Are we still getting a free night with restrictions? (After this next year)
got a mail today. For those who applied before this year, limitation to free night will apply. It says to eligible property instead of any property now, and value up to 40000 points/night.
Just approved today with no intervention (had been on 30 day notice for about 5 days). Hope that tweet is accurate. Thanks
William Charles for putting all this together. Every blog wrote about this issue but to no surprise, you guys get the best info and do the best work. Much appreciated!
Fingers crossed it is
I signed up to the card with the 60k with 1,000 minimum spend but didn’t get the 50 buck statement credit. I tried to request a match in smc but chase rep asked for the offer code and invitation number to the 50 buck statement credit offer. Anyone got any advice on how to proceed?
Say it’s a public offer and send them a PDF of the landing page.
Note: I originally suggested sending them a note with the URL, but let’s not get this offer pulled in case anyone still wants to sign up before tomorrow.
In case they pull the offer you will want a PDF of the page anyways.