Extending validity of IHG free night (anniversary night) voucher from Creation

[NFH]

I have two free night (anniversary night) e-vouchers, earnt from expenditure on my Creation credit card:
1. Issued in March 2020, expiring 31/12/2021
2. Issued in March 2021, expiring 31/12/2022

IHG has automatically extended both e-vouchers beyond their original 12-month validity because of the pandemic. Has anyone managed to get IHG to extend one beyond the end of 2021 because of the pandemic? With travel to the US impossible until very recently and impending travel restrictions resulting from Omicron, the consumer’s ability to use the e-voucher is frustrated.

• This topic was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .

[qvister]

Not sure about extending, but also had a couple of vouchers close to expiry. Managed to use them just now to pick up a free weekend at Cliveden in August, which seemed a bit of a result…

[Jon]

No, but for what it’s worth, I spoke to IHG earlier today to check the expiry date of my Creation free night voucher (my account was showing 31/12/2021 but I recall talk of them being extended). I was initially told that all vouchers had been extended to 30th July 2023, but that was then reversed and they confirmed 31st Dec this year is as far as they’ll go.

It can be used for a stay next year, but must be booked before the end of this month. All the more frustrating as there’s only one place I can commit to for now and there seems to be a glitch on the IHG web site and app (at least, for this hotel anyway – a Mr & Mrs Smith one, which perhaps has something to do with it) in that points redemption nights are shown as available, but when you go to actually book, they’re not. My plan had been to use the free night cert for one night and then book an adjacent night or two on points to make the trip worthwhile – plan foiled. I suppose I’ll have to book anyway, and just write off the certificate if points nights don’t open up at some point next year, given I’ll lose the certificate anyway if I don’t book now.

Just to check – I take it a certificate is definitely forfeited if you cancel after its expiry date? That’s always been my understanding, but anyone know otherwise? Also, does anyone have any experience of changing the booking date, rather than cancelling, after the certificate has expired (but before booked stay date obviously)? Would at least help mitigate the frustration of an unextended / use-it-or-lose-it certificate if that were possible 😉

[NFH]

I spoke to IHG yesterday. They refused to extend the voucher with the reason that they have already extended it. I responded that the pandemic has also been extended again, so the voucher should likewise be extended again. They offered me 25,000 points to compensate me for their refusal to extend my voucher beyond 31/12/2021, which I refused. They then advised me to use the voucher to make a booking for next year before 31/12/2021 and then later I can phone Reservations and amend it to another date and/or hotel. So I booked the InterContinental Maldives for late 2022, which is where I would ideally like to use the voucher anyway, as it is the best value for a free night.

[Jon]

Thanks @NFH, that’s useful to know.