Is it really possible to earn free nights with luxury cards?
Some credit cards promise “Fourth Night Free,” but this only works under certain conditions. The real difference lies in which cards actually deliver on this promise and which ones hide it in the fine print. The Citi Prestige card was the first to popularize this benefit. Cardholders could earn a free night every four nights when booking with ThankYou Points or direct payment. However, this benefit was discontinued in 2022.
Before the Citi Prestige advantage was removed, some users who used this feature aggressively saved thousands of dollars by making over 10 hotel reservations in a year. This advantage is still available on some premium cards, but it now only applies to reservations made through “travel advisory services.” This requires booking through a special reservation platform rather than directly through the hotel's website.
Which Cards Still Offer the Fourth Night Free?
The Capital One Venture X card no longer offers this benefit directly, but similar opportunities can be found through “Capital One Travel” as part of certain campaigns. However, these opportunities are not permanent and are limited to time- and hotel-specific promotions. Ultra-premium cards such as the Mastercard Gold Card in the Luxury Card (Barclays) group offer the fourth night free on reservations made through travel advisory services, but only with certain hotel chains.
The American Express Platinum card does not offer the “fourth night free” directly, but provides similar benefits through the Fine Hotels & Resorts program: The 3rd or 4th night may be free, or a credit of $100-$300 may be provided. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card does not offer this benefit directly, but since it offers 1.5x points on hotel reservations, it is possible to book 4 nights with points and reduce the cost indirectly.
Do the Benefits Remain on Paper?
Some cards specify in fine print that the free night only covers the room rate, and taxes, service fees, and resort fees are still payable. This can sometimes result in an additional cost of $50–100 for the “free night.” Some hotels designate the cheapest night as “free” in their 4th night free offer. If the first three nights are expensive but the fourth night is cheap, the user feels minimal benefit.
Some booking platforms only offer this benefit for “standard rooms.” If the user wants a “sea view suite,” it is not included in the promotion. Some cards require the reservation to be non-refundable. This can lead to significant losses if travel plans change.
What Did Those Who Maximized the Advantage in Real Life Do?
Some users stayed at different hotels in the same chain for four consecutive nights, receiving a free night for each stay, saving up to two nights on weekly stays. Some cardholders shared that they saved over $2,000 by booking hotel stays using a card that offers a free fourth night throughout the year. This advantage makes a significant difference, especially in major cities or during peak travel seasons.
Some users combine this advantage with business travel, using the first three nights billed to the company and the fourth free night for themselves to get a free vacation.
Which Hotel Chains Are More Compatible?
Chains such as Preferred Hotels & Resorts, despite being in the luxury segment, frequently participate in such promotions. They are particularly compatible when reservations are made through travel advisory systems such as Capital One or Mastercard. While Hyatt hotels do not directly offer this promotion, they provide similar benefits such as a free fifth night when reservations are made using World of Hyatt points, creating indirect competition with rival cards.
Ultra-luxury chains like Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, and Waldorf Astoria typically accept “4th Night Free” benefits through travel concierge services offered by cards like Amex or Citi rather than direct bookings. Rather than hotel chains, some independent luxury boutique hotels accept these promotions to attract customers. More flexible rules may apply in vacation destinations in Southeast Asia and the Caribbean.
Little-Known Reservation Tactics
To maximize this advantage, it is recommended that you plan your trip during the week. This is because hotels may calculate the room price at a lower rate when offering the 4th night free, as occupancy rates are higher on weekends. Before making a reservation, it is critical to compare the price on the hotel's own website with the price on the card provider's travel platform for the same dates. In some cases, the “4th night free” price may actually be higher.
Users who pay the annual fee solely for this feature aim to recoup the card fee by using the advantage at least 2-3 times. This was particularly common with Citi Prestige. Among different cards offering the same advantage, the quality of the concierge service provided by the card is decisive. Some platforms offer instant online booking, while others require manual booking via email. This can result in differences in speed and price.
Common Mistakes Made When Using This Advantage
Some users believe that they can cancel their reservation and make a new one to apply new promotions even if the price changes after booking. However, some systems only recognize the advantage at the time of the initial reservation. Some platforms charge users an additional travel consultation fee ($25–$50) when providing the advantage. This can reduce the impact of the free night.
Some hotels award loyalty program points for direct bookings but do not provide these points for bookings made through the card's travel portal. Users often lose loyalty benefits in exchange for a “free night.”
Who is it really valuable for?
These cards offer significant value for those who travel to luxury hotels multiple times a year. Especially for domestic travel in the US, where hotel prices are high in cities such as NYC, Miami, and LA, the 4th night benefit can translate into savings of several hundred dollars.
It is one of the most advantageous areas for corporate travelers who bill expenses to their company and use the extra day for themselves. Users who travel only once a year but choose to do so in luxury can cover the card's annual fee solely with this promotion.
Which Card Is Really More Valuable?
Citi Prestige (no longer accepting new applications): This card offered the most straightforward advantage: it could be used an unlimited number of times within each calendar year, with the only requirement being that reservations were made through the ThankYou platform. Annual fee: $495. What makes it valuable: The free night was directly deducted from the total bill. Limitation: No longer accepting new applications; only existing users can benefit.
American Express Platinum: No direct “4th night free”; however, similar benefits are offered through the Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) program. Annual fee: $695. What makes it valuable: Not just free nights, but also room upgrades, early check-in, late check-out, and a $100 hotel credit. Restrictions: FHR hotels are expensive; only useful for the luxury segment.
Luxury Card (Mastercard Gold / Black / Titanium): Some hotels offer a free 4th night when booking through the Luxury Card Travel Concierge. Annual fee: $495–$995. What makes it valuable: The concierge team manages the booking process on behalf of the user. Restriction: Hotel options are limited, and transparent price comparisons are difficult to make.
Capital One Venture X: No direct Fourth Night Free, but Capital One Travel occasionally offers 3+1 promotions. Annual fee: $395. What makes it valuable: 10% hotel cashback on bookings made through Capital One Travel, $300 annual travel credit, and Priority Pass membership. Limitation: The free night promotion is not ongoing, but seasonal.
Real User Experiences: What Works, What Doesn't?
Some users have reported that they would have paid $2,000 for 4 nights with Amex Platinum through FHR, but stayed for $1,500 with the free perk. However, the same price was also available through Booking.com in some cases. A Luxury Card user booked through concierge service, believing the hotel was part of the promotion, but upon arrival, learned that the “4th night” was not applied. Communication issues can arise between the booking platform and the hotel.
Capital One users note that prices are generally higher on the travel platform and that the free night does not add much value overall. The difference is particularly noticeable when compared to Expedia. Amex users, however, emphasize that the FHR program provides a simplified booking process and VIP treatment at the hotel, resulting in a gain in service quality rather than a direct cost reduction.
Less Known Additional Restrictions
Some cards only offer this benefit at hotels in certain countries. For example, a promotion valid in the US may not work at hotels in Europe. The “minimum 4 nights” requirement only applies to consecutive stays. If split into 2 nights + 2 nights, the benefit is reduced. When multiple reservations are made at the same hotel, some hotels may not count consecutive stays of 8 nights as two separate 4th nights free. Such optimizations are prohibited by some card terms and conditions.
Promotions Continuing and Restarting in 2025
Capital One Travel launched a limited-time “Stay 3, Get 1 Free” promotion at select hotels as of 2025. However, this promotion was only available to Capital One Venture X cardholders and was limited to certain popular cities (New York, Chicago, San Diego). American Express has expanded its “3rd or 4th night free” promotions for select destinations under the Fine Hotels & Resorts program for the spring-summer 2025 season. These benefits are particularly prominent in cities like London, Paris, and Dubai.
Luxury Card offered a “Fifth Night Free” promotion on select Caribbean reservations made through its concierge service in the first quarter of 2025. This provided free accommodation for five nights instead of four for the first time.
Fourth Night Free vs. Points for Free Nights
With point-based reservations, users typically earn rewards based on their loyalty program status. For example, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors members may receive one free night on a five-night reservation. However, in this system, the value you pay in points is fixed. Fourth Night Free, on the other hand, becomes more advantageous as the nightly rate increases. Especially during peak seasons, this feature can be more beneficial than points at hotels with nightly rates of $500 or more.
Hotels that accept point reservations usually have limited award room availability. However, the Fourth Night Free benefit is generally available for all room types. Point reservations do not earn loyalty points; however, some paid reservations made with the Fourth Night Free benefit may earn status points.
Alternative Ways to Book
Some travel hackers attempt to combine the Fourth Night Free feature with “Buy 3, Get 1” promotions on external platforms like Expedia Partner Central or Hotels.com Rewards. However, this is often considered system manipulation and may result in cancellation. Some users try to lower hotel prices using a corporate code and then add card benefits on top. However, when hotels notice these combinations, they reserve the right to cancel the reservation.
Some users have tried to get lower prices on travel portals by using a VPN to access the site from different country IP addresses. However, this method raises ethical issues and can complicate customer support.
Long-Term Strategies: Using the Advantage Systematically
It doesn't make sense to get a card with a high annual fee just for a single promotion. However, the Fourth Night Free advantage enables “strategic booking” planning for travel-focused users. Example: By using this advantage in three different locations—Rome in spring, Tokyo in summer, and Dubai at year-end—users can save over $1,000 annually.
For users focused on earning loyalty points, the recommended approach is: Direct booking with the hotel chain + booking through the card's concierge service + advantageous rates. Advanced users aim to book eight consecutive nights by ensuring that their spouse or family member also holds the same card, thereby securing two free nights and accumulating different status points.