Chase Fairmont Credit Card Review – 2 Free Night Sign Up Bonus + Suite Upgrade + $50 Dining Certificates

The Chase Fairmont credit card is of more interest to people given that it’s one of the few Chase cards that doesn’t currently fall under the Chase 5/24 rule. Because of this we’ve done a comprehensive review you can view below.

The Fairmont Visa Signature Credit Card is issued by Chase. In this review we will be looking at the benefits & negatives to this card and who it’s best suited to. Along with the minimum credit score we’d recommend you have before applying.

Application Information

What Credit Score Is Required

Credit BoardsCredit Karma
Lowest approved score700No information
Average approved score752No information

There are only two data points listed for the Chase Fairmont card on the credit boards credit pull application. As such it’s difficult to get a good read on what credit score is required. This is one of Chase’s premium card offers so we’d recommend having a score of at least 700 before applying, a score of 720+ should see the majority of applications being approved. If you’re unfamiliar with how credit scoring works, we’d recommend reading this article.

 

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If you’re denied for this card, make sure you call the Chase reconsideration line to plead your case. Here are some tips if you’ve never called them before.

What Credit Bureau Does Chase Pull For The Fairmont Card?

Chase pulls credit bureaus based on where you live in the United states. You can use the credit pull application to view this data, we’ve also summarized it here.

What Credit Limit Will I Receive?

As we mentioned before, there are only two data points for this card. Also keep in mind that it’s possible to move your credit limit around with your Chase cards.

Rewards Program

This card earns Fairmont rewards points which can be redeemed for award nights at Fairmont locations.

Earning Rewards

This card earns at the following rates on purchases:

  • 5x on all Fairmont stays
  • 2x on all airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, at car rental agencies, and on transit and commuting
  • 1x on all other purchases

You’ll also receive a free night if you spend $12,000 or more in a calendar year. In addition you’ll earn 1 stay credit towards status for every $7,500 spent (limit of two per calendar year).

Sign Up Bonus

Current Sign Up Bonus

The free nights can be used on any stay as long as a standard room is available for cash. There are also a number of blackout details and special capacity controls for certain hotels. You can read more here.

Sign Up Bonus History

Public Offers:

  • ?? – 30th, January 2014: Two free nights after you spend $1,000 annual fee $95 not waived
  • May 8th, 2012 – : Two free nights after you spend $1,000 within the first three months, annual fee of $95 waived

Targeted Offers:

Redeeming Your Rewards

Fairmont points can be redeemed for free hotel night stays at Fairmont properties. The number of points needed is dependent on which collection of hotel it falls under (A-D) and type of room you’re after (Standard, Junior Suite or Fairmont Gold/Suite). You can view this information on the Chase website found here. Unfortunately you need to have a Fairmont card & Chase account to view this award chart. For ease of use we’ve added it below.

chase fairmont award chart

You can determine which hotel is part of which collection by viewing the complete list here. Obviously you’ll get the highest value out of using your free night certifications on collection D properties.

You can also redeem for gift certificates at a rate of 1 point = 1 cent. Similarly you can make donations to charity with the same valuations.

Card Benefits

Status

This card comes with three status benefits:

  • Automatic Premier status when the card is approved, lasts for as long as the card remains in good standing. This is only good for the primary cardholder and not authorized users.
  • Earn one stay towards Platinum status for every $7,500 you spend on the card (up to a maximum of two stays per calendar year)
  • If you’re an existing Premier or Platinum status member (from paid stays, not valid for status from this credit card) you’ll receive one gold upgrade certificate as well as dining certificates (2 x $25 for Premier members and 4 x $25 for Platinum members)

Let’s see what these statues actually get you as a Fairmont member. Stay/night requirements must be completed within one calendar year. There are three different levels of status with Fairmont:

  • Club. This is the base level, no stay requirement.
  • Premier. Middle level, 5 stays or 10 nights required.
  • Platinum. Highest level, 10 stays or 30 nights required.

Premier status

Premier status (free with the credit card) gives you the following benefits:

  • 750 airline miles on qualifying stays
  • 1 complimentary room upgrade
  • 1 complimentary suite upgrade
  • $50 Fairmont dining (lunch & dinner) or Willow Stream Spa e-certificates
  • 1 Complimentary third night on a three-night stay (cannot be used with your free night certificates)

Probably the biggest benefits from sign up bonus chasers are the two room upgrades and also the dining certificates.

Platinum status

  • 1,000 airline miles on qualifying stays
  • 2 complimentary room upgrade
  • 2 complimentary suite upgrade
  • $100 Fairmont dining (lunch & dinner) or Willow Stream Spa e-certificates
  • 1 Complimentary night
  • Free welcome amenity

The suite/room upgrades are great as well as the $100 in dining certificates. The real killer is the free night though.

Breakfast Certificates

You used to also receive an additional two $25 Fairmont dining certificates available for breakfast, this is no longer available.

Maximizing The Bonus

After you sign up and complete the minimum spend requirements, you should have the following:

  • Two free night certificates
  • 2 x $25 Fairmont dining (lunch & dinner) or Willow Stream Spa e-certificates (from Premier status)
  • 1 room upgrade
  • 1 suite upgrade

You can apply the suite/room upgrades to your free night certificates. They apply to a single stay which can be up to five consecutive nights, meaning you can apply your suite upgrade and be upgraded for both of your free nights. Basically what you want to look for when booking the room is as follows:

  • Standard room available (you need this to book using your free night certificates), this cannot be gold or deluxe, it needs to be a standard room
  • Suite/room you want to upgrade into also be available. Obviously if it’s not then you won’t be able to use your suite upgrade

You’d basically be getting a suite room at any Fairmont and also $50 in dining certificates/Willow Stream Spa certificates. I think it might also be possible to double dip on the dining certificates because they are issued on a calendar year basis and expire the following year on February 28th/29th, Fairmont says that certificates cannot be used before March 1st of the issuing year but I’m not sure how strictly this is enforced.

Our Verdict

The main attraction of this card is the sign up bonus and the fact that it doesn’t currently fall under the Chase 5/24 rules. I think it presents pretty good value if you want to stay at one of the unique luxurious properties that Fairmont offers, if you bundle it with the dining certificates as well you can have a nice stay on the cheap.

It probably also makes sense for the few people that stay at Fairmonts often due to the high earning rate, elite bonuses and also the free night bonus after $12,000 in spend.

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We Recommend This Card For:

We Don’t Recommend This Card For:

F.A.Q’s & Tips

Can you combine your free night certificates you earn with the credit card and your free night certificate you earn from being platinum into one three night stay?

Yes, this is possible.

How long are the free night certificates valid for?

They are valid for one year after they post to your account. Fairmont has the ability to extend the length of these but it is rarely done.

Can I get the annual free night certificate without paying the annual fee?

No. This is not possible. Also keep in mind the $12,000 spending requirement.

When you use your free night certificates, do they count towards the stay requirements for status?

Yes.

How long does it take for the free night certificates to post to your account after the minimum spend has been reached?

The fine print says Chase has 4-6 weeks after your minimum spend requirement has been reached. In practice the free night certificates usually post faster. You can try sending a secured message to Chase to get these certificates to post faster but if it hasn’t been six weeks they’ll usually just send a cookie cutter e-mail stating that length of time.

Can I transfer my free night certificates to somebody else?

You can transfer them to any immediate family but you need to have platinum status to do so.

Can I use the third night free benefit from Premier status with my free night certificates?

It would be amazing if you could, as it would mean the two free nights were actually three free nights but unfortunately this is not possible.

What can I use the dining certificates for?

You can obviously use them for dining options at Fairmont’s, depending on the hotel itself they often let you use them for other things as well (e.g in room dining or at the bar). It really just seems to be how strict individual hotels are. The certificates must be used in $25 increments, so if you only spend $4 you’d need to use a full $25 certificate to pay.

What happens when I obtain Premier/Platinum status during a year I already have the credit card?

According to this post on Flyertalk, you won’t get the gold certificate until the following year.

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54 Comments
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Emily
Emily (@guest_542263)
December 28, 2017 00:40

Just a quick datapoint for those who grabbed the card right as it expired and have some free nights left to use. Ours were set to expire in Mach. We really wanted to use them on a trip in May so we asked for an extension of the expiration date by email and it was done the next day.

Tiffany Goldwater
Tiffany Goldwater (@guest_560181)
February 13, 2018 02:00

Thanks. Giving this a try.

Tiffany
Tiffany (@guest_560421)
February 13, 2018 19:42

I asked for a two month extension by phone on all of my certificates (free nights, upgrades, etc), and it was granted in a matter of minutes.

PHONG CHAU
PHONG CHAU (@guest_562413)
February 21, 2018 09:42

Which email did you use to get them to extend it?

Eugene
Eugene (@guest_387102)
April 10, 2017 16:04

William: Can someone else use my 2 free nights? I know you can add someone else’s name but the reservation person said that the card will be charged if the person does not also check in.

Any experience with doing this before?

Eugene
Eugene (@guest_387297)
April 10, 2017 20:34

Thanks.

Matthew
Matthew (@guest_350342)
February 8, 2017 16:07

DP: applied 1/12, 761 TU score, Chase auto moved 10k from another card, approved 1/31.

Question on the 12k annual night bonus with Fairmont – I am assuming that the 4k spend is included in that 12k, essentially making it a free night with 8k additional spend – not terrible, but more realistic than doing it for the second year. The points would help offset any costs associated with meeting that spend. Hopefully by the second year, the card gets converted. I am hoping Chase would notify people within their year if the free night is going to be discontinued before AF is due, but that may be more hopeful thinking perhaps. Any thoughts DoC? I am not familiar with how Chase handles discontinuing a card.

Thanks as always for your thoughts, even if it’s just speculation! <3

Matthew
Matthew (@guest_350344)
February 8, 2017 16:09

Sorry, was looking at my spreadsheet with CSP spend – I mean 3k and 9k! Need to colour code my rows I think, haha.

Peter S
Peter S (@guest_348598)
February 3, 2017 22:39

Applied 4 Fairmont cards for 4 people on 1/16. Two was instantly approve. one went in to pending status. I received the card 6 days later. The final one was approved on 2/1. All four people were over the 5/24. All approved without calling Chase. Interestingly, the one approved on 2/1 was because the credit extended to her was too much. Chase automatically took 5k credit away from another card of hers and moved it to the Fairmont card. Thanks Chase.

Abey
Abey (@guest_341521)
January 20, 2017 04:55

One of the best places to redeem this is in Fairmont resort Maui Hawaii.
Went there with gf and since all of the rooms are already suits the suite upgrade certificates gave us the best possible suite they have which is the deluxe king suite ocean view (its priced at $1,350 a night) plus with all the breakfast and dining certificates (i had 6 x $25 she had 2 x $25) we had $200 total and they put it as a credit to the room so basically we just ate everywhere until we reached over $200.
You can use the credit for anything in the facility.
We have been to so many places in the world but this was something special (definately the best room we ever got).
You should consider redeeming for this resort eapecially if you havent been to Hawaii before.

Maddi
Maddi (@guest_353295)
February 14, 2017 11:58

Abey,

How did you get so many (6) dining certificates? Also, if you know, could you help me with understanding the certificates? I applied in January, and the certificates just posted. They say they expire 2/28/17. If I don’t use them, will I get new certificates that expire 2/28/18, or should I rush to use them? Thanks for your help!

Et tu
Et tu (@guest_340221)
January 17, 2017 15:16

The card is not available any longer, tck.

tck
tck (@guest_339964)
January 17, 2017 01:50

I’m only at 3/24. Should I try to fill the last two slots with cards under 5/24 *first? Such as Ink Preferred and Marriott, before going for the Fairmont, and cross my fingers that it is still available in 30 days?

Aleph
Aleph (@guest_338947)
January 15, 2017 00:51

I am confused about the earning rewards that:

You’ll also receive a free night if you spend $12,000 or more in a calendar year. In addition you’ll earn 1 stay credit towards status for every $7,500 spent (limit of two per calendar year).

The spending requirement of $12,000 is calculated in “calendar year”, while the free night will be issued on anniversary. For example, if I open the account on Sep 1st, then I spend $12,000 during Sep-Dec, then the calendar year ends but my anniversary of account opening does not come, so I will not receive the free night for this calendar year. Will I receive the missing free night on Sep 1st of the next year, even if I spend $0 in that calendar year? Also, if I spend another $12,000 in the second calendar year, namely, I spend $12,000 in each calendar year for two consecutive years, what will happen on my anniversary of account opening?

Tiffany
Tiffany (@guest_338915)
January 14, 2017 22:11

Applied and approved today. Thanks for the (always) great write up.

George
George (@guest_338240)
January 13, 2017 02:15

can you the signup bonus night cert only used on fairmont brand or it can be used for the other 2 brands as well? Raffles and Swissôtel??

sirtheta
sirtheta(@sirtheta)
January 13, 2017 02:24

Only Fairmont.