Marriott Bonvoy Announces Policy for Smooth Transition of Member Status in 2025

This transition is called “soft landing,” which means moving its program members down one Marriott Bonvoy status level at a time.

Marriott Bonvoy soft landing policy

As was the case for 2023 and 2024, this news is intended for those who were unable to maintain their Elite membership status in 2024, for the year 2025.

Marriott Bonvoy has updated its policy for the status of its Elite members:

In January 2025, all Members will have their 2024 loyalty activity evaluated as follows:
Members who have regained their existing Elite status in 2024 will have their current status renewed until February 2026.
Members who have not regained their existing Elite status in 2024 will be offered the lower level of their current status until February 2026. These members will see their new status from March 2025, and will be able to enjoy their current status until February 2026.
Members who reached a higher Elite level in 2024 already have a status expiry date of February 2026.

Marriott Bonvoy Announces Policy for Smooth Transition of Member Status in 2025 - Marriott Lisbonne-01

In other words, members who were unable to renew their status in 2024 will see this transition from March 2025 until February 2026:

Ambassador Elite members will get Titanium Elite status
Titanium Elite members will get Platinum Elite status
Platinum Elite members will get Gold Elite status
Gold Elite members will get Silver Elite status

What does that mean?

When a traveller has a special membership status with a hotel or airline, they must maintain (or exceed) it each year. If they do not meet the program requirements, they may no longer have the same status.

For example, this transition prevents an Ambassador Elite member (requiring 100 Elite nights) who has only done 10 nights in 2024, from ending up with Silver status for 2025. They will then slowly descend to the Titanium level for 2025, which is a lower level. This is despite the fact that Titanium status requires at least 75 Elite nights.

As a reminder, here are the 6 status levels in the Marriott Bonvoy program:

STATUS	NIGHTS / YEAR
Member	0-9
Silver Elite	10-24
Gold Elite	25-49
Platinum Elite	50-74
Titanium Elite	75-99
Ambassador Elite	100+ & US 20,000 spent

For more information on Marriott Bonvoy program status, qualification and duration of status, please read our ultimate guide to Marriott Bonvoy.

Bottom Line

This is good news for all Marriott Bonvoy members who have status this year but were unable to maintain it for next year. The impact of a less drastic reduction in status “hurts less” for the Marriott Bonvoy member.

Initially, this soft landing offer applied only to Ambassador Elite members; members with other statuses will be pleased to know that they too can benefit from this transition policy.

Compare

Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card

American Express Marriott Bonvoy

Annual fee: $120
Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$600Total$600Plus $100 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.: $600
Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months: Up to 70,000 points

The Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card is the best credit card in Canada for free hotel nights.

New Cardmembers can earn up to 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points with the current offer:

Earn up to 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership.
Plus, earn 10,000 points after you spend $500 on your Card in your 13th month of Cardmembership.

The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.

Every year after your first Card anniversary, you receive an Annual Free Night Award good for a redemption of up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide. At a valuation of 0.9 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, that certificate is worth roughly $315, which on its own more than covers the $120 annual fee. That is the main reason to keep this Card year after year instead of cancelling it.

To get the most out of the certificate, aim it at a night that would otherwise price close to the 35,000 point ceiling.

The Card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Those credits count toward the next Elite tier, so you begin every year 15 nights ahead of where you would otherwise start.

You move up to Gold Elite status automatically when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card in a year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your Card.

Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 70,000 point welcome offer is worth about $630, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.

Marriott Bonvoy points pull their weight on free nights rather than on gift cards or merchandise, which is why this Card should be judged on the hotel stays it produces.

You earn 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 hotels around the world.

The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.

Two things to plan around: the 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, and the 21.99% purchase interest rate, which makes this a Card to pay in full every month. Like all American Express Canada Cards, no minimum income is published for this Card, and you can see whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.

Legal

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Annual fee

Primary card$120

Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0

Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,210

2nd Year Value$312

Travel insurance

Delayed BaggageUp to $500

Lost BaggageUp to $500

Flight DelayUp to $500

Hotel BurglaryUp to $500

Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded

Extended Warranty+1 years

Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days