To the point
Marriott Bonvoy is changing the terms and name of its Suite Night Awards benefits for its members.
Changes to Suite Night Awards
When Platinum or Titanium members reach 50 or 75 elite nights, they have the choice of a special benefit. One of them is 5 free upgrades in a suite, called Suite Night Awards.
Then, after booking a room, members can exchange these upgrades for certain suites, free of charge. Even if the room you book is the smallest or cheapest in the hotel!
However, this upgrade request is never guaranteed and will depend on room availability. It can be accepted or refused by the hotel, without giving any reason.
Starting in 2024, Marriott Bonvoy will change the conditions and name of this benefit. It now be called Nightly Upgrade Awards.
Here are the other changes for 2024:
- These certificates will be redeemable at five additional Marriott Bonvoy brands, where they are not currently available: Ritz-Carlton, Protea, Element and Aloft ;
- Around 20% more accessible rooms and suites than before;
- Upgrades will be announced up to 3 days in advance, instead of 5 days previously.
In other words, as the name change suggests, these certificates will be redeemable for upgrades to superior rooms, rather than being limited to suites only.
So, if you can’t get an upgrade to a suite when all the suites are already booked, you’ll have a better chance of at least getting an upgrade to a higher category. The same goes for hotels that don’t offer suites, but do offer certain room categories that are more spacious.
For customers with Platinum status and above, it is possible to get an upgrade without even requesting it, but this is not likely to be confirmed before check-in if a certificate has not been used.
Bottom Line
The key point to remember about this change is that the Nightly Upgrade Award will be redeemable at more Marriott Bonvoy hotels than before, and will not be limited to suites only. This additional room inventory will give members a better chance of getting the best room available, whether it’s a superior room or a suite.
Unfortunately, the time it takes for an upgrade to be confirmed by the hotel is reduced. This gives the hotel more time to try and sell its premium rooms or suites in the final days before arrival, instead of giving them away to its elite members.
Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
