Last year, Marriott made some changes to the Suite Nightly Upgrade Awards that it awards as a choice benefit for elite members upon hitting 50 and 75 qualifying nights within a membership year.
Overall, the changes were a mixed bag, but there was one that was universally unpopular: hotels would notify guests about their upgrade status three days prior to check-in, two days later than the five-day window that had previously existed. Given that Hyatt’s upgrade awards can be processed at booking and IHG’s can be applied up to 14 days before check-in, Marriott’s 5-day policy was already industry-lagging. Did they really need to allow two more days for the hotel to ignore the request?
Today, Loyalty Lobby flagged an about-face from Marriott in latest release of the Bonvoy terms and conditions:
(5) Nightly Upgrade Award use is based upon availability of the requested suite or Premium Room. Checking for availability begins as early as five (5) days before arrival (effective December 2024, for all brands except for EDITION, the Ritz-Carlton, and the St. Regis where fulfillment will begin at three (3) days prior to arrival).
It looks like now we’re back to the previous 5-day upgrade clearance window…with the exception of EDITION, Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis properties, because no one will ever confuse “Bonvoy” with “simple.”
Quick Thoughts
This is a undoubtedly positive news, but it’s a pretty minor change in reality. Hotels don’t necessarily HAVE to clear your upgrade at any given point, regardless of what the official window is. I almost never get a notification when the window first opens. It’s usually ~1-2 days out.
That said, at least Marriott’s telling us there’s a chance.
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I selected the Suite Nightly Upgrade Award as my choice benefit in 2024 and was very disappointed. I attempted to upgrade multiple times this year and was denied each time due to a lack of availability. A benefit that you can’t redeem is not a benefit.
I’m 5 days out from my check in at the W in FLL and I just got upgraded to a 1 bedrm corner oceanfront room with balcony. 40k FNC + 12k pts for $600 rm.
As I wrote on View from the Wing … For me the issue is a hotel is not required to put all of its rooms and suites into inventory directly bookable through Marriott. There are several properties that I’ve stayed at with suites but the suites are only bookable directly through the hotel sales office. So that eliminates any possibility of using an upgrade certificate. It also pretty much forecloses on the possibility of a complimentary upgrade because that suite is technically unavailable at the time of check-in. Likewise, there are certain properties that were caught putting suites on Airbnb. That’s another apparent way.
And, let’s be clear, Marriott changing this policy with the carve out for Ritz-Carlton, Edition and St Regis is a reflection of two things:
1) Ritz-Carlton and Edition have long had limited elite benefits. They really don’t want to provide anything of value at those brands. Ironically, Marriott directly manages about 99.9% of all Ritz-Carlton and Edition properties. So you have corporate actively trying to evade providing anything of value to corporate’s “product” (the guests) that they sell to their “customers” (the hotel owners).
2) The inclusion of St Regis. I wonder if we will see the breakfast benefit disappear at St Regis
Marriott NUA = AA SWU
Bonvoyed again