One of the valuable perks of Marriott Bonvoy elite status is being able to select Choice Benefits, which can be earned after passing 50 or 75 elite nights for the year. In this post I wanted to recap everything you need to know about the program, especially as you only have days remaining to make your 2022 selections.
In this post:
What are Marriott Choice Benefits?
In addition to the standard published program benefits that apply with every stay, Marriott Bonvoy elite members are able to select additional perks for passing certain milestones.
Elite members — in this case Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador members — can select Choice Benefits when they pass 50 and 75 elite qualifying nights in a calendar year.
Even elite nights not earned through stays qualify toward these thresholds. This includes that Marriott Bonvoy members can earn up to 40 elite nights per year with co-branded Marriott credit cards. For example, I have the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (review) and Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (review), and they offer 25 and 15 elite nights annually, respectively.
It sure is helpful to be able to start the year with 40 elite nights, as that gets you most of the way to the two Choice Benefits thresholds.
Marriott’s 50 night Platinum Choice Benefits
With Marriott Choice Benefits, Bonvoy members who pass 50 elite qualifying nights in a year can choose from the following rewards:
- Five Suite Night Awards
- Five Elite Night Credits
- The ability to gift Silver Elite status
- 40% off a hotel bed
- A $100 charitable donation
Marriott’s 75 night Titanium Choice Benefits
Then Marriott Bonvoy members who pass 75 elite qualifying nights in a year can choose from the following rewards:
- Five Suite Night Awards
- Five Elite Night Credits
- A free night award (valid at a hotel costing up to 40,000 points)
- The ability to gift Gold Elite status
- 40% off a hotel bed
- A $100 charitable donation
How to select your Marriott Choice Benefits
Marriott Bonvoy typically emails members to prompt them to select Choice Benefits. In addition to that, you can follow this link, and if you’re eligible to select Choice Benefits, you’ll immediately see the options. Note that:
- Once you select your rewards you can’t change them
- You need to make your selection by Saturday, January 7, 2023
- It can sometimes make sense to wait to make your selection if you don’t have an immediate use for it, since you might change your mind on what makes more sense over time
Selecting my Marriott Choice Benefits
I’m a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium member, and I’m ending the year with just over 75 elite nights (thanks to credit card elite nights, plus quite a few points redemptions, which I made ahead of the devaluation earlier this year).
For some context, I have historically always selected suite night awards as my Choice Benefits, since they can in theory unlock the most value. I say “in theory,” because they won’t be equally valuable for everyone. I’ve had great luck so far this year, and have been able to use them at the St. Regis Aspen, St. Regis Venice, and Gritti Palace Venice.
I just made by 2022 selection today — I always think it makes sense to wait as long as possible to decide, since there’s no reason to rush it. So I now have 10 upgrade certificates expiring on December 31, 2023.
Just to share a bit more on why the other options don’t appeal to me as much:
- There’s no value in adding five elite nights to my total for 2022, since I’ve already requalified for Titanium status, but won’t meet the spending requirement to get within range of Ambassador status
- Gifting Silver or Gold status isn’t worth much, as the status doesn’t offer many benefits
- While a donation is a nice thing to do, realistically, I value some of the other options at more than $100, so that wouldn’t be a good way to maximize value
- Selecting a free night award worth up to 40,000 points could be a solid option, especially if you don’t otherwise get value out of the suite night awards; however, historically, I’ve managed to get good value out of suite night awards
Bottom line
Choice Benefits is one of the nice perks offered to Marriott Bonvoy Platinum and Titanium members. For passing 50 or 75 elite nights in a year, members can select from several valuable perks, including suite night awards.
With 2022 coming to an end, it’s time to make your selection if you haven’t done so already. You only have until January 7, 2023, to finalize your choice.
What Marriott Choice Benefits do you plan on selecting for 2022, assuming you’re eligible?
These will count towards this year's qualifying, so choose suite nights or another option instead.
moroccoexperiencetrips.com
I find the choices subpar, as with others using suite night awards is hit and miss. Been denied more than awarded. When awarded I’m fairly certain I would have been upgraded without using the award. I long for the earlier days of these reward programs when they went above and beyond to provide opportunity to get real perks for your loyalty.
I am LF Titanium who, at the last moment, decided to reach 75 nights to get 40k FNA. I have already selected 5 qualifying nights as my Choice benefits after 50 nights and I am currently staying 5 award nights from Dec 29. When I check out on Jan 3, I should have 3 nights posted to my 2022 activity to get me to 75 nights for 2022 and 2 nights will go to 2023....
I am LF Titanium who, at the last moment, decided to reach 75 nights to get 40k FNA. I have already selected 5 qualifying nights as my Choice benefits after 50 nights and I am currently staying 5 award nights from Dec 29. When I check out on Jan 3, I should have 3 nights posted to my 2022 activity to get me to 75 nights for 2022 and 2 nights will go to 2023. If the stay posts correctly and on time, I would still have time before Jan 7 to select my award. But what if not? What if I would stay 10 nights? Then the 2022 activity would not even post before Jan. 7.
This is a tough call. Just earned 75 nights - last night. For me the Suite Upgrades haven't been that great - most were denied, and times they were - the upgrade was just to an Exec Suite - a large room with a couch area. 40K reward not that good - now most hotels that were 40K are now 42K.
Not sure if the 40% discount on a bed is that good of...
This is a tough call. Just earned 75 nights - last night. For me the Suite Upgrades haven't been that great - most were denied, and times they were - the upgrade was just to an Exec Suite - a large room with a couch area. 40K reward not that good - now most hotels that were 40K are now 42K.
Not sure if the 40% discount on a bed is that good of deal. They sometimes have sales. Plus you have to pay shipping and no take away of old. Plus they are expensive. Umm...... and now only a few days to decide. I have an upgrade expiring today.
since only a few hours left - do Elite night credit count towards lifetime status
and if I pick them in 2023 (vs 2022) will they apply to status earned in 2023 for 2024?
I'm a Titanium, came from SPG, and *prior to COVID* I consistently got great value from my SNR certificates. I consistently was able to use them at very nice properties and ensure I had a great experience when traveling with my partner. Since the start of COVID, however, it has been difficult to redeem them (and this has been my first hand experience, even through Thanksgiving weekend of this year). Included as part of this,...
I'm a Titanium, came from SPG, and *prior to COVID* I consistently got great value from my SNR certificates. I consistently was able to use them at very nice properties and ensure I had a great experience when traveling with my partner. Since the start of COVID, however, it has been difficult to redeem them (and this has been my first hand experience, even through Thanksgiving weekend of this year). Included as part of this, I do have a couple properties in mind that easily allowed me to redeem SNRs pre-COVID.
I will have 5 SNRs expire at the end of this year (the first time I've ever had any expire).
It's ridiculous that they both expire and are non-confirmable. You could essentially try to use them on every stay and get denied and then they just expire.
If I choose five elite or suite nights before December 31 2022, do they get credited to 2022 and expire? Accordingly, if I wait until January 1, 2023, will they get credited to 2023?
I have 75 nights and don’t need them for 2022, but would be nice to start 2023 with a head start, so trying to figure out if waiting until January 1 makes a difference.
They will count towards this year's qualification, so you're better off choosing suite nights or another option.
Just to avoid a misunderstanding:
I got 73 elite nights and have not used the 50 night choice benefit yet. I would do so now and would instantly receive Titanium Elite status, as I would have 78 nights then.
Is this Titanium status only valid until the end of the year 2022 and I would go back to Platinum for 2023? Or would I qualify for Titanium the entire year of 2023 this way?
Thanks!
Max
Your status would count for 2023 (next year), as though you had gotten to 75 on stays alone.
At 50 and 75 nights there are the "Choice Benefits" mentioned in this article.
At 100 nights (plus reaching a spending threshold) there is the acquisition/extension of the Ambassador Status.
I am at 133 nights in 2022 and miss a "benefit" on reaching 125 nights.
I'm Titanium Elite this year (and lifetime Platinum Elite). I have 86 nights so far this year.... and have not been able to use any of my suite upgrades yet. Bit of a joke on all of us from Marriott.
Can you add points to the 50k cert lie you can with the 35k and 85 k cert (up to 15 k points)?
@Kuloko, you can choose 5 Elite qualifying nights as a choice benefit now, after reaching 50 nights and before the end of the year, if you choose nothing you will receive 5 suite nights upgrades automatically on January 7...
I know everything I need to know about Bonvoy. I switched to Hilton!
Dumb "S"!
I am a titanium and tried to use an upgrade night at Residence Inn Ft.Lauderdale. I kept getting messages that the hotel is working on my upgrade request until the day before my stay when I received an apology that they could not upgrade me. When I checked in I mentioned my upgrade didn't clear and was told I could receive a complimentary upgrade.
What good are upgrade awards?
They aren't good at all. I think it's all smoke and mirrors, and while Ben says he had luck with the suite night awards there's no tangible evidence he wouldn't have received the same upgrade without them. When a program goes out of their way to be sneaky and underhanded, you're better off taking tangible benefits (i.e., free night award) where you absolutely know you're getting the value -- in my opinion of course.
I tend to agree. The 40K award is tangible. It is the only difference between the 50K and 75K choices. So Marriott must view it as a higher value if only available to the 75K choice level.
Let say I end up 2022 with 70 nights and on Jan 2 will select 5 Elite qualifying nights as a choice benefit. How quickly this would hit my account? Would I have time to select 75 benefit before Jan 7?
You would need to do that before midnight 12/31 (the end of the year). And this is assuming you haven't already used your 50 night Choice. Then pretty quickly you'll have the nights post, and you'll get an email within a day or so yo pick your 75 night Choice Benefit before Jan 7th.
I have 57 nights and have not chosen my award yet. Does the 5 elite nights help me get closer to Titanium this year?
Yes. 57+5=62. So you'd be 13 Nights away at that point.
Marriott is a criminal organization
Been Bonvoyed one too many times
Not criminal but fully unethical and run by scumbags