Some major Marriott Bonvoy updates have been announced today. In addition to the introduction of dynamic award pricing, Marriott is also extending elite status, points, free night certificates, suite upgrades, and more. Let’s go over all the details.
In this post:
Marriott Bonvoy elite status extended through February 2023
Last year we saw most loyalty programs extend elite status by a year due to the pandemic, and now Marriott is doing it again. Marriott Bonvoy will be extending all 2021 status by a further 12 months, through February 2023. This applies whether status was earned in 2019 or 2020, and it applies to all elite levels — Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador. The extended year of status will count towards lifetime status in the Bonvoy program.
While Marriott is extending everyone’s status by 12 months, you’ll still have to pass 50 elite nights or 75 elite nights to be able to select Choice Benefits. That’s because those are tied to elite nights, rather than to status as such. However, that’s easier to earn than normal, since earlier this year Marriott gifted members elite nights equal to 50% of their status tier, as a way of giving them a jumpstart to requalifying.
Marriott Bonvoy suite night awards extended through June 2022
Marriott Bonvoy suite night awards (SNAs) that were set to expire on December 31, 2021, will be extended by a further six months, through June 30, 2022. Even previously extended certificates will be extended again, as long as the expiration date was set for the end of 2021.
Marriott Bonvoy free night awards extended through June 2022
Marriott Bonvoy free night awards (FNAs), including those issued through credit cards, will be extended again. Those set to expire between January 3 and June 29, 2022, will now expire on June 30, 2022. The system will automatically update accounts in December 2021 to reflect this extension.
Marriott Bonvoy points won’t expire through December 2022
Marriott Bonvoy is further pausing the expiration of points through December 31, 2022. At that point, points will only expire if your account has been inactive for at least 24 months. This shouldn’t impact loyal members who have activity in the program, but for the occasional Marriott guest this is good news.
Marriott Bonvoy free night awards get more flexibility
Here’s a positive permanent change to the Marriott Bonvoy program. Starting in early 2022, you’ll be able to combine free night awards (FNAs) with up to 15,000 Bonvoy points to stay at a more expensive property.
In other words, if you have a free night certificate valid at a property costing up to 50,000 points, you could redeem the certificate plus 15,000 points for a stay at a property costing up to 65,000 points. Previously you were limited to staying at properties within the points price range of the certificate, with no option to pay the points difference to stay at a more expensive property.
My take on these Marriott Bonvoy extensions
In mid-September, Hilton Honors became the first major global hotel loyalty program to extend status by another year. It was anyone’s guess whether other programs would match, and I guess now we have our answer.
On the one hand, I’m not surprised to see this from Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott is the world’s largest hotel group, and for members in many countries (Australia, Thailand, etc.), travel opportunities may have been very limited in the past year. Furthermore, outside the United States there aren’t as many opportunities to earn status with credit cards.
In the United States it’s a different story:
- Marriott Bonvoy deposited 50% of the elite nights required for a tier in accounts earlier this year (this applied to members everywhere)
- In the United States you can earn up to 30 elite nights per year with Marriott Bonvoy credit cards
In other words, as a Titanium member (which ordinarily requires 75 elite nights), I’ve earned 68 elite nights this year just for being a member and having the right two credit cards. While I imagine many members in the United States are requalifying without issue, this extension reflects the situation elsewhere around the globe.
Bottom line
Marriott Bonvoy is extending status by a further year, suite night awards and free night awards by up to a further six months, and points expiration by a further year. On top of that, starting in 2022, you’ll be able to “top off” a free night award with up to 15,000 points in order to book a more expensive hotel.
On balance I’d say this is great news, especially accounting for the fact that in many parts of the world travel has continued to largely be off bounds. I’m sure some members will say “not fair, but I worked to earn status this year,” but sometimes that’s just how things work out.
Unfortunately the much bigger development is Marriott Bonvoy introducing dynamic award pricing.
What do you make of Marriott Bonvoy’s latest extension of loyalty benefits?
What specific date in 2021 will I see the actual extension shown as it hasn’t happened by November 12, 2021. I checked my account and it’s still got a January 3, 2022 deadline shown.
Everything is good about this except the ecert extension. My two expire 4/3 and 4/5. Getting me to June does me nothing at all. I called asking if one could be extended to October 30 as I am staying at the Marriott Menara House, and it is booking quickly. I have two nights booked on points and asked for an extension to take my 2020 COVID postponed trip and was flatly denied.
How will Elite nights work then? Will they reset it to the minimum nights required for the Elite level or keep it at the nights earned?
When do the years as “gold, platinum, ect” get adjusted in January? (In counting towards lifetime status)
I’m super close to lifetime Platinum and am at 47 nights this year…any view on whether a “year” will be added to lifetime status with or without hitting the 50 nights in 2021?
does this extension really count towards lifetime status? I can’t find any source for that.
I wondered the same --- but pretty sure it wont
I think this is terrific news. As a Marriott Platinum living outside of the US, I don't have access to the same credit cards and 30 qualifying nights. As well discretionary travel was restricted and is only recently starting back up.
As well the bigger news in my books is that the free night 35k certificate can be used by topping up the points. I found with so many dates "PEAK" that the cat 1-5...
I think this is terrific news. As a Marriott Platinum living outside of the US, I don't have access to the same credit cards and 30 qualifying nights. As well discretionary travel was restricted and is only recently starting back up.
As well the bigger news in my books is that the free night 35k certificate can be used by topping up the points. I found with so many dates "PEAK" that the cat 1-5 certificate was really only good at category 4 and bellow hotels. Now I can top off with 5k points and use my free night certificate at a category 5 or even add a few more points and redeem in places like Hawaii Category 6,7 or 8.
Well done Marriott.
THIS IS GREAT!!! Now, we can receive devalued benefits and be denied upgrades for even longer.
Oh man, this is great news. I was about to burn 50k points for a 5 night mattress run a couple of times to qualify for Titanium again.
Viewfromthewing says that ALL certificates expiring before 6/2022 will be extended, but Lucky says only certificates expiring from 1/3/2022 onwards will be extended. Which is it?
Ben, do the extensions include the pre-merger fly and stay certificates? If so, will I be able to add 15,000 points to these? Still holding onto a Cat 4?
Hi,
Curious if you got yours extended. Family with lower status had nights extended. But for me they only extended the upgrades a few days ago.
I still have 2 travel packs at cat 4 expiring Jan 3,22. And two cat 5 cents. So curious if anything has happened for you.
What are the chances that IHG will extend Chase credit cards Reward Nights?
I really wish Hyatt would do the same. I have begged my concierge to extend suite upgrades but no luck. I live in Melbourne. Been a globalist for years. Time to change programs.
And then you can complain about your new program
I will barter with you for that Suite Upgrade :) I have a stay at andaz maui that i would like to use for.
I have 4 upgrades if you’re interested.
Marriott Bonvoy is the best
Devil in Disguise. Just wait and see.
You have been warned. No, You have been Bonvoyed.
So what happens if you earned status in 2021?
(Platinum via Bonvoy Brilliant, I might requalify by the 2021 night boost + stays, but knowing if it’s required or not might change things on the margins… especially when dynamic pricing is coming.)
I'm curious about this, too. I'm very close and want to know if I qualify next month how long I'll have that status.
@ eponymous coward -- There are no extra benefits if you earn status. You'll get the status for another year, just like everyone else.
SO if I received Plat Status via the offer from the Bonvoy Brilliant card in 2021, I will have this status extended?
Happy for those being extended but I must say, doing this in OCTOBER must be frustrating for those that have been busting their tushies trying to requalify all year. They could've saved time and money and been at the same spot...
@ Seven_Stevie_Seven -- Yeah, I'm guessing waiting this long wasn't a coincidence. Ultimately the program didn't want to send the message that people shouldn't try, even if status ended up getting extended for everyone.
All this is just a lipstick on the Bonvoy pig ship which sinks everyone but hotel owners even further. We got BONVOYED!
- You cannot redeem your CC free night certificate because dynamic pricing? Just pay more in points! Brilliant!
But still, I can understand their thinking, but I just passed my Ambassador again, and would have started Hyatt or so in addition (Hilton I is not my brand)…
@Ben: do you know if there will be any night transfer or bonus nights for 2022? To have a kind of benefit?,
OK, so far Hilton, Marriott… Hyatt, looking at you :)