Marriott Bonvoy is making an update to the upgrade instruments that elite members can earn, partially reversing a change that was made earlier this year (thanks to LoyaltyLobby for flagging this).
In this post:
Nightly Upgrade Awards now clear up to 3-5 days out
Nightly Upgrade Awards (NUAs) are Marriott Bonvoy’s upgrade certificates, each of which can be used to request a confirmed upgrade several days in advance. These are awarded as part of the Choice Benefits program, and at both 50 and 75 elite nights in a year, you can select five of these (for a total of up to 10 per year).
This is separate from Marriott’s complimentary upgrade benefit, with Bonvoy Platinum members and above receiving complimentary suite upgrades at most brands at check-in, subject to availability (there’s usually not much availability, given the number of elite members).
Anyway, Marriott Bonvoy has just made a change to when Nightly Upgrade Awards can start to clear. Up until now, NUAs have cleared up to three days before arrival. Thanks to this update, NUAs now clear up to five days before arrival, except at EDITION, Ritz-Carlton, and St. Regis, where they clear up to three days before arrival.
As before, that upgrade window starts at 2PM local time at the participating property. If the upgrade doesn’t clear then, Marriott will keep checking for upgrade inventory at 2PM on subsequent dates. If the upgrade can’t be confirmed, it’ll be credited back to the member’s account.
What makes this upgrade update so interesting
What’s noteworthy is that in early 2024, Marriott Bonvoy made major changes to these upgrade instruments. They were rebranded from Suite Night Awards to Nightly Upgrade Awards. At the time, the changes were a mixed bag.
Nightly Upgrade Awards are valid at more brands than Suite Night Awards were, and upgrade requests can also be made for a wider variety of room choices, improving flexibility, and the odds of them clearing.
The biggest negative change is that Suite Night Awards could clear up to five days in advance, while Nightly Upgrade Awards could clear up to three days in advance (up until now). But now that reduced window is slightly being reversed:
- Upgrades at most brands can be confirmed up to five days in advance, as was the case with Suite Night Awards
- Ultimately we’re still better off with EDITION and Ritz-Carlton properties, since upgrades can clear up to three days in advance, when these upgrades weren’t possible under the old program
- St. Regis is the only brand where we’re worse off than last year, since upgrades there used to clear five days out, but now only clear three days out
Bottom line
Marriott Bonvoy Nightly Upgrade Awards now clear up to five days in advance at most brands, and up to three days in advance at EDITION, Ritz-Carlton, and St. Regis. This is a positive development that largely undoes the negative changes that we saw to these upgrades earlier this year.
It’s rare to see Marriott Bonvoy make genuinely positive changes without taking anything away, so color me impressed!
What do you make of this change to Marriott Bonvoy Nightly Upgrade Awards?
I was wondering why I got an email this morning regarding my NUA not being confirmed for a stay 4 days out! (Was expecting an update tomorrow.)
I challenge you to think more deeply on what’s going on here. You’ve been reporting on loyalty for almost two decades. I know your tastes have veered away from Marriott brands but you could really bring more insight to this with some exertion.
Imagine that at check-in, there are several upgrade-eligible suites available for the entire duration of your stay. The front desk does not offer any upgrade. Noting that there are several upgrade-eligible suites so available, you ask for an upgrade. And, the on-duty manager actually says to you, "We're not going to simply give you a suite."
Imagine in another instance, you've booked a special rate on the Marriott site. The day prior to arrival you mobile check-in & a high-floor room is assigned. Upgrade-eligible rooms are available & you contact the hotel. The hotel 1) offers to SELL you the upgrade & 2) changes your existing room to a substantially lower floor. You reply noting the existing room DOWNGRADE. Without any response, your original room is restored. That was my adios moment.
By that way, has anyone paid attention to the lounge access exclusions? EVERY SINGLE LUXURY BRAND OTHER THAN JW MARRIOTT EXCLUDES LOUNGE ACCESS.
I really don't think the previous change of allowing them to be used on more room types is an "upgrade" - it's really just an opportunity to waste the NUA on a move to a higher-level floor room that they should be giving you anyway, as an elite member. I've talked to a few people who misunderstood the selection screen and ended up burning them on something like that
Fundamentally, this is the issue. What's more is that " . . . receive a complimentary upgrade to the best available room, subject to availability upon arrival, for the entire length of stay" doesn't happen when the property wants to SELL you an upgrade. This has happened to me at Ritz Carlton, St. Regis, and Sheraton. My personal ambassador was useless in facilitating.