Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Ever since Marriott integrated Ritz-Carlton and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) into its umbrella program — Marriott Bonvoy — not everything has been perfect. Criticisms have been warranted along the way, to be clear.
That being said, there are still some terrific uses of Marriott points, from unique experiences to luxurious resorts like the St. Regis Bora Bora. But did you know that you can sometimes redeem Marriott points for rooms above and beyond the standard variety? This is a way to guarantee your suite or upgraded accommodations ahead of time without needing to rely on a last-minute upgrade at check-in.
Today we’ll show you how to do exactly that the next time you go to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points.
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The basics
Let’s start off with a quick overview of this process. Sadly, there are two major drawbacks to this award option. First, there’s no published chart that breaks out the redemption costs. Second, upgraded rooms aren't bookable with points at every property across all dates. This means you’re left to Marriott’s website to search for properties with this option, and sadly, our searches indicate that it’s a relatively small minority that offer it.
If you are lucky enough to find one that does, there are two different types of upgrades available using points:
- Redeem the number of points required for a standard room and upgrade using a cash copay.
- Redeem a higher number of points to book the upgraded room.
As noted above, many properties won’t offer any option for booking upgraded rooms with points. Some will offer both of the above options, and yet others will offer just one of them.
Again, searching is the only way to find this availability, and you’d do this in the same way you’d search for regular award rooms. Visit Marriott’s website, log into your Bonvoy account, enter your search criteria and check the box for "Use Points/Certificates."
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If the property has one of the above options available, you’ll see them once you go to select your room.
Let’s take a closer look and see what this looks like in practice.
Upgrade with cash copay
Certain Marriott properties will give you the option to use the same number of points you’d use on a standard room and then pay a nightly cash copay to secure an upgraded one. An example of this is the St. Ermin’s Hotel in London, part of the Autograph Collection. If you search for award rooms here, you’ll frequently be presented with rooms beyond the standard “Guest Room” for you to book with points, like this option to book a Junior Suite:
In this case, you’re redeeming 66,000 Marriott points — the price of the standard room — plus paying £200 (~$244) per night to secure a much larger room, including a separate living room with a sofa bed.
On the same night, we also see the following upgrade options:
- Deluxe room: 66,000 points + £150 per night.
- Suite: 66,000 points + £250 per night.
This gives you a number of ways to snag a better room in advance by adding cash to your points redemption.
It’s worth noting that Marriott’s Points Advance is still an option for these awards. In addition, since you’re redeeming the standard number of points, this type of reservation is eligible for Marriott’s fifth-night free perk on award stays. You still need to pay the cash copay for all of the nights, but the points required for one of the nights would be zero:
Upgrade with points
The second way to upgrade — at select properties — is by redeeming more points than you would for a standard room. One example of this is the Westin Resort & Spa in Cancun. The standard room rate is typically 35,000 points, but you can currently snag a room for just 28,000 points per night in February of next year.
However, you could book directly into a better room by using additional points. This option is classified as “Redemption with Points Upgrade” in the room list. On a random day in February of 2023, you could spend 5,000 extra points to book into a Junior Suite that has a lagoon view:
Like upgrading with a cash copay, you can book this upgraded room type as a Points Advance reservation, and this type of award also allows you to utilize Marriott’s fifth night free on award stays:
In this case, the free night saves you 28,000 points. But, you still have to redeem 5,000 points for the upgrade on your free night.
Choose your upgrade type
Finally, there are some properties that will allow you to select between both of these options, like the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Pompano Beach Resort & Spa. Standard room rates on a random Tuesday in February are 57,000 points per night. However, you have multiple room types and upgrade options, including a choice of cash or extra points.
As you can see, you have the choice to pay a copay of $25 or redeem an extra 26,600 points. Since TPG values Marriott points at 0.84 cents apiece, you can think of it as paying $25 or spending $223.44 worth of points, so the upgrade with cash copay is probably the better option here.
It’s worth noting here that the cash copay isn’t simply the difference between the paid rates on the two room types. On this date, the standard room has a base rate of $420 per night ($497 with taxes and fees), while the Ocean View room is $530 per night ($580 with taxes and fees). Thus, the cash upgrade option is significantly cheaper than the price difference when paying for the rooms with cash outright.
Other considerations
As noted above, the biggest limitation of this redemption option is that it isn’t widely available. If you do find it, however, there are a few additional things to keep in mind.
Capacity controls
Each individual property has complete control over when (or if) to make this award option available. Just because it’s there one night doesn’t mean it’s available the next night, even if the room is available as a paid stay for both nights. Once again, the only way to see if it’s being offered is by searching for availability on Marriott’s website.
Free night certificates
Many popular Marriott cobranded credit cards offer free night certificates every year. While you can use these on upgrades with cash copays, you can’t use them on upgrades with points. Any applicable certificates will appear as a payment option right before confirming the reservation:
This can be a fantastic use of these certificates, as you’re essentially covering a standard award with a free night award and then paying a (relatively) small cash amount to confirm right into an upgraded room.
Elite status
If you have Marriott Bonvoy elite status, you may not want to use extra points or pay a cash copay to upgrade into a room to which you might get upgraded anyway. Gold Elite members — a tier provided automatically to holders of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express — enjoy space-available upgrades to preferred rooms.
Meanwhile, Marriott Bonvoy members with Platinum Elite or Titanium Elite status can snag standard suites with this perk. These members could also use Suite Night Awards as part of their annual choice benefits, though these will only start clearing within five days of arrival. It’s up to you to decide if confirming the suite in advance is worth it or if you’d rather wait and play the upgrade lottery.
Value of the redemption
Finally, be sure to crunch the numbers to make sure the redemption is worth it rather than simply paying the full rate outright. For example, here are your booking options for a random date at the Grand Ocean Front Suite at the :
- Paid stay: $708.62.
- Award stay with cash upgrade: 44,000 points + $191.80 (redemption value = 1.17 cents per point).
- Award stay with points upgrade: 69,000 points (redemption value = 1.01 cents per point).
Both of these values are above TPG’s most recent valuations, so using your points for a standard room award and then choosing to pay extra points or add some cash for an upgrade could be worth it for this particular booking.
Earning Marriott points
Speaking of Marriott points, there are many ways to boost your points balance beyond simply staying in one of the program’s thousands of properties. One of the best is via cobranded credit cards, like one of the following:
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first three months of card membership. The card's annual fee is $450 (see rates and fees).
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: Earn 100,000 welcome bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months from account opening.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. The card does not have an annual fee.
You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points and American Express Membership Rewards points directly to Marriott at a 1:1 ratio, but given that TPG values these transferable point currencies at well more than the value of Marriott points, this is usually a bad idea. You should only transfer these points to Marriott if you need just a few more points for a great redemption.
Bottom line
Saving money by using points and miles is a great way to enhance your vacations. While other programs make it relatively straightforward to book directly into premium accommodations, Marriott’s approach is much more hit-or-miss.
That being said, if you’re sitting on a large stash of Marriott points or looking to snag a suite for your next family vacation or special occasion, you should definitely crunch the numbers to see if any of the above options are available for your dates and worth booking.
Additional reporting by Ryan Smith.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, please click here.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
FAQs
Can I use Bonvoy points to upgrade room? ›
Point Upgrade Award - Issued when Marriott Bonvoy® Points are redeemed to upgrade a Free Night Award in a Standard Room and is subject to availability at Participating Properties. Please refer to the details for the selected Participating Property at which you are making a Reservation.
How much is a Marriott point worth the points guy? ›Point are worth 1.25 cents apiece when redeemed for travel through Chase, but can also be transferred to 11 airline and three hotel partners for even more choices, including those first-class flights and fancy suites you've been dreaming of.
How many Bonvoy points do you need to upgrade a room? ›While most rooms require only one upgrade reward (5,000 points) per night, in some cases, depending on the view or room type, multiple upgrade rewards may be required (10,000+ points) for each night.
How do I upgrade my room in Bonvoy? ›The Marriott Bonvoy rewards program offers guests the opportunity to earn points by staying at one of the 7,000+ Marriott properties across the world. There are five elite membership tiers. You need to reach the third elite Marriott Bonvoy tier, Gold Elite, in order to start getting free room upgrades.
Can you use suite upgrade with points? ›The World of Hyatt program is easy to use, and thankfully, booking a suite upgrade online is a simple process. Another great thing is that the ability to book a suite or suite upgrade with points is available to all World of Hyatt members, not just top-level Globalist members.
Can you tip the front desk for a better room? ›Pro tip: Tip everyone: While most travelers know to tip a bellman or valet, few leave anything for the front-desk agent—despite their enormous power to influence the quality of your stay. “The front desk isn't a tipped position, so when you do tip, it makes them beholden to you,” Tomsky said.
How many Bonvoy points do you need for a free room? ›Marriott Bonvoy is also known for its popular rewards credit cards, and how easy it is to rack up points for a free stay. Free night awards also start at just 5,000 points, which is a major plus for travelers who want to stretch their rewards as far as they can go.
What does 100000 Marriott points convert to? ›It is possible to buy Marriott points, and the standard rate for 1,000 points is $12.50. The number of points you wish to purchase does not affect the price you pay per point. For example, if you purchase 100,000 points, you need to pay $1,250. That means you pay 1.25 cents per point.
What is a Bonvoy enhanced room upgrade? ›Enhanced rooms may include rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities, rooms on Executive Floors. At The Ritz-Carlton, rooms with direct Club access are excluded. Upgrades are subject to availability and identified by each Participating Property.
Is it cheaper to upgrade to all inclusive at the hotel? ›It's cheaper to upgrade to all inclusive once you're in resort and you can do it for a minimum of 3 days or for the whole of your stay. We've upgraded both times we've stayed and found it to be good value - it's just so much easier as even a couple of drinks a day each soon adds up!
Do Marriott suite night upgrades expire? ›
Suite Night Awards expire on Dec. 31 of the year after they're earned. So, if you earn 50 Elite Night Credits in 2022 and select Suite Night Awards as your Annual Choice Benefit, those certificates will be valid through Dec.
What is room upgrade booking? ›Room upselling, also known as a “paid upgrade,” means offering your confirmed guests the opportunity to upgrade their reservations. It's a great way to increase revenue with minimal effort.
How many dollars is 100000 Marriott points? ›| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Value of 100,000 Points | $910 |
| Minimum Value of 1 Point | 0.43 cents |
| Maximum Value of 1 Point | 1.63 cents |
| Value of 1 Point Toward Travel | 0.91 cents |
...
Use Marriott Bonvoy Points for Instant Redemptions at Hotels.
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Value of 50,000 Points | $455 |
| Minimum Value of 1 Point | 0.43 cents |
| Maximum Value of 1 Point | 1.63 cents |
| Value of 1 Point Toward Travel | 0.91 cents |
Suite Night Awards are valid on paid stays, award stays and Cash & Points reservations, but not on advance purchase rates.
How do I get globalist status? ›To achieve Hyatt Globalist status, you must earn 100,000 base points each year. At 5 base points per dollar, that's equivalent to spending $20,000 at Hyatt each year. Sadly, it's tough to 'buy' your way to those base points beyond simply spending that much directly with Hyatt.
Can you upgrade from live standard to suite? ›Are upgrades free? Upgrading to a new version of Live (e.g. from Live 10 to Live 11), or from different editions, like Intro to Standard or Suite, would be a paid upgrade. Updating a Live license during the life cycle of Live, such as the update 10.0. 6 to 10.1, is free for the license holder.
What is the $20 trick? ›When you check into a hotel you simply slip the front desk clerk a $20 bill with your credit card, while asking “Do you have any complimentary upgrades available?” The general rule of thumb is that the front desk clerk will check for upgrades and if they cannot find anything they will return the $20 tip, making it risk ...
How do you do the 20 tip trick? ›Let's say your pretax bill is $53.75 (we'll use $53.75 in each of our examples for the sake of consistency). Move the decimal point in your pretax bill one place to the left to get $5.375 from $53.75. Round up to the next easy number: $5.40. Double that number to get $10.80, which is 20% of your original bill.
Is it rude not to tip hotel housekeeping? ›
Do you have to tip housekeeping? The answer is a resounding yes. The people who clean and take care of your room during your stay, clean and sanitize it between customers, and answer the sorts of things you really shouldn't be asking hotel staff are essential workers.
Do Bonvoy points expire? ›As long as you keep earning points consistently, your Marriott Bonvoy points won't expire.
How to get free stay at Marriott? ›- Search for a stay with the preselected “Use Points / Awards.”
- Select hotel and room type.
- Review the reservation details. If an award is available for your stay, it will be preselected.
- Book your free nights.
No, a Free Night Anniversary Award issued by Marriott Bonvoy® Partner Credit Cards cannot be transferred or gifted to another Guest, They can only be used by the Member. A Free Night Award is for the Account Holder's primary use. A Free Night Award cannot be transferred from one Member to another.
What is the highest Marriott Rewards level? ›The top tier in the Marriott program is Bonvoy Ambassador Elite. You must reach 100 elite qualifying nights and $23,000 in qualifying spending to qualify for this tier.
How many Marriott points is $100? ›It's easy to earn Marriott points for award stays. Every stay at a Marriott hotel will earn you 10 Marriott points per dollar spent. So a $100 hotel stay earns 1,000 Marriott points. There are three exceptions: Element, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites hotels earn just five Marriott points per dollar spent.
How many dollars is 70000 Marriott points? ›| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Value of 70,000 Points | $637 |
| Minimum Value of 1 Point | 0.43 cents |
| Maximum Value of 1 Point | 1.63 cents |
| Value of 1 Point Toward Travel | 0.91 cents |
A guarantee cabin is a cruise ship gamble that you will be upgraded to a better room than you booked. You pay a lower rate that guarantees you a room in the category you booked at a minimum, and the cruise line gets to place you in whichever room they want in that category or higher.
Does Marriott Gold Elite get lounge access? ›The simple answer: No, you don't get executive lounge access with Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status. Executive lounge access is only complimentary for Platinum, Titanium, or Ambassador Elite status members.
What is the difference between a Marriott room and suite? ›Hotel room vs hotel suite
You get a single room with one or more king, queen, full, or twin beds, a work desk, a bathroom, and maybe a closet, a TV, and a dresser. A suite is a much larger accommodation. It usually has an attached bathroom, a living area, and most times, includes a dining area as well.
Is it OK to ask for a free upgrade at a hotel? ›
When it comes to a hotel room upgrade, ask and you shall receive. That's right, a polite request can sometimes do the trick, which surprises frequent guests like Allan Jordan. It might surprise you, too. After all, for years everyone thought the color of your loyalty card determined the chance of a hotel room upgrade.
How do I ask for a free hotel upgrade? ›Ask Nicely.
This may be a given but asking nicely is one way to possibly get an upgrade. Plus, being genuinely polite is just an excellent way to start your stay. Depending on the hotel, travel season and availability, your accommodations could get a nice bump.
Ask for directions for anywhere, after the agent shows you, compliment their service and tip them. $20-$50 will get you very very far as of these upgrades are $100+/night, $20 is fraction of the cost. Either that or just give it to them. So from an agent at a luxury hotel, yes it works and will for every hotel.
What is the highest lifetime status for Marriott? ›What is the highest Lifetime status with Marriott? Lifetime Platinum Elite status is the highest level and it can be achieved after earning 600 lifetime nights and 10 years of Platinum Elite status or higher.
Will Marriott extend elite status for 2023? ›Yes, we extended Members' Elite Status through February 2023, whether earned in 2019 or 2020.
How long does Marriott Titanium status last? ›How long does Marriott Bonvoy status last? Elite status is valid in the year in which it's earned and an additional 14 months after that year.
What is the best closing to a customers request for hotel room upgrade? ›What is the best closing to a customer's request for hotel room upgrade? --I am so happy to be of service. --This deal is so good, please don't tell anyone else. --Your upgrade is confirmed.
Can you ask for upgrade at boarding? ›Know When to Ask
Talk to a gate agent and let them know that you're interested in moving up. "Once onboard there isn't anything we can do as a flight attendant," Kamalani said of her airline. Gate agents will typically have a list of frequent fliers who are first eligible for upgrades.
Why does a hotel sometimes want to offer an upgrade to a guest? Upgrades are typically a low expense thing to offer that makes guests feel special. That's at the heart of hospitality.
Can I ask for an upgrade at a hotel? ›When it comes to a hotel room upgrade, ask and you shall receive. That's right, a polite request can sometimes do the trick, which surprises frequent guests like Allan Jordan. It might surprise you, too. After all, for years everyone thought the color of your loyalty card determined the chance of a hotel room upgrade.
Can I upgrade a room on booking? ›
All you need to do is zero out the booking from the room you want to move them to and then add a number 1 back in the room you then have available. Zero being no availability in the room, 1 meaning the room is available. Once you've changed it click on the update tab...all done!
How many hotel points do you need for a free night? ›| Minimum | 5,000 |
|---|---|
| Average | 50,000 |
| Maximum | 120,000 |
Marriott Bonvoy's 100,000-Point Welcome Offer Means Up to 13 Free Nights at a Hotel. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless is a great card for those who want to turn day-to-day expenses like groceries and gas into free hotel stays. Condé Nast Traveler has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products.
Is it OK to ask for free room upgrade? ›Ask Nicely.
This may be a given but asking nicely is one way to possibly get an upgrade. Plus, being genuinely polite is just an excellent way to start your stay. Depending on the hotel, travel season and availability, your accommodations could get a nice bump.
Arrive late in the afternoon — between 3pm and 5pm is ideal — when reception has a better idea of what rooms are likely to stay empty overnight (and the next days). As a result, you may just be bumped up to a more superior room.
Do you tip for room upgrade? ›Ask for directions for anywhere, after the agent shows you, compliment their service and tip them. $20-$50 will get you very very far as of these upgrades are $100+/night, $20 is fraction of the cost. Either that or just give it to them. So from an agent at a luxury hotel, yes it works and will for every hotel.
What special requests to ask for at hotels? ›- Smoking or non-smoking room, although it's more likely this will be chosen as part of the room selection process rather than hoping this can be accommodated.
- A room away from or close to elevators. ...
- A high- or low-floor room. ...
- Early or late check-in or checkout. ...
- No alcohol in room.
At Bonvoy's highest level, Ambassador elites receive two valuable perks. The first, Ambassador Service, provides “personalized service” for each stay. This is essentially a personal travel concierge who can help plan your stay and organize activities.
Does Marriott Gold Elite get free upgrades? ›Gold members are eligible for space-available upgrades to enhanced rooms at check-in. This may include rooms on higher floors, rooms with special amenities or rooms on the executive floor, but not suites. I'll use the same valuation of $20 per night used in other hotel elite status guides.