Last edit by: RedSun
IF YOU HAVE A PREPAID RATE, PLEASE READ THIS WIKI!
Recommended SNA Best Practices:
- According to the Marriott Lurkers in this forum (see post #220 in this thread), as confusing as it sounds, the SNA system is separate from the reservation system, so if a suite is showing as currently unavailable or available on the website, that does not necessarily mean it is currently unavailable or available for SNAs.
As of March 2019, there is an IT bug on Marriott's website that prevents SNAs from being applied to many if not all prepaid reservations. One member has identified a workaround that enables you to "trick" the website into allowing you apply SNAs to prepaid reservation. Several members have reported success using this workaround to apply SNAs to their prepaid reservations. Hopefully Marriott will fix this IT bug in the near future.- After SNAs are redeemed, they are removed from member's account. But they are in pending mode and will only be processed (confirmed or denied) about one week (normally 5 days) prior to actual stay. Any change to the reservation during this pending period may detach the SNAs. Check with reservation agent again to have SNAs re-attached again.
- After SNAs get cleared and confirmed, they are locked with the reservation. Any further changes to the reservation may break the confirmed SNAs. It is a hazard to ask agent to process SNAs again since the SNA processing window is closing
- If your SNA clears, be sure to take a screen shot of what suite category you are assigned in the app and be prepared to show this to the front desk at check-in. Several members have reported being confirmed in certain suite categories when there SNAs have cleared or during mobile check-in only to be assigned lower a category room at check-in. Members who have taken screenshots of their initial SNA assignments have had success in getting properties to honor those original assignments after initially getting assigned inferior rooms at check-in.
- If you are assigned a lower category of room than any of the options offered during the SNA application process and/or if the hotel refuses honor the representations they made at any point during the SNA process, be sure to submit a formal complaint to Marriott and ask for your SNAs used during your stay to be reinstated. If you have followed the screenshot best practice, your screenshot should go a long way towards getting Marriott to eventually refund your SNA, although it may take a long time for customer service to process your request.
Non-Participating Brands:
Not all hotels participate in Suite Night Awards. Suite Night Awards are not redeemable at the following brands (subject to change at any time; see Marriott Bonvoy Terms and Conditions for full details): The Ritz-Carlton®, Protea Hotels®, Aloft®, Element®, Design Hotels™, all-suite hotels, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, EDITION®, Ritz-Carlton Reserve®, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Clubs® and Marriott Grand Residence Club properties. In addition, Suite Night Awards are not redeemable at select Participating Properties. Contact Member Support for individual hotel Suite Night Award participation.From post # 220.
The system is not checking what is available for sale at any marriott.com web site, so you should not be using the web sites as a guide for what is and is not available for SNA approval.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Marriott International
FOR ANYONE TRYING TO ADD SNAs TO PRE-PAID NONREFUNDABLE BOOKINGS THAT MARRIOTT IT
CURRENTLY DOESN’T SEEM TO ALLOW, HERE IS A WORK-AROUND. GOOD LUCK!
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30575978-post541.html
All, I believe that I've found a way of getting around Marriott's IT issue where SNA's cannot be used on advance purchase rates. It takes advantage of another error in the Marriott IT system (go figure) where changes in different windows are not handled properly. It seems to work for me - would be great if someone else can confirm.
For this to work, in addition to a pre-paid reservation where SNAs are disabled you need a rate at a hotel where SNA's are eligible - so go book a bog-standard fully flex rate at your local Westin or whatever which you can cancel later if you don't currently have any flexible rates booked.
Log in to Marriott.com and click on "My Trips" (obviously this won't work for people whose trips are still not showing). Open "View/ Modify" in a new browser window/ tab on the flexible reservation first, and then open "View/ Modify" in the non-refundable reservation in another new window/ tab. Go back to the flexible reservation and click on "Start Upgrade Request" and it should take you to a webpage for the pre-paid reservation where you can finally select your SNAs.
For this to work, in addition to a pre-paid reservation where SNAs are disabled you need a rate at a hotel where SNA's are eligible - so go book a bog-standard fully flex rate at your local Westin or whatever which you can cancel later if you don't currently have any flexible rates booked.
Log in to Marriott.com and click on "My Trips" (obviously this won't work for people whose trips are still not showing). Open "View/ Modify" in a new browser window/ tab on the flexible reservation first, and then open "View/ Modify" in the non-refundable reservation in another new window/ tab. Go back to the flexible reservation and click on "Start Upgrade Request" and it should take you to a webpage for the pre-paid reservation where you can finally select your SNAs.
The link for selecting your benefit:
https://choice-benefit.marriott.com/
How to cancel an Award request:
Suite Night Award requests may be canceled until 2 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, as long as the Awards have not already been confirmed for use on a reservation. Once your Awards have been confirmed, you must cancel the entire reservation to receive credit back for all the Awards; however, after 2 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, a reservation cancellation will result in the forfeiture of all Suite Night Awards applied to the entire reservation. This is in addition to any other cancellation fees applicable to the reservation itself.NOTE: Always detach the SNA before cancelling a reservation. It's the only way to ensure your SNA is returned to your account immediately. Otherwise, you could be waiting hours/days to see your SNA again.
FAQ : Suite Night Awards - SNA - questions and discussion thread
#2761
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,857
I just wanted to share an experience today for SNA's being confirmed.
My wife is Platinum, booked on a AAA rate, and put in her SNA request last week for a single suite category.
I am Titanium, booked with points, and put in my SNA request after her for the same single suite category.
One room cleared, and it was my wife's booking. There are no longer any of that suite category available for booking. My Titanium status did not trump her Platinum status. So it was either timing of the SNA request, or the fact that she booked a cash rate vs my booking of a point rate, or some combination of the two. Or maybe neither had anything to do with it.
My wife is Platinum, booked on a AAA rate, and put in her SNA request last week for a single suite category.
I am Titanium, booked with points, and put in my SNA request after her for the same single suite category.
One room cleared, and it was my wife's booking. There are no longer any of that suite category available for booking. My Titanium status did not trump her Platinum status. So it was either timing of the SNA request, or the fact that she booked a cash rate vs my booking of a point rate, or some combination of the two. Or maybe neither had anything to do with it.
#2762
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 625
She applied the SNA first. I believe that was what was expected from the past, but still a bit surprising that status didn't come into play when looking at how airlines handle their upgrades.
#2763
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,474
For SPG, the tie breaker was time of SNA request. Perhaps that's still the case with Bonvoy?
#2764
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,857
#2766
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 33
I just wanted to share an experience today for SNA's being confirmed.
My wife is Platinum, booked on a AAA rate, and put in her SNA request last week for a single suite category.
I am Titanium, booked with points, and put in my SNA request after her for the same single suite category.
One room cleared, and it was my wife's booking. There are no longer any of that suite category available for booking. My Titanium status did not trump her Platinum status. So it was either timing of the SNA request, or the fact that she booked a cash rate vs my booking of a point rate, or some combination of the two. Or maybe neither had anything to do with it.
My wife is Platinum, booked on a AAA rate, and put in her SNA request last week for a single suite category.
I am Titanium, booked with points, and put in my SNA request after her for the same single suite category.
One room cleared, and it was my wife's booking. There are no longer any of that suite category available for booking. My Titanium status did not trump her Platinum status. So it was either timing of the SNA request, or the fact that she booked a cash rate vs my booking of a point rate, or some combination of the two. Or maybe neither had anything to do with it.
#2768
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Manhattan, Palm Beach Island, San Francisco, Boston, & Hong Kong
Programs: Lifetime United Global Services, Delta Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador, & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,165
#2771
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Bangkok
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, BAEC Silver, TK Miles & Smiles Elite
Posts: 2,203
Second data point in January 2019 (just before the Great Plague hit us) over peak Chinese New Year at the JW Phu Quoc for five nights on points and the five SNAs were accepted a few days out and we got the room we had selected (can't remember what it was - the Turquoise Suite wasn't offered in the SNA process - but it had a gorgeous balcony overlooking the length of the beach).
Third data point a couple of weeks ago at the JW Hong Kong using two FNA certificates from 2019 and 2020 on Monday and Tuesday nights in August when the place is full of rich Hongkonger staycationers and the two SNAs were accepted three days out and we got a refurbished suite on a high floor when there would have been many, many elites paying cash rates over these two nights (though maybe not many trying to apply SNAs).
(The only other time I've used SNAs was to burn them off in 2018 at a Marriott on a work trip to Beijing in November.)
So, my experience is that either points reservations are prioritised or points/cash is irrelevant to the SNA process. Of course, we will never know what the prioritisation algorithm, if there is one, actually is.
#2773
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
Likewise wondering this also! Last years SNA’s (earned in 2019) were extended, however not hopeful re. this year’s (earned in 2020): even though the need for an extension is arguably greater depending on what market you reside in.
#2774
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,510
#2775
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Programs: MR LT Titanium, IHG Plat.,UA Premier Silver, & PA/OH Turnpike Million Miler
Posts: 2,306
I have five that will probably go unused this year. My business travel is minimal. My family stays have been at RI's, which works well for us, but no upgrade options. E.g. newer RI's that don't have 2 bedroom suites. Hoping they get extended through next year.
--Jon
P.S. Already have five more for next year (10 total).
--Jon
P.S. Already have five more for next year (10 total).