Feb 25, 2022, 8:38 am
Last edit by: goodeats21
*** It seems the Free Night Certificate + Points "top-off" redemption went live on April 29 or 30th 2022 - Discussions here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...on-thread.html ***
Starting March 29, our new flexible point redemption rates will go into effect. That means free nights will align more closely with nightly rates and availability. For stay dates in 2022, you can expect that nearly all of our hotels will have the same minimum and maximum number of points required for redemption — similarly to how they were previously categorized.
All the ways you earn points will not change — you’ll just have more flexibility when you’re ready to redeem.
Plus, starting at the end of April, you can combine your Free Night Award with up to 15,000 points to access more hotels you’ll love.
Our current redemption process will remain in place through March 28. After that, you will not see hotel categories (1–8) or redemption rates classified as Off-Peak, Standard, or Peak. At the same time, as part of our yearly redemption assessment process (similar to our annual category changes in previous years), the minimum point redemption rates will increase for approximately 200 hotels on March 29 — that’s less than 3% of all hotels. You can explore this list of hotels and decide when and where to maximize your free nights.
With our flexible cancellation policy, you can reserve your redemption stay and still modify your reservation if you find a lower rate in the future.
Want to learn more? Check out all our flexible point redemption rates FAQs.
When there is a redemption points rate drop, this info about how to modify award reservations -- on the website, not the app:
If you click to modify the existing reservation, and select to edit payment, it will adjust the points and keep the same reservation
HT to Schnit
Starting March 29, our new flexible point redemption rates will go into effect. That means free nights will align more closely with nightly rates and availability. For stay dates in 2022, you can expect that nearly all of our hotels will have the same minimum and maximum number of points required for redemption — similarly to how they were previously categorized.
All the ways you earn points will not change — you’ll just have more flexibility when you’re ready to redeem.
Plus, starting at the end of April, you can combine your Free Night Award with up to 15,000 points to access more hotels you’ll love.
Our current redemption process will remain in place through March 28. After that, you will not see hotel categories (1–8) or redemption rates classified as Off-Peak, Standard, or Peak. At the same time, as part of our yearly redemption assessment process (similar to our annual category changes in previous years), the minimum point redemption rates will increase for approximately 200 hotels on March 29 — that’s less than 3% of all hotels. You can explore this list of hotels and decide when and where to maximize your free nights.
With our flexible cancellation policy, you can reserve your redemption stay and still modify your reservation if you find a lower rate in the future.
Want to learn more? Check out all our flexible point redemption rates FAQs.
When there is a redemption points rate drop, this info about how to modify award reservations -- on the website, not the app:
If you click to modify the existing reservation, and select to edit payment, it will adjust the points and keep the same reservation
HT to Schnit
29 Mar 2022 : Introduction of Dynamic award pricing and removal of award chart
Mar 27, 2022, 2:35 am
#137
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
Just the standard multiples of 60k for the 5k bonus, there are no current transfer bonuses right now however, and has not been for a while.
Mar 27, 2022, 3:13 am
#138
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CDG
Programs: SK Gold, AF Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,712
Mar 27, 2022, 6:45 am
#139
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
Agreed! I’ve made a few tentative reservations at aspirational properties likely going up to their new temporary caps from next month, otherwise we won’t see much change until 2023, and it will be interesting to see how things will look then. A lot can change in 9 months as we have seen in recent years.
Mar 28, 2022, 4:17 pm
#140
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 625
In case anybody wants this at the last minute and for history's sake of the last published changes. This is just my interpretation on how things will be based on the wording and changes given by Marriott, as I have no inside information whatsoever.
Category 1 to 2 changes (10,000 - 15,000):
Category 2 to 3 (15,000 - 20,000):
Category 3 to 4 (20,000 - 30,000):
Category 4 to 5 (30,000 - 40,000):
Category 5 to 6 (40,000 - 60,000)
Category 6 to 7 (50,000 - 70,000)
Category 7 to 8 (70,000 - 100,000)
Category 8 to 9 (my guess range of 90,000 - 120,000)
I guess we'll see tomorrow...
Category 1 to 2 changes (10,000 - 15,000):
Spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler
I guess we'll see tomorrow...
Mar 28, 2022, 6:04 pm
#141
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Marriott LTT, DL FO
Posts: 185
I took some screenshots for places I'm visiting later this year to compare after the changes are in tomorrow. I did save 10k points on one of my existing bookings at one of the Cat7 properties moving to Cat8 by checking today.
Mar 28, 2022, 6:32 pm
#142
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,716
Too bad that most St Regis and RC properties will be out of reach for me now.
But on the plus side will not be incentivized to accumulate in Marriott anymore. If there is no decent Hyatt I can just pick the best value
property. Free breakfast has been so watered down at Hilton and Marriott that it isn’t a major factor now. Hyatt also a plus with waived resort fees and parking. Marriott seems to be racing to the bottom to join Radisson & IHG
But on the plus side will not be incentivized to accumulate in Marriott anymore. If there is no decent Hyatt I can just pick the best value
property. Free breakfast has been so watered down at Hilton and Marriott that it isn’t a major factor now. Hyatt also a plus with waived resort fees and parking. Marriott seems to be racing to the bottom to join Radisson & IHG
Mar 28, 2022, 7:07 pm
#143
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 1,039
If I have a points advance booking for an upcoming stay (currently booked at Wailea Beach Resort for 5 nights @ 250k points, I currently have 120k in my Bonvoy acct, but 500k w/ Amex and have been waiting to transfer the points as I stay at Marriotts quite frequently for work), should I transfer the additional points over to Bonvoy today? Is there any risk that since I booked at an old redemption rate (60-70k/night), and the rate is changing tomorrow, that I may have to use more points for the stay? I assume the answer is no, I just want to double check.
Mar 28, 2022, 7:21 pm
#144
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 308
If I have a points advance booking for an upcoming stay (currently booked at Wailea Beach Resort for 5 nights @ 250k points, I currently have 120k in my Bonvoy acct, but 500k w/ Amex and have been waiting to transfer the points as I stay at Marriotts quite frequently for work), should I transfer the additional points over to Bonvoy today? Is there any risk that since I booked at an old redemption rate (60-70k/night), and the rate is changing tomorrow, that I may have to use more points for the stay? I assume the answer is no, I just want to double check.
Mar 28, 2022, 7:32 pm
#145
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 1,039
The risk is very high. In fact, even before these changes there was always a risk that points advance bookings made for off-peak/regular rates can change to peak rates and you’d have to front the higher amount of points. It happened to me a few weeks ago at a different property, even though I was only days away from having the points in my account. Apply the points ASAP unless you don’t care. You may prefer to buy points instead of transferring from Amex. There is a promo now where it would only be 0.83˘ per point.
Mar 28, 2022, 10:21 pm
#146
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,965
I have a 4 5 night reservations in the fall and:
- 2 of them remain unchanged
- one went down by 5,000 points
- one went down by 10,000 points
The one that went down and one that did not change are back-to-back at the same hotel so that is kind of interesting. All I had to do is to modify the existing reservation for me to credit me the difference.
- 2 of them remain unchanged
- one went down by 5,000 points
- one went down by 10,000 points
The one that went down and one that did not change are back-to-back at the same hotel so that is kind of interesting. All I had to do is to modify the existing reservation for me to credit me the difference.
Mar 28, 2022, 10:42 pm
#149
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: EDI/GLA
Programs: DL 2 MM Unobtainum | UA 1.1MM Gold | MR Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 2,268
Mar 28, 2022, 11:06 pm
#150
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,343