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
Jan 4, 2023, 8:19 am
#616
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 2,255
I had a booking at Sheraton Dubai Creek in Feb for 120,000 points on a 5-for-4 redemption. After reading your post I went back and checked the current price and it had gone from 120,000 to 119,000 (last day changed from 30,000 to 29,000), so I cancelled and rebooked for that juicy 1,000 point bonus 
Jan 4, 2023, 9:16 am
#617
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Programs: MB Ambassador, WOH Globalist, HH Diamond (Aspire), AA Gold, UA (*G) Gold
Posts: 5,164
There’s no need to cancel/rebook. Just open your reservation, click on Edit, and choose the same room type at the new lower price. The system will tell you that X points will be redeposited into your account, and it’s done immediately.
Your reservation number will be unchanged.
Your reservation number will be unchanged.
Jan 5, 2023, 10:45 am
#618
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MD/DC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, TK Gold
Posts: 1,536
There’s no need to cancel/rebook. Just open your reservation, click on Edit, and choose the same room type at the new lower price. The system will tell you that X points will be redeposited into your account, and it’s done immediately.
Your reservation number will be unchanged.
Your reservation number will be unchanged.
It is implemented better than Hilton, which while allow you to do so, if you have points booking prepare to track the points back and interact with the Hilton team as changes in the reservation like that seems to prevent the points to get back to the account automatically.
Jan 5, 2023, 11:29 am
#619
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
This is what I usually do - but you cannot do it on the app, only on the website.
It is implemented better than Hilton, which while allow you to do so, if you have points booking prepare to track the points back and interact with the Hilton team as changes in the reservation like that seems to prevent the points to get back to the account automatically.
It is implemented better than Hilton, which while allow you to do so, if you have points booking prepare to track the points back and interact with the Hilton team as changes in the reservation like that seems to prevent the points to get back to the account automatically.
The other advantage of not cancelling/rebooking is it's one less zombie reservation that may come back to life.
Jan 5, 2023, 2:29 pm
#620
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MD/DC
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, TK Gold
Posts: 1,536
I don't like doing things on the app (other than look things up), so guess I've never tried. Actually, I use the app to check the rate however, since it remembers my last 5 searches.
The other advantage of not cancelling/rebooking is it's one less zombie reservation that may come back to life.
The other advantage of not cancelling/rebooking is it's one less zombie reservation that may come back to life.
Jan 6, 2023, 12:24 pm
#621
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,895
Just booked W Miami for a night - price was 59K, cash rate was $672 all in. Miami seems to be pricing pretty consistently over 1 cent per point across the tiers (ranging from Courtard/AC charing 30K points / $350-$400 in cash to W/Edition/Ritz South Beach charging 100K points / $1,000 to $1,2000 in cash).
If this pricing holds, it actually suggest Marriott points value increased through all the devaluations, at least on a US$ basis - this is consistent with Hyatt and Hilton point values also increasing.
If this pricing holds, it actually suggest Marriott points value increased through all the devaluations, at least on a US$ basis - this is consistent with Hyatt and Hilton point values also increasing.
Jan 6, 2023, 12:50 pm
#622
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
I made a reservation on Nov 21 for a 5 night stay in January at 239K pts. I noticed on Dec 7 that it had dropped to 233K points so I rebooked. Between Dec 8 and today, it has dropped 11 more times, and my latest price is 196K pts for a savings of 43K pts. I now check daily to see what the price is. 
I'm thinking of putting it on a graph, to see if the rate change is linear, accelerating or decelerating.
Jan 9, 2023, 10:37 pm
#625
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Programs: MB Ambassador, WOH Globalist, HH Diamond (Aspire), AA Gold, UA (*G) Gold
Posts: 5,164
I used the method suggested by margarita girl to use the website to edit points reservations and got back 4000 points - nothing to scoff at! I'm primarily an app user so I hadn't experienced the ease of editing points reservations (though, the app is still so much better than the mobile website, especially when you have 100+ upcoming reservations, like I do).
Jan 10, 2023, 7:08 am
#626
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,349
Jan 10, 2023, 10:33 am
#627
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Programs: MB Ambassador, WOH Globalist, HH Diamond (Aspire), AA Gold, UA (*G) Gold
Posts: 5,164
It's a really long one, but look forward to more reviews from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Amman, Cairo, Panama City, Bogota, Santiago, Seoul, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur!
Jan 10, 2023, 10:40 am
#628
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,349
Do you book only on points or on a combination of some with points and others cash?
Jan 10, 2023, 11:21 am
#629
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Programs: MB Ambassador, WOH Globalist, HH Diamond (Aspire), AA Gold, UA (*G) Gold
Posts: 5,164
Case in point, in Bogota, the JW is around 590 USD (ridiculous for that market) but was only something around the low 30K range for points. For me, that's an easy case for redeeming points.
As another example, in Bangkok, I won't be using any points as cash rates are all quite reasonable relative to the globe.
If I ever go to Paris, I'll definitely need to use points as cash rates are insane.
Jan 10, 2023, 1:42 pm
#630
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: MB Titanium, HH Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb, UA Silver
Posts: 185
I think it's quite overblown. A lot of the hotels are still within their former Category on the old award chart, but with a bit of inflation (5-7%) on max points requirement per night. Properties that has recently been bumped out to max of 120k pts/night have not exceeded that this year.