Flex Your Free Night Awards ("Award Night Top Offs") discussion thread
#1
Company Representative, Marriott Bonvoy
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 596
Flex Your Free Night Awards ("Award Night Top Offs") discussion thread
Exciting news for Marriott Bonvoy® members — now you can combine your Free Night Award with up to 15,000 points. That means if you have a Free Night Award with a value of 35,000 points, you’re able to access more stay dates at hotels and resorts that have a redemption value of up to 50,000 points. Whether you’re planning a beachside retreat or mountaintop getaway, discover even more destinations worldwide.
As a reminder, should you choose to modify an existing reservation in any way, it may impact the points needed to redeem the stay, which may go up or down depending on the dates. Certain hotels have resort fees.
Let us know how you plan to enjoy your free nights in the comments below!
If you have questions about this new redemption option, check out our FAQs.
As a reminder, should you choose to modify an existing reservation in any way, it may impact the points needed to redeem the stay, which may go up or down depending on the dates. Certain hotels have resort fees.
Let us know how you plan to enjoy your free nights in the comments below!
If you have questions about this new redemption option, check out our FAQs.

#2
Company Representative, Marriott Bonvoy
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 596
Hello Everyone,
This is mentioned in the FAQs for the new Top Off benefit, but at this time our mobile app does not support Top Off. It will be introduced later this year, but for now it's use is only through Marriott.com.
Thanks,
Robert V.
Social Media Specialist
This is mentioned in the FAQs for the new Top Off benefit, but at this time our mobile app does not support Top Off. It will be introduced later this year, but for now it's use is only through Marriott.com.
Thanks,
Robert V.
Social Media Specialist
#3
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: DFW
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, HH Gold, AA Lifetime Gold, United Silver, BA Gold
Posts: 820
It’s not working at Westin Lagunamar in Cancun
I just tried to use this feature for a stay at the Westin Lagunamar in May
I see 2 options
1. Point Savers for 40K per night
2. Regular award for 50K per night
I have a 35K night certificate and I should be able to use the top off feature. Unfortunately on the reservation page, I get a message that I don’t have any eligible certificates.
What am I missing?
(Just saw the post above saying Mobile App does not support. I will try in browser)
I see 2 options
1. Point Savers for 40K per night
2. Regular award for 50K per night
I have a 35K night certificate and I should be able to use the top off feature. Unfortunately on the reservation page, I get a message that I don’t have any eligible certificates.
What am I missing?
(Just saw the post above saying Mobile App does not support. I will try in browser)
#4
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 94
I discovered a glitch last night. I had a 40k and 50k certificate that I wanted to redeem for a 50k and 58k. It attached the 50k to the 50k and didn’t give the option to do 40k + 10k and 50k + 8k. I had to do separate reservations to make it work.
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NY Metro
Programs: SPG Titanium, United Premier 1K
Posts: 1,593
Yeah, I noticed this too. Its still defaulting to the earlier expiring cert.
#6
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.034MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 51,459
#7
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Hawaii
Programs: AA EXP, HA PL, Hilton 💎, Marriott Ti, Wyndham/Caesars 💎, Hertz PC
Posts: 343
Not if you have multiple award nights from card anniversary, spend, sign-up bonuses, and status welcome choices. I had to call in for two nights at a 40k/night property because the website was only giving me the option of applying an 85k point certificate for the second one, not my other 35k point certificate that expires later.
Still worth it, a $500/night room for a 35k certificate plus 5k points is a good deal.
EDIT:
Also, haven't you gotten the memo?
https://loyaltylobby.com/2022/03/29/marriott-bonvoy-terms-conditions-changes-march-2022/?omhide=true
Your company no longer gives out free nights, only "flexible award stays." I'm still paying a resort fee for my "free" nights at most places.
Still worth it, a $500/night room for a 35k certificate plus 5k points is a good deal.
EDIT:
Exciting news for Marriott Bonvoy® members — now you can combine your Free Night Award with up to 15,000 points. That means if you have a Free Night Award with a value of 35,000 points, you’re able to access more stay dates at hotels and resorts that have a redemption value of up to 50,000 points. Whether you’re planning a beachside retreat or mountaintop getaway, discover even more destinations worldwide. As a reminder, should you choose to modify an existing reservation in any way, it may impact the points needed to redeem the stay, which may go up or down depending on the dates. Certain hotels have resort fees. Let us know how you plan to enjoy your free nights in the comments below! If you have questions about this new redemption option, check out our FAQs.
https://loyaltylobby.com/2022/03/29/marriott-bonvoy-terms-conditions-changes-march-2022/?omhide=true
Your company no longer gives out free nights, only "flexible award stays." I'm still paying a resort fee for my "free" nights at most places.
Last edited by ajf87; Apr 30, 22 at 12:21 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 619
Just for information's sake, you still can't book an upgraded room with a certificate even if the point value is less than the certificate value or within 15K points of the certificate value.
The removal of the ability to select which certificate you want to attach means that once again, we have to book dummy reservations in order to use up the certificates to get to the one that you want on the reservation that you want. Then back to cancel the dummy reservations.
The removal of the ability to select which certificate you want to attach means that once again, we have to book dummy reservations in order to use up the certificates to get to the one that you want on the reservation that you want. Then back to cancel the dummy reservations.
#9
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1k, SPG/Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,011
Was able to successfully use this for a two night booking priced at 77,000 points. Applied one 35k cert and withdrew 42,000 points.
I had an existing booking on hold waiting for this to come through and trying to apply the cert to that was allowed but errored out when I tried to complete. I cancelled that booking and made a new one and it worked fine. Doing this is helpful given the increase in points needed for most places now.
I had an existing booking on hold waiting for this to come through and trying to apply the cert to that was allowed but errored out when I tried to complete. I cancelled that booking and made a new one and it worked fine. Doing this is helpful given the increase in points needed for most places now.
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .56 MM, United & Admirals Clubs, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 13,270
It only works for standard rooms.
A free night certificate (FNC) cannot be used for upgraded or specialty rooms. Only the base models, king or two queen beds.
A free night certificate (FNC) cannot be used for upgraded or specialty rooms. Only the base models, king or two queen beds.
#13
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: Marriott Titanium (Lifetime Gold), Caesars Diamond, MGM Gold
Posts: 1,049
I tried it again with another 35k certificate in a different location.
Both times when I made the reservation it said "An unexpected error occurred".
The first time, the reservation was made but the certificate wasn't deducted correctly and it was just made as a 37k points reservation.
The second time, the reservation seems to have applied the certificate correctly.
Both times when I made the reservation it said "An unexpected error occurred".
The first time, the reservation was made but the certificate wasn't deducted correctly and it was just made as a 37k points reservation.
The second time, the reservation seems to have applied the certificate correctly.
#14
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: EWR/JFK
Programs: AA GLD 1.xMM, MAR SLV, HH DMND, IHG PLT
Posts: 774

Thinking of getting mrs the Chase Visa Boundless credit card that comes with the 3 free night certs up to 50K points each. Read online that you can pay points on top of the 50K, e.g. if room is 58k points per night due to this dynamic pricing. Question, can this all be done smoothly online or is this a phone call with a long hold time to make it happen?
Also, can points still be transferred across spouses for redemption? I did this years ago but haven't kept on top of latest rules.
Thanks in advance.
-Miles
Also, can points still be transferred across spouses for redemption? I did this years ago but haven't kept on top of latest rules.
Thanks in advance.
-Miles
#15
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,571
Lurker, I have started another thread where I believe your Marriott properties are going out of their way to avoid redemption of these credit card annual free night "coupons" . Besides giving me the dynamic pricing excuse we now have someone who posted that a Marriott property just increased the price so your "top off" option will be out of redemption range even with a boost . Is corporate aware of this issue? If so what is Marriott doing if anything?
Exciting news for Marriott Bonvoy® members — now you can combine your Free Night Award with up to 15,000 points. That means if you have a Free Night Award with a value of 35,000 points, you’re able to access more stay dates at hotels and resorts that have a redemption value of up to 50,000 points. Whether you’re planning a beachside retreat or mountaintop getaway, discover even more destinations worldwide.
As a reminder, should you choose to modify an existing reservation in any way, it may impact the points needed to redeem the stay, which may go up or down depending on the dates. Certain hotels have resort fees.
Let us know how you plan to enjoy your free nights in the comments below!
If you have questions about this new redemption option, check out our FAQs.

As a reminder, should you choose to modify an existing reservation in any way, it may impact the points needed to redeem the stay, which may go up or down depending on the dates. Certain hotels have resort fees.
Let us know how you plan to enjoy your free nights in the comments below!
If you have questions about this new redemption option, check out our FAQs.
