Marriott Bonvoy has changed its Points Advance program. Some people won’t be happy about this, but I think it’s a completely fair change, and if anything, it will be a positive development for many members. What is the Marriott Points Advance feature?In some cases, Marriott Bonvoy has a points advance feature that allows members to make an award reservation at a hotel even if they do not have enough points to complete the stay. The way it works is that you just make one booking and then there is no reward certificate attached. As long as you earn or purchase required points at least 14 days prior to check-in, you’re good to go. If you do not have the required points 14 days later, your reservation will be canceled. This is intended as a gesture of goodwill and ultimately also keeps people sticking to the program. If you’ve booked an award stay at a hotel you’re really looking forward to, the more likely you’ll be on the program and keep earning points. What’s changing with Marriott Points Advance?Effective immediately, Marriott Points pre-reservations can only be made 60 days from the time of booking. Otherwise they will be canceled. As previously:
Why is Marriott changing its Points Advance Policy?It is stated that Marriott has seen an increase in Points Advance bookings at some of the most popular resorts, many of which are being canceled. Apparently around 25% of all award bookings at some of the most popular Marriott Points resorts are advance reservations. This may disadvantage members who would otherwise book with their points. This also has an economic impact on the properties as many stays are canceled just two weeks later and it is difficult for some destinations to resell rooms at this point. Personally, I think this is a fair and perhaps even overdue change to the policy. Marriott’s Points Advance feature is one of the most generous in the industry, and I believe this has been taken advantage of (of course, members shouldn’t be held responsible – they were playing by Marriott rules). Ultimately, it is better for members who actually have enough points to redeem if Award Nights are not speculatively reserved in this way. Bottom lineMarriott adds restrictions on Points Advance reservations. In the future, you will need enough points for your reservation either 60 days after booking or 14 days before check-in, whichever comes first. This is because Marriott canceled the number of reservations for points in advance within two weeks, making it difficult for some hotels to resell these rooms. Personally, I am in favor of this change as it should make more rewards available to those who actually intend to complete stays. What do you think of the change to the Marriott Bonvoy Points Advance Policy? Via https://globalconnekt.com/marriott-bonvoy-is-adjusting-the-point-feed-feature/
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March 2022
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