Marriott Bonvoy, the loyalty program for Marriott hotels, has made changes to its Suite Night Awards (SNAs), which are benefits for higher-tier elite members. These SNAs have now been renamed Nightly Upgrade Awards (NUAs) to better reflect their purpose. The awards allow members to upgrade their standard room to a premium room for one night.
Previously, Platinum and Titanium elite members could choose SNAs for five nights at a time. With the change to NUAs, the number of nights covered by the awards remains the same. The only difference is the name change, which aims to provide more clarity for members.
Marriott’s decision to rename the awards comes as other hotel loyalty programs, such as World of Hyatt and IHG One Rewards, offer similar benefits with different names. World of Hyatt offers Suite Upgrade Awards, which cover stays of up to seven nights, and IHG One Rewards offers confirmable suite upgrades starting 14 days in advance.
One of the notable changes with NUAs is the addition of five new brands where members can use their awards. These brands include The Ritz-Carlton, Edition Hotels, Aloft, Element, and Protea Hotels. This expansion is significant as it includes high-end properties under the Ritz-Carlton and Edition brands. Members will be able to redeem their NUAs for both suites and premium rooms, depending on availability.
Marriott is also expanding the pool of rooms eligible for upgrades, adding “nearly 20% more premium rooms and suites” with features like oceanfront rooms, balconies, and extra space. This increase is based on the five new brands and the increased number of rooms eligible for the awards. The goal is to make more rooms available for members.
However, there is one downside to the changes. Marriott has adjusted the confirmation window for NUAs. Previously, SNAs could be confirmed starting five days before the scheduled arrival. Now, members will receive a notification regarding the status of their NUA request starting three days before arrival. This adjustment may pose challenges as availability of upgraded rooms becomes more limited as the check-in date approaches.
Overall, the changes to SNAs, now NUAs, bring both positive and negative aspects for Marriott Bonvoy members. The addition of new brands and increased availability of premium rooms and suites is a welcome development. However, the shorter confirmation window may affect members’ ability to redeem upgrade awards. As the changes are rolled out, it remains to be seen how these adjustments will impact members and their ability to utilize the benefits.