Be careful, Marriott’s new promotion isn’t quite as generous as it has been in the past

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Marriott’s latest global promotion is now live and it’s one of the best Marriott promotions that we’ve seen for a while. It isn’t, however, quite as generous as a similar promotion that it has run in the past, so this is a gentle warning not to expect too much.

The Marriott Bonvoy promotion

Bonvoy members who register for the promotion, will earn 1,000 bonus Bonvoy points and 1 bonus elite night credit on each eligible paid night taken between 13 February and 29 April 2024 with no cap on elite nights earned or bonus points earned.

Key terms

1. Registration of your Marriott Bonvoy Account is required.
2. Marriott Bonvoy members who register for this promotion by April 15, 2024, will earn 1,000 bonus Points per eligible paid night, plus one bonus Elite Night Credit per eligible paid night, during the 76-night promotion earning period.
3. The promotion earning period is for eligible paid nights completed between February 13, 2024, and April 29, 2024, at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties.
4. Only eligible paid stays completed after registration and during the promotion earning period will qualify toward the promotion.
5. Please note that a hotel must participate in Marriott Bonvoy at the time of the stay to qualify as a stay night under the promotion terms.
6. Award redemption stay nights, including Cash + Points Awards, Free Night Awards, or a Points redemption, are not eligible for the promotion.
7. Rates available through most third-party online retailers and select travel agency rates do not qualify for this promotion (“Non-Qualifying Rate”).
8. Stays at The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott Executive Apartments, and owner-occupied weeks at Marriott Vacation Club, Grand Residences by Marriott, Marriott Grand Residence Club, Sheraton Vacation Club, Westin Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Club, St. Regis Residence Club and Luxury Collection Residence Club, are not eligible for bonus Points or bonus Elite Night Credits for this promotion.
9. Only one room at one property per night is counted toward a member’s eligible paid nights for the promotion.
10. The 1,000 bonus Points per eligible paid night and one bonus Elite Night Credit per eligible paid night will be awarded to the member’s Account within 7 business days after checkout and will post with the stay.
11. Elite Night Credits will count only toward the status year in which they are posted.
12. A member who elects to earn Miles is not eligible for this promotion.

Full terms and conditions can be found on the promotion page.

Be a little careful

The key term to focus on here is the one that says this:

“Award redemption stay nights, including Cash + Points Awards, Free Night Awards, or a Points redemption, are not eligible for the promotion.”

That’s actually very clear and doesn’t leave much room for misunderstanding, but when Marriott ran a similar promotion in February 2021, a similar exclusion was present – ” ‘[n]ights spent while redeeming an award are not eligible for bonus points or double elite night credits‘ – but things weren’t quite as they seemed.

Even though the terms of that promotion appeared to exclude all award nights from earning bonus elite night credits, a line in the promotion’s FAQs showed that a reservation in which revenue nights were mixed in with award nights, would earn bonus elite night credits on all nights of the booking.

That was a very nice unexpected bonus, but unfortunately that’s not a bonus available this time around.

This time, the promotion’s FAQs specifically state that where a booking includes both revenue and award nights, only the revenue nights will earn the bonus elite nights and bonus points on offer:

‘The eligible Paid Nights within a customized Cash and Point Stay are eligible for promotional credit if they fall within the Promotion Earning Period. Example: If you, the Member, have a completed Stay with one eligible paid Night for the first Night, then a redemption of Marriott Bonvoy® Points for the second Night, you will earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy® Bonus Points and 1 Bonus Elite Night Credit for the first eligible Paid Night only.’

To be fair to Marriott, I think most people reading the terms and conditions of the new promotion would have assumed that this is how it will work, but it’s still something worth highlighting in case there’s anyone else out there who, like me, remembers the promotion of 2021 and wonders if what worked back then will work again today.

Overall, this is still a great promotion to see launched (remember to register here) and it’s one which I expect quite a few people to be able to use to earn meaningful Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Keep in mind that only nights stayed after registration will earn bonus points and bonus elite night credits, so while existing reservations will qualify for this promotion (it’s not limited to new bookings), make sure you register before your next Marriott stay to be sure of earning the bonuses on offer.

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Bottom line

Marriott’s new global promotion has gone live today and is offering Bonvoy members 1,000 bonus points and an elite night credit on every eligible night consumed from today through 29 April 2024.

As Marriott promotions go, this is fantastic, but if you’re someone who remembers the fantastic promotion of 2021, don’t make the mistake of thinking that this promotion will work in the same way – in this promotion, there is no scenario under which an award night will earn the bonus points or bonus elite nights that are on offer.

Link to registration page

Featured image: St. Regis Bora Bora courtesy of Marriott.