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Most people with extensive experience with Marriott know that Bonvoy Suite Night Awards are not as valuable as Marriott would like everyone to think. Sometimes, they can be utterly useless. Still, having Suite Night Awards in your account is better than not having any at all so when Marriott appeared to have extended the validity of some of my SNAs to the end of this year I was pleased. Surprised, but pleased.
That pleasure has been very short-lived.
When I checked my account through the Bonvoy app yesterday I saw what you see on the left side of the image below. When I look at that same screen now, I see what you see on the right.
Last night, the Bonvoy app was telling me that the 4 SNAs that should have expired at the end of last month would now expire at the end of December (alongside this year’s SNAs). Today, those 4 SNAs have disappeared.
Foolishly, it never occurred to me that the SNA extensions may just be yet another screw-up by Marriott and the Bonvoy program but that’s exactly what it appears to be.
I had no idea that this was a widespread issue until shortly before I started writing this post (when I checked to see if anyone else had written about it), but it seems like I’m far from being an outlier.
It looks like some of the team over at Frequent Miler have been #Bonvoyed as have some of that site’s readers so it looks like Marriott has outdone itself in the incompetence stakes once again – someone needs to explain to me how it’s possible to accidentally extend a large number of SNAs.
Amusingly, Marriott is now emailing Bonvoy members to tell them that the extension was an error (I have yet to receive my email) and is claiming that it is re-expiring the SNAs because they were “unable” to extend them any further.
This is obviously utter nonsense and you have to question whose decision it was to put such drivel into an email – either they’re idiots or they think their Bonvoy members are. Either way, it’s not a good look for Marriott or Bonvoy.
On a positive note, this isn’t really as big an annoyance as it could have been.
Firstly, no one should have been expecting an extension so it’s not like Bonvoy broke a promise.
Secondly, most people only appear to have seen the extension for 24-48 hours before it was reversed and so probably didn’t really have enough time to make a wide variety of plans with them.
Finally, SNAs have slowly become less and less useful over recent times as more properties choose not to honor them and more properties choose to ignore them even when they claim to honor them so they’re not actually a big deal.
While some hotel elite status benefits are definitely worth having, a lot of time has past since I last thought that there was any point in chasing elite night credits just to lock in some SNAs. In fact, I now find it amusing and a little bizarre that SNAs as still considered to be a high-level benefit of the Bonvoy program because a lot of the time, they’re really not worth the effort or the disappointment – I’ll take lounge access, complimentary breakfasts, and late checkouts over SNAs any day.
Bottom line
It looks like I’ve just joined the growing list of people who had the expiration date of some of their Suite Night Awards extended only to then have Bonvoy expire those Suite Night Awards 24 hours later.
As I’ve been struggling to use SNAs all year long and as I’m now limiting the number of stays that I’m making with Marriott, I’m not particularly bothered about any of this but if you had started to make plans with your extended SNAs, I can see why you may be annoyed.
On July 2nd, I also was surprised to find that 6 of my 7 expiring Suite Night Awards were extended through December 31, 2022. I then applied 3 of them to a 3 night reservation at the Westin in Brisbane, Australia (in October 2022) and received a confirming email.
After reading your article, I just checked my account and not only are the 3 remaining SNA gone, and my reservation at the Westin Brisbane no longer has the other 3 SNAs applied. In addition, the reservation now states that SNAs cannot be applied to this reservation!!
I am lifetime Platinum Elite and currently Titanium. There should be some recourse. What do you think?
Really sounds like you just mad that you let coupons expire and thought you had something that you know you shouldn’t have had. User error for letting coupons expire happens, grow up not write an article about it. Yes, mess up on Marriott’s part but should’ve taken advantage of their mess up.
I’m going to go ahead and assume that you’re incapable of reading or intellectually deficient because this post very clearly explains why this isn’t particularly annoying.
You’re clearly not a Marriott Bonvoy member that has suite upgrade points because what the writer was implying with the comments about how SNA’s are “virtually useless” most Bonvoy members probably know well, that most hotels deny/refuse to award the nights when you request to use them. It’s not her fault she can’t use her upgrades if no hotel will honor them. We are currently(last 4 years)titanium Elite members and will hit ambassador this year, which means we spend 75-99 nights per year in Marriott properties and we have NEVER had a suite night upgrade request granted. Currently have 17 expiring in December and can’t use them, not for lack or trying. So yeah, it gets very frustrating
Then why are you still patronizing Marriott??
I never had a Single SNA upgrade approved and I am titanium elite. They are worthless.
You’re clearly not a Marriott Bonvoy member that has suite upgrade points because what the writer was implying with the comments about how SNA’s are “virtually useless” most Bonvoy members probably know well, that most hotels deny/refuse to award the nights when you request to use them. It’s not her fault she can’t use her upgrades if no hotel will honor them. We are currently(last 4 years)titanium Elite members and will hit ambassador this year, which means we spend 75-99 nights per year in Marriott properties and we have NEVER had a suite night upgrade request granted. Currently have 17 expiring in December and can’t use them, not for lack or trying. So yeah, it gets very frustrating
I never had any SNA upgrade approved and I am titanium elite. They are worthless.
And yet, you keep prominently advertising, wo any mentioned pifalls for the future customers, for Mariott bonvoyed/screwed credit cards to get click $. No morals!
Lol! In just the past few weeks alone I’ve criticized Marriott over and over again and this site has a history of highlighting Bonvoy’s issues so my conscience is nice and clear. Also, the issues highlighted in this post (and others) have no bearing on how useful the earnings from the Bonvoy cards are (they don’t offer SNAs or top-tier status) and as I frequently mention when a card’s published benefits are not actually very useful at all (e.g. low-level elite status) I’m struggling to understand what, exactly, you expect from me.
To put it simply, just because there are a number of issues with Bonvoy, doesn’t mean that the Bonvoy cards are bad. Just as with every credit card, you just have to make sure that they’re appropriate for your circumstances. That’s not a tricky concept to grasp.
I am lifetime Platinum and currently titanium and near Ambassador. SNA’s are a joke. If you use them you just get the same upgrade you may have gotten as an elite member anyhow. Hotels are playing games. Not even worth it. I took the free 40k night on my last choice because if it.
Your title article is clickbait and the article is offensive. Stop posing as a useful site for frequent travelers. Marriott added insult to injury by extending and then deleting hard earned suite night awards. While you may not value these, I have always been able to secure upgrades reservations. Yes it takes planning and skill to book at hotels where and at when the awards are success but they are far from invaluable. Last but not least, you are a hypocrite for promoting Marriott credit cards in the same article/page.
Firstly, you don’t appear to know what “clickbait” actually is and you also, apparently, don’t know what “offensive” means either.
Secondly, a lot of people appear to disagree with your characterization of SNAs
Thirdly, I genuinely don’t care what you think of me, I’m sure that will probably upset your delicate sensitivities but you’ll just have to live with that 🙂
Worse than the SNA is the promise as Ambassador you have 24 hour check in check out privileges
Not true only a request then up to the hotel!!!!!
Not a benefit
I’ve stayed in hotels 10 months a year for 13 years due to my job. This year, we will be in hotels for 8 months, and have been in hotels since April. It’s loud and clear that having top tier status with Marriott means basically nothing anymore. It’s dissapointing to say the least. Not to mention once well kept properties with excellent hospitality and customer service are basically motel quality these days.
Hi. I did read about this same issue on another blogger’s post. It’s a shame, but I think it’s indicative of the fact that it’s not a sustainable reward. I like your other suggestions, like lounge access and complimentary breakfast and late checkout. Those make better sense to me. You also state that you are limiting your Marriott stays. Might I ask where else you are booking? Just curious. Have a nice night.
Hi, thanks for the comment.
I’m trying to use Hyatt as much as I can right now and when Hyatt can’t offer me a property in a location I want to visit (or when the Hyatt property is out of my price range) I’m booking Hilton’s and IHG properties (whatever works)
The past six months alone I’ve had suite upgrades at St. Regis in Doha, W in Santiago, St. Regis in Mexico City, and Hotel de Berri in Paris. Not sure why folks are not able to use their suite nights. Seems like a great benefit to me.
I have completely given up on Marriot
They no longer value loyal customers and especially customers who have been members for many, many years
I am now exploring alternative accommodations for business and leisure travel.
SNA are close to worthless. As well as that bring annoying, the inability to use to English language is. Marriott is not unable to extend them, it is unwilling to do so.
Although I’ve earned Ambassador status, I no longer stay at Marriott hotels. I have more important things to do than fight for upgrades and the other benefits my status purportedly entitles me to. Instead, I choose hotels which value my business and treat me well.
I hope Marriott is listening.