Update, 3/28: Today is the final day to lock in rates before Marriott begins the process of removing their award charts.
That process begins on March 29th and March 30th. For now most hotels should stay within the peak range of current pricing, though some hotels will cost up to 30K more than current peak pricing.
The program will go fully dynamic for 2023 stays, though it’s unclear if that will change this week for 2023 stays or later on.
Either way, book future stays by 3/28 local hotel time to lock in current rates!
Originally posted on 2/25:
Marriott announced in October that they would be moving to dynamic pricing.
With the current award chart pricing, you can get outsized value for your award as you can book expensive hotel nights for points that are controlled by an award chart. It also gives members assurance to know how many points they would need to save up in order to book an aspirational flight or stay.
But Delta started the trend to make dynamic award redemptions that track the cost of the price, and other loyalty programs have jumped onto that bandwagon.
Loyalty programs make this switch at their own peril. Eventually their members will switch over to hybrid cards that offer the ability to accumulate bank points that can be used for their choice of redeeming points directly for paid rates on any flight or hotel or transferring points only when it makes sense to do so. Why lock into a currency that offers no upsides or value?
Here is the current Marriott award chart:
| Hotel Category | Award Chart | Cash + Points Chart | Pointsavers Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | 5,000 off-peak 7,500 standard 10,000 peak | $55+1,500 (1.57 cpp) off-peak $55+3,500 (1.38 cpp) standard $55+4,500 (1 cpp) peak | 4,000 off-peak 6,000 standard 8,500 peak |
| Category 2 | 10,000 off-peak 12,500 standard 15,000 peak | $65+4,000 (1.08 cpp) off-peak $65+6,000 (1 cpp) standard $65+7,000 (0.81 cpp) peak | 8,000 off-peak 11,000 standard 13,000 peak |
| Category 3 | 15,000 off-peak 17,500 standard 20,000 peak | $80+6,000 (0.89 cpp) off-peak $80+8,500 (0.89 cpp) standard $80+9,500 (0.76 cpp) peak | 12,000 off-peak 16,000 standard 18,000 peak |
| Category 4 | 20,000 off-peak 25,000 standard 30,000 peak | $105+8,000 (0.88 cpp) off-peak $105+12,000 (0.8 cpp) $105+15,000 (0.7 cpp) peak | 17,500 off-peak 22,500 standard 27,500 peak |
| Category 5 | 30,000 off-peak 35,000 standard 40,000 peak | $140+13,500 (0.85 cpp) off-peak $140+17,000 (0.78 cpp) $140+21,000 (0.74 cpp) peak | 27,500 off-peak 32,500 standard 37,500 peak |
| Category 6 | 40,000 off-peak 50,000 standard 60,000 peak | $190+19,000 (0.9 cpp) off-peak $190+25,000 (0.76 cpp) $190+30,000 (0.63 cpp) peak | 35,000 off-peak 45,000 standard 55,000 peak |
| Category 7 | 50,000 off-peak 60,000 standard 70,000 peak | $250+25,000 (1 cpp) off-peak $250+30,000 (0.83 cpp) $250+40,000 (0.83 cpp) peak | 45,000 off-peak 55,000 standard 65,000 peak |
| Category 8 | 70,000 off-peak 85,000 standard 100,000 peak | $440+27,500 (1.04 cpp) off-peak $440+42,500 (1.04 cpp) $440+57,500 (1.04 cpp) peak | 65,000 off-peak 80,000 standard 90,000 peak |
On March 29th-30th, Marriott will allow the 200 hotels in this link to charge up to 30,000 more points than the current award chart pricing. Peak and off-peak pricing will also change more rapidly as Marriott closer aligns the cost in points to the cash price of the night.
Sample hotels that can charge an extra 5,000 points:
SpringHill Suites Denver Tech Center
Four Points by Sheraton Salt Lake City Airport
Sample hotels that can charge an extra 10,000 points:
Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi
Aegon Mykonos
JW Marriott Los Cabos
Ritz-Carlton, Cancun
Ritz-Carlton Orlando
Aloft Ocean City
Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort
Key Largo Bay Marriott Beach Resort
Sheraton Kauai Resort
SpringHill Suites Springdale Zion National Park
Westin Hapuna Hawaii Beach Resort
Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach
W Fort Lauderdale
Sample hotels that can charge an extra 20,000 points:
Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa, Mauritius
Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay
JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort
Le Meridien Maldives
Marriott’s Mai Khao Beach – Phuket
Suiran, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Kyoto
Ritz-Carlton Maldives
Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto
S. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
S. Regis Bora Bora Resort
French Leave Resort Bahamas
Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman
Ritz-Carlton, S. Thomas
Ritz-Carlton, Turks & Caicos
S. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico
Domes Miramare, a Luxury Collection Resort, Corfu
Mystique, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Santorini
The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
Ritz-Carlton Hotel de la Paix, Geneva
S. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort
W Verbier
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
Fort Lauderdale Marriott Pompano Beach Resort
Marriott’s Villas at Doral
Moxy Miami South Beach
Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami
Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park
Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua
Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
S. Regis Aspen Resort
S. Regis Bal Harbour Resort
S. Regis Deer Valley
S. Regis New York
Westin Nanea Ocean Villas, Ka’anapali
W South Beach
Sample hotels that can charge an extra 30,000 points:
Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui
Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort
Paris Marriott Champs Elysees
The Jaffa, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Tel Aviv
Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel
Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale
Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas
Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka’anapali
Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas
Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui
- That means that:
- The Le Meridien Maldives, currently a category 5 bargain at 30K-40K points for an overwater villa, will cost up to 60K points for 2022 stays.
- The Jaffa Tel Aviv, currently a category 7 at 50K-70K points, will cost up to 100K points for 2022 stays.
- The S. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, currently a category 8 at 70K-100K points, will cost up to 120K points for 2022 stays.
Starting for stays in 2023 all bets are off as the awards charts will be eliminated completely and there will be no set minimum or maximum award pricing. Only time will tell what that means for redemption costs, but I’d expect them to value Marriott points at 0.5-0.6 cents each with few opportunities to earn an outsized value for your points. It’s unclear if the 2023 stay pricing will go into effect on 3/29/22 or at a later date.
There was little reason to use a Marriott card for earning points after the SPG merger other than to earn a signup bonus, and this change means there’s even less reason to do anything but have a Marriott card buried in your sock drawer if you want the annual free night certificate.
You will be able to add up to 15K points to your annual night certificates starting in late April, which will add some value to them. But unsurprisingly, you won’t be able to do that before the March 29th devaluation.
The good news is that people getting points refunds from travel packages on 3/1 will be able to use those points before the devaluation.
With the ability to use a Chase Bifecta to earn a minimum of 2.25% back towards travel, or a Capital One card that offers $300+10K points in travel credit annually and the ability to erase travel spend at 2% or transfer points at more valuable levels, or earn a minimum of 2% cash back with Citi with the ability to transfer points at more valuable levels, or 2 points per dollar with AMEX, there’s just no good reason to spend on Marriott cards with devalued point earnings.
If you have any future travel plans, reserve them now to lock in current pricing, just be sure to check on the cancellation policy and set a reminder on your calendar for that date.
I’m still sitting on millions of Marriott points back from the glorious SPG days, but as long as Marriott continues to offer the ability to transfer 60K points into 25K airline miles I’ll hang onto them and use them as needed, as that transfer option creates a floor for their value. Here’s hoping Marriott lets us know before they devalue that transfer option…
Which hotels will you book before the devaluation?
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47 Comments On "[Last Chance To Lock In Lower Rates!] Marriott Award Pricing Will Be Bonvoyed On March 29th"
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I booked a stay at the Mauna Kea resort. Sadly, this will probably be the last time we will ever go there.
Just locked in 2 nights at Al maha
Awesome!
Anyone have luck getting kosher food there yet?
we just went there it’s great. go on the sunset camel ride
Any luck getting kosher food there?
Actually better then I thought Marriott would do atleast dynamic pricing is capped at a max of 120,000 points even for the most expensive nights. (Which can be a few thousand dollars in peak season)
This is just an interim move for 2022 stays. Uncapped starts with 2023 stays.
I see that s Regis in bal harber is currently going for 185k points per night
So no more 3/1??
That gives us another 30 days to use the points! OK great!!!
Was always “in March,” not 3/1.
Yes but your previous post mentioned “starting march” it will be the new rates so I took it as 3/1 not the end of the month, so I am glad to hear that 🙂
Ah, the soft bigotry of low expectations 😉
Just booked Al Maha for three nights.
So only these 200 hotels can charge more points? All others, at most can just choose to use the current peak rate on more dates?
More importantly, every year, there are simply hotels that change categories, some go up, some go down. Are there being zero category changes for 2022?
For 2022 stays, yes.
There are no categories as 3/29, but the rest of Marriott hotels will remain where they are now for 2022 stays.
For 2023 stays, the program is going fully variable.
There was never a reason to use a Marriott card even at Marriott hotels. 6 Marriott points was never worth 3 UR on a CSR card. Now 6 Marriott points won’t be worth 1 UR lol
Hey Dan, just curious if you received any more clarification on your statement “It’s unclear if the 2023 stay pricing will go into effect on 3/29/22 or at a later date”. It would be great to continue to booking 2022 category into 2023 or at least know prior to the date change.
Dan, if I book a room at the current point rate, would I be able to modify the reservation date after the rate change without the higher point rate?
no As when you modify the system cancels and rebook at the new rates
Dan, s Regis bal harber is currently going for 185k! Points per night. (Before March 29)
anyone stay at the Jaffa Hotel? (I dont think it’s kosher but wondering what you did for food in the areea. Is it a nice hotel?)
So if I booked JW Marriott Venice at 50k points, can i go back in a month and put my 35k reward night towards it, by adding 15k to it?
I wouldn’t count on that working unless the rate remains 50K for your dates at that point.
Just booked my first stay at a st regis-looks like it will be first and last! Glad I joined the game when I did!
Anything happening to the Ritz Herzliya?
Yes, totally done with Marriott credit cards except SUB.
Is there an exact date for when you can add points to free night certs
No, all I’ve heard is late April.
Given that Bonvoy nights are often unavailable when I want to book them, this isn’t the greatest of losses; there aren’t many opportunities for outsize value now, given that at peak times hotels generally have no availability—try getting bonvoy nights in Hawaii Christmas week, for example
Dan,
If I book st regis Bal Harbour now for Jan 2023 at current 85k rate and then need change to couple days earlier or later will I have to pay the new ridiculous rate ? Trying figure out how to best maximize the 300k points I have sitting in my account . Thanks
Changes would be at the new rate.
thanks , and I’m assuming if I cancel it I would not get a refund ? Are my points stuck at SR Bal Harbour if I can’t make those dates or go back into my marriot account ?
Almost all hotel stays are refundable. Just read the terms when you checkout for the cancel policy.
Does this affect free nights too?
Yes
if I book a points advance now, how will it work?
Can someone clarify if hotels not on this list of 200 would be affected for a stay in 3 weeks? Just want to know if I need to book right now
I had 11 credit card certs.
3 x 50k
8x35k
I booked 13 night stay at fairfield inn downtown / world trade center.
Cost me the certs +70k and $50.
Good use of certs?
Just booked 3 weekends, 3 night apiece at ST Regis Bal Harbor:
Oct-85k Per night
Jan-100k per night-(yeshiva week)
Feb-100k Per night
THANKS DAN
just booked 2 nights at the jw Venice and 2 night at ritz al khaimah desert
I transferred chase sapphire points today and called them and Marriott. Deducted instantly from chase and didn’t hit Mariott account yet yet. Five hours ago. From amex was instant.
anyone have any ideas how to speed the chase process, they still have not reflected. Any data points cheese of chase preferred how long that transfer takes? I called both companies. Said nothing they can do.
From some who know any guess on Odds from anyone here that rates of redemption will increase tomorrow right away?? Have tier 7 held waiting on points to lock for June. Thanks
How can i book a free night for family member, same last name?
Any way to use free night for family member with same last name?
Categories gone searching on the Bonvoy app
At least right now, there are some deals to be had on random properties in comparison to the cost. Looking at Maui, I see the A/C in Wailea at 48K/night or $1K or so in cost, and the Residence Inn at 56K/night and also around $1K. Looked at Miami, Oahu, and the Big Island. Some properties went up, some went down. Yes the most aspirational ones went up, but it seems that cost is not a factor as of yet for all properties.
Doesn’t it still make sense to do spending on the bonvoy brilliant card to get to the $75,000 for platinum status?
I made a reservation prior to the new point system using point advance becasue I was a little short of total points needed and now they changed the points required to the higher amount in spite of having a reservation confirmed. Is this normal practice? I thought as long as I book it the points are not subject to increase. They are not willing to honor the original point price I booked at, is there anything I can do? #Bonvoyed!