On this submit I need to take an in-depth have a look at Marriott Nightly Improve Awards, that are a Bonvoy elite profit that members have conflicting emotions about. Main modifications had been made to this program in 2024 (after which partially reversed), as Suite Night time Awards had been rebranded as Nightly Improve Awards.
Let’s cowl the whole lot you’ll want to learn about how these work for the 2025 program 12 months.
What are Marriott Nightly Improve Awards?
Nightly Improve Awards (generally known as “NUAs”) are a approach for Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador members, to verify a room improve earlier than arrival. Every NUA is legitimate for one evening of a keep, and relying on the model you’re staying at, these can begin to clear both three or 5 days earlier than arrival.
Whereas Platinum members and above obtain limitless suite upgrades topic to availability at check-in, this perk primarily permits members to prioritize upgrades on the stays that matter most to them. In different phrases, it’s possible you’ll not care a couple of suite improve in your one evening keep at an airport lodge, when you might care so much a couple of suite improve in your annual trip together with your partner.
However there’s so much to grasp about NUAs — how do you earn them, how do you redeem them, and what’s one of the best technique for deciding when to redeem them? I’ll share my expertise beneath.
Sadly don’t get too excited, as a result of Marriott’s Nightly Improve Awards are nowhere close to as helpful because the Suite Improve Awards that World of Hyatt Globalist members obtain as a part of the Milestone Rewards program, every of which is legitimate for a set improve on the time of reserving for a keep of as much as seven nights.
The right way to earn Marriott Nightly Improve Awards
Marriott elite members completely obtain NUAs as a part of the Bonvoy Selection Advantages program. These are supplied in two tiers, at 50 elite nights and 75 elite nights:
- If you cross 50 elite nights you’ll be able to choose 5 NUAs
- If you cross 75 elite nights you’ll be able to choose an extra 5 NUAs
In different phrases, an elite member who earns 75 elite nights in a 12 months can earn as much as 10 NUAs. When you choose NUAs as your Selection Advantages, they’ll be legitimate by means of the tip of the 12 months after which you certified for standing.
In different phrases, for those who chosen them as your Selection Profit based mostly on standing earned in 2024, they’d be legitimate by means of December 31, 2025 (and you need to keep by then, reasonably than simply needing to e-book by then).
Be aware that these Selection Advantages are tied completely to what number of qualifying elite nights you earn in a 12 months, reasonably than your standing:
The right way to redeem Marriott Nightly Improve Awards
There are numerous nuances to grasp relating to redeeming Marriott Nightly Improve Awards. Marriott Bonvoy is usually a sophisticated program, and that’s particularly evident when it comes time to redeem NUAs.
Every Nightly Improve Award might be redeemed for an advance confirmable improve for choose premium rooms and suites, with every NUA being legitimate for one evening. Let’s undergo a few of the commonest questions on Nightly Improve Awards, which may be the best option to perceive this.
What charges are eligible for Marriott NUAs?
Any keep that might be thought-about “eligible” for the needs of incomes Bonvoy elite credit would even be eligible for Nightly Improve Awards. These might be redeemed on all stays booked immediately with Marriott, together with paid stays, factors stays, free evening certificates stays, Money & Factors stays, Marriott STARS charges, and many others.
Stays booked by means of third events, and different non-qualifying charges, usually wouldn’t be eligible for redeeming NUAs.
What inns are eligible for Marriott NUAs?
Marriott Nightly Improve Awards can’t be used for stays on the following manufacturers:
- Ritz-Carlton Reserve
- Ritz-Carlton Vacation spot Membership
- Ritz-Carlton Residences
- Design Resorts
- Marriott Govt Flats
- ExecuStay
- Marriott Trip Membership
- Marriott Grand Residence Membership
- Vistana
NUAs can also’t be redeemed at choose different particular person properties not belonging to the teams listed above. If you wish to see if a selected lodge is eligible, you’ll be able to both contact Marriott Bonvoy customer support, or you’ll be able to simply make a reserving and see if in case you have the choice of making use of an NUA to a reservation.
Sadly I’ve been discovering that an rising variety of properties not belonging to the above manufacturers aren’t eligible for NUAs, which certain is irritating. Typically I’m unsure whether or not it’s an IT glitch or intentional, however I haven’t discovered a workaround.
What rooms are eligible for Marriott NUAs?
It’s as much as particular person inns to designate which kinds of rooms are eligible for Nightly Improve Awards. In keeping with the phrases, that is supposed to incorporate choose premium rooms and normal suites, although you’ll discover that this varies:
- At some inns you’ll discover that just one or two room sorts can be found with NUAs, whereas at others you’ll discover there are a dozen choices
- At some inns rooms eligible for NUAs don’t even embody normal suites, however reasonably simply premium rooms, whereas at different inns you’ll discover some completely unbelievable suites out there with NUAs, like two bed room suites, and suites which are 10x the worth of an entry-level room
There’s an enormous quantity of variability right here. When there are a number of rooms which are eligible for NUAs, you’ll be able to choose what number of room sorts you need to request an improve to, in an effort to enhance your odds — you possibly can ask to be eligible for an improve to at least one kind of room, a few kinds of rooms, or all of the room sorts.
When are you able to request upgrades with Marriott NUAs?
You may request an improve with Nightly Improve Awards anytime between while you make your reserving, and 2PM native lodge time the day earlier than arrival. You may’t apply NUAs inside 24 hours of arrival at a lodge.
When do Marriott NUAs clear?
Marriott Nightly Improve Awards can clear as early as three or 5 days earlier than arrival, relying on the model you’re staying at. They clear as much as 5 days earlier than arrival, besides at EDITION, Ritz-Carlton, and St. Regis, the place they clear as much as three days earlier than arrival. Particularly, they will all the time begin clearing at 2PM native lodge time.
I’ll speak a bit extra beneath about what clearing of upgrades is predicated on, however in my expertise in the event that they do clear, it’s usually on the three or 5 day mark, reasonably than on the someday mark. In case your improve clears, it’s best to obtain each an e mail and a push notification by means of the Marriott Bonvoy app (if in case you have that enabled).
Are you able to cancel improve requests with Marriott NUAs?
You may cancel Marriott Nightly Improve Awards anytime once they haven’t but cleared, whether or not that’s three months or three days earlier than arrival. Nonetheless, in case your NUAs do clear, then you’ll be able to solely cancel the request for those who cancel the reservation altogether, by which case the NUAs could be redeposited in your account.
You may’t cancel your NUAs as soon as they’ve cleared for those who nonetheless intend to finish the lodge keep.
Are you able to redeem Marriott NUAs for a part of a keep?
That you must use NUAs on your complete keep, and might’t redeem for a part of a keep. In different phrases, for those who had 5 NUAs:
- You possibly can e-book 5 one evening stays
- You possibly can e-book a two evening keep and a 3 evening keep
- You possibly can e-book a 5 evening keep
- Nonetheless, you couldn’t e-book a six evening keep, after which apply NUAs to simply 5 of these nights (although you possibly can all the time make two separate reservations)
Are Marriott NUAs assured to clear if a room is accessible?
Must you count on that if a room you requested an NUA for is accessible three or 5 days out, that your improve will clear at that time? No, not fairly, sadly:
- Nightly Improve Awards are cleared mechanically based mostly on an algorithm created by Marriott and the lodge; so whereas inns can restrict capability for these upgrades, there’s not a lot “energetic” gaming occurring, and likewise not a lot human intervention
- Nightly Improve Awards clearing are based mostly on forecasted occupancy; if it seems to be like a lodge may promote that suite, it’s unlikely it should turn out to be out there on the three or 5 day mark
You will see some inconsistency right here. In my expertise, if there are a number of of a selected room kind out there, then it should additionally sometimes be out there with an NUA on the improve window. In the meantime, if there’s not a lot stock, it won’t clear.
Can a lodge downgrade you for those who use a Marriott NUA?
In case your Marriott NUA clears, can the lodge nonetheless downgrade you at check-in? The reply is meant to be no. Nightly Improve Awards provide confirmed upgrades, and which means that as soon as the improve is confirmed, it may well’t be taken away.
After all in some uncommon cases it’s potential a lodge might attempt to downgrade you — possibly the suite is out of service, possibly somebody prolonged a keep, possibly there was a tech glitch, or possibly the lodge workers are simply not very competent. Resorts aren’t supposed to do that, so I’d count on some compensation from the lodge for those who do get downgraded.
How do you request an improve with Marriott NUAs?
After you affirm a reservation, there are two methods you’ll be able to request an improve with an NUA:
- You may telephone up Marriott Bonvoy buyer assist
- You may request an improve immediately on-line
To do it on-line, go to the “My Journeys” part of your Bonvoy account after reserving, and log into your reservation by clicking the “View/Modify” button.
On the backside of the reservation it’s best to see an space that claims “Use your Nightly Improve Awards,” after which click on the “Begin improve request” button.
Click on that, and you then’ll see the choices of which premium rooms you’ll be able to choose to request an improve to.
Be aware that you simply’ll solely see the choice for this performance if in case you have sufficient upgrades in your account for the complete keep. When you do request an improve, the NUAs will likely be pulled out of your account instantly, so you’ll be able to’t apply them towards different reservations.
Clearly they might be returned to you if the improve doesn’t clear, however it is a consideration, since members have a restricted variety of NUAs, and will need to attempt utilizing them towards a number of stays.
My Marriott Nightly Improve Award technique
Provided that Bonvoy elite members earn Nightly Improve Awards to cowl solely a small proportion of their stays, what’s one of the best technique for deciding which stays to make use of these for? Listed below are my common issues:
- How a lot does the keep matter to me? I care much more about an improve if I’m touring with my household, if I’m at a resort the place I plan on spending extra time within the room, and many others.
- What are the percentages of getting a complimentary improve at check-in? As any Bonvoy elite member can attest to, some inns are nice about suite upgrades at check-in, whereas others aren’t. When deciding whether or not or to not apply an NUA, I ask myself what the percentages are of getting an improve with out utilizing an NUA. That is based mostly on my previous expertise at a property, what number of suites the property has, and studying what others have mentioned in regards to the lodge on-line.
- How good of a premium room is accessible with an NUA? At some inns you’ll solely have bigger visitor rooms out there with NUAs, whereas at different inns you’ll have premium suites that you simply’d doubtless by no means get a complimentary improve to. If I’m going to make use of an NUA, I’d ideally prefer it to be for a extremely nice room.
It’s essential to strategy all of this realistically, although. When you’re touring someplace in peak season that’s additionally frequented by a lot of different Bonvoy elite members, you’re in all probability not going to have your NUA clear. In different phrases, Maui over Christmas? It’s nearly sure you received’t get a set improve, no matter whether or not or not you apply an NUA.
Backside line
Marriott elite nights members can earn as much as 10 Nightly Improve Awards per 12 months, every of which can be utilized to verify a room improve beginning both three or 5 days out, relying on the model. This can be a option to request improve precedence on the stays that matter probably the most to you.
Individuals have very totally different experiences with this, and I feel all of it comes all the way down to managing expectations. Whereas this perk isn’t almost as helpful as Hyatt’s program for suite upgrades, I’ve nonetheless gotten outsized worth from this, and persistently choose NUAs as my Selection Advantages.
What has your expertise been with Marriott NUAs? Do you’ve gotten any questions I haven’t addressed?
