Marriott Bonvoy just announced temporary changes to the program for 2021. Like the changes in 2020, they make it easier for customers to keep their status in the program for another year. In our case, it’s going to be easier for us to earn status in 2021 than it was in 2020, which wasn’t very hard.
In fact, we’re going to be Marriott Bonvoy Platinum for 2021 and 2022 (and into the beginning of 2023) without even stepping foot or sleeping in a Marriott hotel.
How? In fact, Marriott has made it very easy.
Based on your status in 2020, Marriott Bonvoy will add 1/2 of the nights needed to reach that status to your account in 2020.
- Silver members get 5 additional elite nights
- Gold members get 13 additional elite nights
- Platinum members get 25 additional elite nights
- Titanium members get 38 additional elite nights
- Ambassador members get 50 additional elite nights
Already being halfway to earning status in the new year is a great perk and equals the benefit they gave to members in 2020 once it was evident the COVID-19 pandemic would affect travel for most of the year.
In addition to this perk, Marriott Bonvoy brought back the previous benefit of being able to double-dip with its co-brand credit cards. They previously had cut the maximum number of elite nights you could earn to 15; they once again allowed members to earn elite nights from both 1 personal and 1 business Marriott Bonvoy co-brand card. If you held one of each card, you could earn 30-night credits in 2020 and again do so in 2021.
Sharon has both the American Express Bonvoy Brillant and the no longer available Chase Marriott Bonvoy Business card.
Shortly after the new year, Sharon’s Marriott Bonvoy account showed her Platinum status for 2021 and 30 elite night credits.
Since Sharon ended 2020 with Platinum status, she will get an additional 25 elite night credits. That will put her at 55 nights without ever setting foot in a hotel. Not only is she well over the 50 nights required to meet Platinum status for 2021, which will last through all of 2022 and into part of 2023, but she’s only 20 elite nights away from Titanium status, if we will be able to travel more freely in 2021. I’m not crossing my fingers on that one, but the option is there is the situation presents itself.
In July of 2020, she received an email, once all of the additional elite night credits hit her account, notifying her of the Annual Choice Benefit available for reaching 50 nights. Because of 2020, I neglected to select a reward, which means she should have received 5 Suite Night Awards that are good until the end of 2021. These have not shown up in her account, and I’ll have to contact Marriott Bonvoy about that. Once the nights post for 2021, I’ll be sure to pick our benefit for this year. The options are:
- 5 Suite Night Awards
- 5 Elite Night Credits
- The ability to gift Silver Elite status
- 40% off a hotel bed
- A $100 WE donation
I imagine we’ll once again take the 5 Suite Night Awards. The one time we had this benefit, we were upgraded to a Chambers Suite at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London.
Having Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status isn’t anything I try to keep. Still, since Marriott keeps giving it to Sharon you can be sure that I’m going to keep taking advantage of its benefits.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
