Despite putting zero effort into it, we’re going to be Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members for another year. It’s the hotel status we’ve earned every year since 2018, even though we’re not trying.
It was back in 2018 when Sharon hit 50 nights between SPG and Marriott and earned Platinum status with strategic credit card sign-ups, carry-over nights and actual hotel stays. We enjoyed that status for all of 2019 and into the beginning of 2020. I thought our farewell to status was our stay at the Hotel Adagio in San Francisco.
Then 2020 and 2021 happened. Like most other hotel loyalty programs, Marriott Bonvoy bent over backward to keep its best customers happy. This included awarding bonus night credits and bringing back the Marriott co-brand card double dip.
This year I figured that the gravy train had definitely come to the end of the line. With travel returning to pre-pandemic levels in many areas, hotels no longer have to make it easier to earn loyalty status. Marriott Platinum Elite status takes 50 elite night credits per year. Even with the 30-night bump from having the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant AMEX and Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Business Card we’d still only be in the mid-40 night range.
That was until Marriott announced changes to its co-brand credit card portfolio, including big changes to the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant AMEX.
One of the new benefits of the Bonvoy Brilliant is receiving 25 Elite Night Credits each year (instead of the previous 15 Elite Night Credits.)
Marriott added the additional 10 Elite Night Credits to Bonvoy Brilliant card holders’ accounts overnight.
We’re now 1 night away from hitting that 50-night threshold, which we’ll hit with already scheduled stays for the rest of this year.
This might appear to not be a big deal because another new benefit of the Bonvoy Brilliant card is automatic Platinum Elite status. And while that status will give you the perks, it doesn’t award the Annual Choice Benefits you earn when achieving status with Elite Night Credits.
These include a choice from the following options:
- Five Suite Night Awards
- 40% off a bed from your favorite hotel brand.
- Gift Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status to a family member or friend
- Donate $100 to selected charities
- Five additional Elite Night Credits
For the past years, we’ve always selected the Suite Night Awards, with varying levels of success when redeeming them.
With the changes, we’re going to be Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members until the end of 2023 (and into part of 2024). If we keep it beyond that depends on whether or not we decide to keep paying the $650 annual fee for the Bonvoy Brilliant card.
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2 comments
When everyone’s an Elite, nobody is.
I totally agree. I wrote an article on this last year.