Are you ready to transform your next Marriott stay from ordinary to extraordinary? Marriott Bonvoy Suite Night Awards (SNAs), now officially known as Nightly Upgrade Awards (NUAs), are your golden ticket to a more spacious and luxurious experience. While they aren't guaranteed, mastering their use significantly increases your chances of enjoying that dream suite. Let's dive in!
Understanding Marriott Suite Night Awards (Nightly Upgrade Awards)
Before we get into the "how-to," let's clarify what these awards are. Marriott Suite Night Awards (SNAs) are a benefit for Marriott Bonvoy elite members (Platinum and Titanium Elite) that allow you to request an upgrade to a standard suite or a select premium room in advance of your stay. You earn them as an Annual Choice Benefit when you hit 50 or 75 Elite Night Credits in a calendar year. Each SNA covers one night of your stay, so a five-night stay would require five SNAs.
Keep in mind that while they are called "Suite Night Awards," the upgrade might also be to a premium room with enhanced features like a better view, more space, or a balcony, rather than a full suite. The available room types for upgrade vary by property.
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Using Marriott Suite Night Awards
Step 1: Confirm You Have the Awards and Understand Their Expiration!
First things first, let's make sure you're eligible and ready to use these valuable awards. Have you checked your Marriott Bonvoy account recently?
Sub-heading: Where to Find Your SNAs
Log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account on the Marriott website (Marriott.com) or via the Marriott Bonvoy app.
Navigate to your "Overview" or "My Account" section.
You should see a section detailing your earned benefits, including your Nightly Upgrade Awards. It will show you how many you have and, critically, their expiration dates.
Important Note: SNAs typically expire on December 31st of the year following the year in which they were earned. For example, if you earned them in 2024, they will expire on December 31, 2025. Make sure your stay falls within this validity period.
Sub-heading: How You Earn SNAs
SNAs are a choice benefit for members who achieve:
50 Elite Night Credits in a calendar year (you can select five SNAs).
75 Elite Night Credits in a calendar year (you can select an additional five SNAs).
If you don't make a choice by the specified deadline (usually early January of the following year), Marriott often defaults to giving you the SNAs.
Step 2: Book an Eligible Stay
You can't apply SNAs to just any reservation. There are a few key criteria.
Sub-heading: Eligible Reservation Types
SNAs can be applied to:
Eligible Paid Stays (bookings made with cash).
Award Redemption Stays (bookings made with Marriott Bonvoy points).
Cash & Point Stays (a combination of cash and points).
You cannot use SNAs on multiple room reservations if you are not occupying all rooms yourself. Each room must be reserved in your name, and you must be present for the duration of the stay for the primary room.
Sub-heading: Participating Properties
Not all Marriott brands participate in the Nightly Upgrade Award program. Brands that typically do not participate include:
Ritz-Carlton Reserve
The Ritz-Carlton Club
The Ritz-Carlton Residences
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Participating Design Hotels (some may, some may not – it's inconsistent)
Marriott Executive Apartments
All-Inclusive Resorts
Homes and Villas by Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Vacation Club
Even within participating brands, individual properties can opt out of the program. While Marriott doesn't publish an exclusion list, the system will tell you if an SNA request is not possible for your chosen hotel.
Sub-heading: Duration of Stay
You must have enough SNAs to cover every night of your stay. If you have a five-night reservation and only three SNAs, you cannot apply them. One SNA is consumed per night, per room.
Step 3: Initiate the Upgrade Request Online
Once you have your eligible reservation, it's time to put those SNAs to work!
Sub-heading: Accessing Your Reservation
Log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account on the website.
Go to "My Trips" or "My Stays."
Locate the reservation you wish to apply the SNAs to.
Click on "View/Modify" or expand the reservation details.
Sub-heading: The "Start Upgrade Request" Option
If your reservation is eligible for SNAs, you will see an option that says "Start Upgrade Request" or "Use Suite Night Awards" within the reservation details. Click on this.
If you don't see this option, it means the property or reservation type is not eligible for SNA upgrades.
Sub-heading: Selecting Your Preferred Room Types
The system will then present you with a list of available premium rooms and standard suites that you can request.
You can select multiple room types in order of preference. Marriott advises that selecting more options increases your chances of a successful upgrade.
Think strategically: If you desperately want a suite, only select suite options. If you're happy with a larger room or one with a better view, include those as well to maximize your chances.
Sub-heading: Submitting Your Request
After making your selections, click the "Submit Upgrade Request" button.
You should receive an immediate on-screen confirmation that your request has been received, and typically, an email confirming the same. The status of your request will be "pending."
Step 4: Monitor Your Request and Await Confirmation
The waiting game begins! Marriott's system handles the upgrade process automatically.
Sub-heading: When Availability is Checked
For most brands, Marriott's system will begin checking for upgrade availability starting five days prior to your arrival date.
For certain luxury brands (EDITION, The Ritz-Carlton, and St. Regis), fulfillment begins three days prior to arrival.
The system will continue to check for availability daily until approximately 2:00 PM local hotel time one day prior to your arrival.
Sub-heading: How You'll Be Notified
If your upgrade request is confirmed, you will receive an email notification from Marriott Bonvoy. This is a confirmed upgrade, not just a possibility at check-in.
If your request cannot be confirmed by the 2:00 PM deadline the day before arrival, your Suite Night Awards will be automatically returned to your account, provided they haven't expired. This means you haven't lost them and can use them for another eligible stay.
Sub-heading: What if it's Not Confirmed?
Even if your SNA request isn't confirmed, you might still receive a complimentary upgrade at check-in based on your elite status, subject to availability. However, the SNA process gives you a much higher probability of securing a better room in advance.
Step 5: Modifying or Cancelling Your Request (If Needed)
Plans change, and so might your upgrade preferences.
Sub-heading: How to Modify/Cancel an Unconfirmed Request
You can modify or cancel your unconfirmed SNA request up until 2:00 PM local hotel time one day prior to arrival.
Simply go back to your reservation details on the Marriott website or app, find the Suite Night Awards section, and click "Modify/Cancel Request."
This is useful if you decide you want to try for a different room type or if you've found a better use for your SNAs.
Sub-heading: Cancelling a Confirmed Request
If your SNA request has been confirmed, you can only cancel the award if you cancel the entire reservation before the hotel's cancellation deadline.
If you cancel a confirmed SNA reservation after 2:00 PM local hotel time one day prior to arrival, the SNAs used for that reservation will be forfeited. So, be mindful of those deadlines!
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to check my Suite Night Award balance and expiration dates?
You can check your SNA (Nightly Upgrade Award) balance and expiration dates by logging into your Marriott Bonvoy account on Marriott.com or the Marriott Bonvoy app, then navigating to your "Overview" or "My Account" section.
How to earn Marriott Suite Night Awards?
You earn Marriott Suite Night Awards as an Annual Choice Benefit by achieving 50 Elite Night Credits and/or 75 Elite Night Credits in a calendar year within the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.
How to apply Suite Night Awards to an existing reservation?
Log into your Marriott Bonvoy account, go to "My Trips," select your desired reservation, and if eligible, you will see an option like "Start Upgrade Request" or "Use Suite Night Awards" to apply them.
How to increase my chances of a successful Suite Night Award upgrade?
To increase your chances, select multiple room type preferences when submitting your request, choose properties with a higher suite-to-room ratio, and consider booking during off-peak seasons when hotels are less busy.
How to know if a specific Marriott property participates in Suite Night Awards?
While there isn't a public list of non-participating hotels, the Marriott system will notify you during the upgrade request process if a particular property does not allow SNA applications for your reservation.
How to cancel an unconfirmed Suite Night Award request?
You can cancel an unconfirmed SNA request by going to your reservation details on Marriott.com or the app, and selecting "Modify/Cancel Request" in the Suite Night Awards section, up until 2 PM local hotel time one day prior to arrival.
How to cancel a confirmed Suite Night Award request?
A confirmed SNA can only be canceled by canceling the entire hotel reservation before the property's cancellation deadline. If canceled after 2 PM local hotel time one day prior to arrival, the SNAs will be forfeited.
How to use Suite Night Awards for only part of my stay?
You cannot use SNAs for only a portion of your stay; they must be applied to every single night of your reservation. If you only want to use them for a few nights, you would need to book separate reservations.
How to use Suite Night Awards for multiple rooms?
You can use SNAs for multiple rooms only if each room is reserved in your name, and you are physically present for the stay in your primary room. Each room will require one SNA per night.
How to extend the expiration date of my Suite Night Awards?
Unfortunately, Marriott Suite Night Awards generally cannot be extended beyond their stated expiration date of December 31st of the year following their earning. They must be used for a stay completed by that date.
