It's a fantastic feeling to elevate your travel experience, and Marriott Bonvoy's Suite Night Awards (SNAs), now officially known as Nightly Upgrade Awards (NUAs), are designed to do just that! While they can sometimes feel like a bit of a mystery, understanding how they work can significantly boost your chances of scoring that dream suite. So, let's dive deep into the world of Marriott Nightly Upgrade Awards with a comprehensive, step-by-step guide.
Unlock the Luxury: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Marriott Nightly Upgrade Awards
Ever dreamt of more space, a separate living area, or a breathtaking view during your Marriott stay? Nightly Upgrade Awards are your key! They are a highly sought-after perk for Marriott Bonvoy elite members, offering a chance to confirm an upgrade to a standard suite or select premium room before your arrival. Let's break down exactly how you can maximize their potential.
Step 1: Are You Eligible? Earning Your Nightly Upgrade Awards
Before you can even think about that fancy suite, you need to earn these valuable awards. So, first things first, let's check your eligibility!
Achieving Elite Status: Nightly Upgrade Awards are an exclusive benefit for Marriott Bonvoy's higher-tier elite members. You primarily earn them as an "Annual Choice Benefit" when you reach certain elite night credits within a calendar year:
50 Elite Night Credits: Upon reaching this milestone, you'll be presented with several Annual Choice Benefit options. Five Nightly Upgrade Awards are one of the most popular choices here.
75 Elite Night Credits: If you continue your Marriott stays and reach 75 elite nights, you'll get another opportunity to select five more Nightly Upgrade Awards as an Annual Choice Benefit.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: For those with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you can also earn five Nightly Upgrade Awards as an "Earned Choice Award" by spending at least $60,000 USD on the card in a calendar year.
Remember: These awards typically expire on December 31st of the year following the year in which they were earned. So, if you earned them in 2024, they'll expire on December 31, 2025. Don't let them go to waste!
Step 2: Making Your Reservation and Identifying Eligible Stays
Now that you have your precious NUAs, it's time to put them to good use!
Book an Eligible Stay: Nightly Upgrade Awards can be applied to:
Eligible Paid Stays
Award Redemption Stays (booked with points or Free Night Awards)
Cash & Points Stays
Crucial Point: You need one Nightly Upgrade Award per night of your stay. This means a 4-night stay requires 4 NUAs. If your stay is longer than the number of NUAs you possess, you won't be able to apply them to that reservation. However, you can consider booking two separate reservations if you have enough NUAs for a portion of your stay. For example, if you have 3 NUAs and a 5-night stay, you could book a 3-night reservation and a 2-night reservation and apply the NUAs to the 3-night portion.
Check Participating Hotels: While most Marriott Bonvoy properties participate, some brands and individual hotels are excluded. These include:
Ritz-Carlton Reserve
The Ritz-Carlton Club
The Ritz-Carlton Residences
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Participating Design Hotels
Marriott Executive Apartments
All-Inclusive Resorts
Homes and Villas by Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Vacation
Club
Always confirm before you book if a suite upgrade is a top priority.
Step 3: Requesting Your Upgrade – The Digital Dance
This is where the magic happens, or at least, where you initiate the process.
Post-Booking Application: You cannot apply Nightly Upgrade Awards during the initial booking process. They must be applied after your reservation is confirmed.
Via Marriott.com:
Log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account.
Navigate to "My Trips" or "Reservations."
Find the reservation you wish to upgrade.
You should see a "Start Upgrade Request" link or button. (You might need to expand the reservation details by clicking a down arrow).
Via the Marriott Bonvoy App:
Open the Marriott Bonvoy App.
Select your desired itinerary.
Look for the "bell icon" in the top-right corner or a "Request Nightly Upgrade Award(s)" option.
Selecting Room Preferences: Once you initiate the request, you'll be presented with a list of available room types (suites or premium rooms) that the hotel has designated for NUA upgrades.
Strategy Tip: To increase your chances, it's often advisable to select multiple room preferences if available. While you might be hoping for the grandest suite, sometimes a slightly smaller premium room is more likely to clear. Be flexible!
Step 4: The Waiting Game: When and How Upgrades Are Confirmed
This is often the most nerve-wracking part for travelers! Understanding the automated process is key.
Automated System, Not a Person: It's important to know that Marriott uses an automated system (powered by an algorithm) to process Nightly Upgrade Award requests. The hotel's front desk staff generally doesn't manually approve these in advance. This means calling the hotel won't speed up the process.
Checking for Availability: The system begins checking for availability:
Five days prior to arrival for most Marriott brands.
Three days prior to arrival for EDITION, The Ritz-Carlton, and St. Regis properties.
Daily Checks: The system will continue to check for availability each day until approximately 2:00 PM local hotel time, one day prior to your arrival.
Confirmation or Denial: You will receive an email notification either way – whether your upgrade is confirmed or denied.
If Confirmed: Congratulations! You'll receive an email confirming your upgraded room type.
If Denied: Your Nightly Upgrade Awards will be automatically redeposited into your Marriott Bonvoy account for future use, provided they haven't expired.
Step 5: Managing Your Request and What to Do If Denied
Flexibility and understanding your options are crucial.
Cancelling Unconfirmed Requests: You can withdraw an unconfirmed Nightly Upgrade Award request until 2:00 PM hotel time one day before arrival. This is useful if your plans change or you decide to use the NUA for a different stay.
Cancelling Confirmed Requests: A confirmed NUA upgrade can only be cancelled if you cancel your entire reservation. If you cancel a confirmed NUA upgrade after 2:00 PM local hotel time the day before arrival, you will forfeit the applied awards.
If Your NUA is Denied: Don't despair!
You still have your original booked room.
You might still get a complimentary upgrade at check-in. Many hotels, especially for Platinum Elite and Titanium Elite members, offer complimentary upgrades based on availability at the time of check-in. The NUA is designed to confirm an upgrade in advance, but if it doesn't clear, your status benefits still apply for a complimentary upgrade upon arrival.
Consider asking politely at check-in: While the NUA process is automated, a friendly request at the front desk upon arrival for a complimentary upgrade, if available, can sometimes work wonders, especially if you have a high elite status.
Marriott Nightly Upgrade Awards: The Nitty-Gritty Details
No Partial Use: You cannot use NUAs for only a portion of your stay. If you have a 5-night reservation, you need 5 NUAs to apply them.
Cannot be Transferred: Nightly Upgrade Awards are non-transferable and cannot be gifted.
Multiple Rooms (with caveats): You can use NUAs for more than one room, but each room must be reserved in your name, and you must be present for the duration of the stay in one of those rooms.
Dynamic Inventory: The availability of suites for NUA redemption is dynamic. Hotels may hold back certain high-demand suites from the NUA inventory, or their internal forecast might predict that the suite will be sold for cash, leading to a denial even if it appears empty online.
"Suite Mix" Matters: The success rate of NUA redemptions often depends on the "suite mix" of a hotel – how many suites it has relative to its total room count. Hotels with a higher suite inventory tend to have better NUA success rates.
Using your Marriott Nightly Upgrade Awards effectively requires a little strategy and understanding of the system. While not every request is guaranteed, following these steps will significantly improve your chances of enjoying that luxurious suite experience!
10 Related FAQ Questions about Marriott Nightly Upgrade Awards
How to Earn Marriott Nightly Upgrade Awards?
You earn Marriott Nightly Upgrade Awards (NUAs) as an Annual Choice Benefit when you achieve 50 and again at 75 Elite Night Credits within a calendar year in the Marriott Bonvoy program. You can also earn them through specific credit card spending (e.g., Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, $60,000 annual spend).
How to Apply Nightly Upgrade Awards to a Reservation?
After you book an eligible Marriott Bonvoy reservation, you can apply your Nightly Upgrade Awards by logging into your Marriott Bonvoy account on Marriott.com or through the Marriott Bonvoy app. Look for the "Start Upgrade Request" or "Request Nightly Upgrade Award(s)" option on your reservation details.
How to Know if My Nightly Upgrade Award Request is Confirmed?
Marriott will send you an email notification confirming whether your Nightly Upgrade Award request has been approved or denied. This email typically arrives starting five days prior to arrival (or three days for EDITION, Ritz-Carlton, and St. Regis) and up until 2 PM local hotel time the day before check-in.
How to Increase My Chances of a Successful Nightly Upgrade Award?
To increase your chances, select multiple upgrade room preferences, submit your request as soon as your reservation is confirmed, and consider booking during off-peak seasons or at hotels known for having a higher "suite mix" (more suites relative to total rooms).
How to Cancel an Unconfirmed Nightly Upgrade Award Request?
You can cancel an unconfirmed Nightly Upgrade Award request through your Marriott Bonvoy account online or via the app up until 2:00 PM local hotel time the day before your arrival. The awards will be redeposited into your account.
How to Cancel a Confirmed Nightly Upgrade Award?
A confirmed Nightly Upgrade Award can only be cancelled if you cancel the entire reservation. If you cancel a confirmed NUA after 2:00 PM local hotel time the day before arrival, you will forfeit the awards.
How to Use Nightly Upgrade Awards for Multiple Nights?
You need one Nightly Upgrade Award for each night of your stay. For example, a 3-night stay requires 3 NUAs. You cannot use them for partial nights of a single reservation.
How to Tell Which Hotels Participate in Nightly Upgrade Awards?
While most Marriott Bonvoy properties participate, a list of excluded brands is provided in the program's terms and conditions (e.g., Ritz-Carlton Reserve, All-Inclusive Resorts). When you go to apply your NUAs to a reservation online or in the app, the system will indicate if the hotel and specific room types are eligible.
How to Use Nightly Upgrade Awards if My Stay Extends Beyond My Awards?
If your stay is longer than the number of NUAs you have, you cannot apply them to the entire reservation. A common workaround is to book two separate reservations: one for the nights you have NUAs for, and another for the remaining nights. You can then apply the NUAs to the first reservation.
How to Deal with a Denied Nightly Upgrade Award Request?
If your NUA request is denied, the awards are returned to your account. You will still have your originally booked room. You can also try politely asking at the front desk for a complimentary upgrade upon check-in, as elite status may still entitle you to a better room if available.
