Marriott Bonvoy January 2024 Loyalty Program Terms & Conditions Update

Marriott pushes monthly revisions to the Terms and Conditions governing its Bonvoy guest loyalty program, and they have just done their January 2024 update.

There are slight changes that mainly deal with the Suite Night Awards change to Nightly Upgrade Awards, and Upgrade Awards moving to Premium Room Redemption Awards.

You can access Marriott here.

READ MORE: Marriott Bonvoy Rate & Bonus Points Offers

Here are the changes:

1. Suite Night Awards to Nightly Upgrade Awards

Marriott has changed the Suite Night Awards to Nightly Upgrade Awards, as we have previously covered (read more here and here). The T&Cs now reflect this change.

2. Upgrade Awards to Premium Room Redemption Award

Marriott has renamed Upgrade Awards as Premium Room Redemption Awards. These awards book into premium rooms and suites, with an additional point or cash component in addition to the “standard” award price.

Marriott also clarifies that these are available for PointSavers (when properties have loaded them).

Remember that the cash component of these Premium Room Redemption Awards is not qualifying and won’t earn points/miles or count towards Ambassador spend.

3. Covid-19

Marriott has now removed the last Covid-19 related exclusion from the T&Cs regarding compensation guarantees:

Due to the global pandemic, participating hotels may offer a food and beverage or lounge alternative for the benefit based on local guidelines or the hotel’s operational impacts related to COVID-19.

4. Guaranteed Lounge Access

Marriott has removed the following text:

This benefit is not applicable when breakfast is included in the rate or the brand offers an approved alternative.

5. Courtyard Breakfast in Case Lounge Is Closed

It may come as a surprise to some, but there are Courtyard hotels in Asia that have club lounges. Marriott now clarifies that a member + 1 registered guest (previously unclarified) is eligible for a restaurant breakfast in such a situation.

6. Marriott Bonvoy Homes & Villas Award Devaluation

Marriott Bonvoy Homes & Villas Awards have been entirely dynamic since their inception.

The value of a Mariott Bonvoy point is reduced from 0.57 cents (fraction of a cent) to 0.56 cents when used for Homes & Villas starting January 1, 2024.

Conclusion

The Premium Room Redemption Awards better describe the product than Upgrade Awards because you use points and then more points or cash to book a premium room or suite rather than upgrading a paid reservation.

The value of Marriott Bonvoy points towards Homes & Villas awards was reduced by 1.7%, making you wonder if there has also been an adjustment in standard awards. It is difficult to tell, as Bonvoy awards in terms of points required are all over the map.

There has to be a committee at a Marriott that combs through the required T&Cs changes monthly, as other programs don’t have these updates as frequently.