Hotel News: Status Boost for Marriott Bonvoy Elites Members

Shortly after the Coronavirus outbreak, Marriott announced that they would extend the Marriott Bonvoy Elite status until the end of 2021. On top of that, Marriott awarded 50% additional Elite Night Credits (ENCs) to Bonvoy members for 2020, based on the 2019 status. This was a huge help for me to achieve the Titanium Elite status in 2020.

I plan on visiting Denver, CO, in March, and the status boost will help me achieve the Titanium Elite status prior to the trip.

Marriott recently announced that they will deposit 50% ENCs to its Elite members for 2021. Alike the status boost in 2020, this is based on the status you had for 2020, and the deposit amounts will vary, based on the status:

• Silver Elite: 5 Elite Night Credits

• Gold Elite: 13 Elite Night Credits

• Platinum Elite: 25 Elite Night Credits

• Titanium Elite: 38 Elite Night Credits

• Ambassador Elite: 50 Elite Night Credits

The higher your status is, the more chance you have at being upgraded.

The status boost news is great for Marriott Bonvoy credit cardholders, both AMEX and Chase. Marriott awards 15 ENCs to a personal Marriott Bonvoy credit cardholder, and another 15 ENCs to a business credit cardholders. Marriott only recognizes one personal credit card, so you’d receive 15 ENCs if you have one of these cards:

• Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card from Chase

• Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card

• Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card - discontinued

• Marriott Bonvoy Business Credit Card - discontinued

• Marriott Rewards Premier Card - discontinued

• The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card - discontinued

If you’d like to apply for the American Express Bonvoy Brilliant Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! http://refer.amex.us/EDWARSwdXp?xl=cp01

If you want to get 30 ENCs, you’d need to have the only Marriott Bonvoy Business Credit Card from AMEX. I have both the Business Card and the Bonvoy Brilliant Card, jump-starting my ENCs to 30. Moreover, since I held the Titanium Elite status in 2020, I’d receive 38 ENCs. Combining both, I am starting my year with 68 ENCs, which means I only need additional 7 nights to qualify for the Titanium Elite status for 2022. By qualifying for the Platinum and Titanium Elite statuses, I will be able to earn up to 10 Suite Night Certificates, which will come in handy when the travel picks back up again.

If you’d like to apply for the American Express Bonvoy Business Card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! http://refer.amex.us/EDWARSi04o?xl=cp01

I received 30 ENCs for holding both personal and business credit cards.

Thanks to the status boost, Ambassador Elites will receive an automatic Platinum Elite status for 2021. Another good news for Ambassador elites is that the normal spending threshold for the status has been lowered from $20,000 to $14,000 for 2021, decreasing the required spending by 30%. This is a temporary measure, and in 2022, the spending threshold will return to the $20,000 mark. I personally think the Ambassador Elite status is not worth chasing since the only difference between the Titanium Elite and the Ambassador Elite statuses is the addition of the Ambassador Service and Your24. The Ambassador Service offers personal assistance with Marriott stays and Your24 enables the status holder to check-in and check-out at any time. I’ve heard the inconsistency with the Ambassador Service, and while I’d appreciate Your24, it is not worth spending $20,000 for.

How many times would you actually use this benefit to your advantage? I can’t really imagine more than once or twice a year. Photo credit: www.marriott.com

Overall, the status boost is great news for existing Marriott Bonvoy members because it will significantly lower the minimum threshold for status qualifications. The status boost is even better for Marriott Bonvoy credit card holders, and if you are a Marriott enthusiast, you should seriously consider getting at least one of the personal versions of the card to get a head start on meeting the Elite status requirements every year.