Editor’s word: This can be a recurring submit, often up to date with new info.
Incomes resort elite standing is likely one of the finest methods to make your journey expertise extra rewarding and gratifying. There is usually a huge distinction between staying as an elite and non-elite member, from upgrades and bonus factors to free breakfast. However how will you quantify the worth that this standing brings?
On this information, we are going to attempt to do exactly that with one of many world’s largest and hottest resort loyalty packages: Marriott Bonvoy.
Because the merger of the three predecessor packages (Marriott Rewards, Starwood Most popular Visitor and Ritz-Carlton Rewards) into Marriott Bonvoy fades into the background, we proceed to see modifications to this system. Totally dynamic award pricing has been one of many chief causes of concern.
Lots has modified, so this evaluation will dive deep into the mixed program and try and reply a easy query: Is it value pursuing (or retaining) Marriott Bonvoy elite standing in 2023?
Methodology
Earlier than going any additional, let me begin with the same old disclaimer: The next calculations symbolize only one technique to estimate the worth of elite standing within the Marriott Bonvoy program.
You is probably not an enormous breakfast eater and thus don’t care about that profit. Or, you could possibly journey for work and never worth getting an improve to a bigger room at check-in. Be at liberty to regulate the numbers primarily based by yourself private journey patterns and the way a lot worth you’d take pleasure in from every relevant profit.
As well as, these numbers are all primarily based on the worth of advantages you’d get after attaining the given standing and persevering with to qualify annually thereafter. In the event you’re ranging from scratch, you received’t take pleasure in the advantages from day one. I’ve included some evaluation for these on this place towards the tip of the submit.
Lastly, it’s essential to focus on the important thing assumptions we’re making to reach at ultimate values for every degree of Marriott Bonvoy elite standing:
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- You full 20% extra nights than the minimal required for the given degree.
- You spend a mean of $150 per night time on eligible prices.
- Your common keep is 2 nights.
I’ll additionally use the next Marriott-specific assumption:
- Your stays are cut up evenly between full-service properties (like Westin and Renaissance) and limited-service properties (like Fairfield Inn or SpringHill Suites).
As at all times, remember to alter these numbers primarily based in your particular person journey patterns.
Two ultimate reminders: For the sake of this evaluation, I’m basing the worth of any bonus factors you earn on TPG’s most up-to-date valuations, which peg Marriott factors at 0.84 cents apiece. I’m additionally rounding all valuations to the closest $5 to simplify the numbers.
Associated: Get pleasure from computerized standing and bonus factors with these Marriott bank cards
Marriott Bonvoy elite standing tiers
Marriott has 5 printed elite standing tiers — right here’s an outline:
| Silver Elite | Gold Elite | Platinum Elite | Titanium Elite | Ambassador Elite | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| {Qualifications} | 10 nights per yr. | 25 nights per yr. | 50 nights per yr. | 75 nights per yr. | 100 nights per yr plus $23,000 in qualifying spending. |
| Elite factors bonus | 10%. | 25%. | 50%. | 75%. | 75%. |
| Late checkout (as accessible at some areas) | Precedence, not assured. | 2 p.m. | 4 p.m. | 4 p.m. | 4 p.m. |
| Room improve (as accessible at check-in) | ✓ | Together with choose suites. | Together with choose suites. | Together with choose suites. | |
| Lounge entry | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Premium web | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Devoted elite help | ✓ | ✓ | Ambassador Service. | ||
| 48-hour assure | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Welcome present | Factors. | Factors, breakfast or amenity. | Factors, breakfast or amenity. | Factors, breakfast or amenity. | |
| Annual Alternative Profit |
✓ | ✓ | |||
| Your24 | ✓ | ||||
| United RewardsPlus advantages | United Premier Silver elite standing. | United Premier Silver elite |
Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite ($35)
The bottom tier within the Marriott Bonvoy program is Silver Elite standing, usually earned after 10 nights. It’s additionally included as an computerized profit because of the 15 elite night time credit you’d earn per yr on a number of the cobranded bank cards at the moment accessible: the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit score Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Daring Credit score Card from Chase.
I’ll assume that you just full six stays overlaying 12 nights, cut up evenly between full-service and limited-service Marriott properties for this evaluation.
| Profit particulars | Worth | |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus factors | Earn 10% extra factors than common members. That is an additional 1 level per greenback spent at most properties (although solely 0.5 further factors at Ingredient, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites areas). With 12 nights and a mean fee of $150 per night time, this works out to a further 1,800 factors. | $15. |
| Late checkout | Members can request a late checkout by calling the entrance desk on the day of departure and letting the agent know their deliberate departure time.
This profit is topic to availability and doesn’t have a broadcast time. |
$20. |
| Complete | $35. |
Associated: One of the best methods to earn factors with the Marriott Bonvoy program
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite ($805)
Gold Elite standing is the second tier within the Marriott Bonvoy program, usually earned after 25 nights. There are a number of bank cards that both embody this standing or can help you earn it:
- The Platinum Card® from American Categorical gives computerized Gold Elite standing.
- The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit score Card (now not open to new candidates) gives computerized Gold Elite standing.
- The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit score Card means that you can earn Gold Elite standing whenever you spend $35,000 on purchases every account yr.
- The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Categorical® Card gives computerized Gold Elite standing.
- The Marriott Bonvoy Enterprise® American Categorical® Card means that you can earn Gold Elite standing whenever you spend $35,000 on purchases every account yr.
The knowledge for the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit score Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Most Bonvoy-branded playing cards additionally award you 15 elite night time credit yearly, permitting cardholders to earn Gold standing with simply 10 further elite qualifying nights. You’re restricted to fifteen credit per Marriott Bonvoy account from private playing cards. You possibly can solely stack enterprise card and private card free elite night time credit, which lifts your most to 40 elite night time credit per yr. Additionally, word that the Marriott Bonvoy Good® American Categorical® Card contains 25 elite nights yearly.
I’ll assume you full 15 stays overlaying 30 nights, cut up evenly between full-service and limited-service Marriott properties.
| Profit particulars | Worth | |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus factors | Earn 25% extra factors than an everyday member, which equals 2.5 further factors per greenback spent at most resorts. Since I’m assuming 30 nights with a mean fee of $150 per night time, that works out to a further 11,250 factors, value $95. | $95. |
| Precedence late checkout | Gold members take pleasure in a precedence late checkout of as much as 2 p.m., topic to availability. | $50. |
| Enhanced web | Gold members can make the most of quicker speeds with complimentary enhanced web entry. | $15. |
| Room upgrades | Gold members are eligible for space-available upgrades to enhanced rooms at check-in. This will embody rooms on larger flooring, rooms with particular facilities or rooms on the manager ground, however not suites.
I’ll use the identical valuation of $20 per night time utilized in different resort elite standing guides. It’s value declaring that this is applicable to nearly all Marriott manufacturers, besides Marriott Trip Membership, Marriott Grand Residence Membership, Aloft, Ingredient and Vistana. |
$600. |
| Welcome present | Obtain a welcome present of additional Marriott factors at check-in — both 250 factors for limited-service properties or 500 factors for full-service areas.
Given the assumed cut up above, you’d earn a mean of 375 factors (value about $3) for every of your 15 stays. |
$45 |
| Complete | $805. |
Associated: The award vacationers information to Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite ($2,495)
The third tier within the Marriott Bonvoy program is Platinum Elite, which usually requires 50 nights. That is similar to Gold standing from the legacy Marriott Rewards and Ritz-Carlton Rewards packages.
Like Gold Elite, you even have just a few methods to earn this standing by bank cards:
I’ll assume that you just full 30 stays overlaying 60 nights, cut up evenly between full-service and limited-service Marriott properties for this evaluation.
| Profit particulars | Worth | |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus factors | Platinum Elite members earn 50% extra factors on paid stays than common members.
This ends in 5 further factors per greenback spent. Since we’re assuming 60 nights with a mean fee of $150 per night time, you’ll take residence an additional 45,000 factors, value $380. |
$380. |
| Precedence late checkout | Platinum members are assured 4 p.m. late checkout with just some exceptions. It’s topic to availability at resort and conference resorts and Design resorts, and it’s not accessible in any respect when staying at Marriott Trip Membership, Marriott Grand Residence Membership and collaborating Vistana properties. | $125. |
| Devoted cellphone help | Platinum Elite members get entry to a devoted elite cellphone line which may be useful whenever you need assistance with a reservation. | $20. |
| Enhanced web | Similar profit, extra frequent utilization. | $60. |
| Upgrades to enhanced rooms, together with suites | Platinum Elite members take pleasure in space-available upgrades to enhanced rooms when checking in, together with suites (although not at Ritz-Carlton properties).
Nonetheless, it does exclude Marriott Trip Membership, Marriott Grand Residence Membership, collaborating Vistana properties, Aloft resorts and Ingredient resorts. We’ll bump the valuation barely and worth this at $35 an evening for full-service stays and use a a lot decrease $5 an evening for limited-service properties. |
$1,200. |
| Lounge entry | You’re assured membership lounge entry on the following properties: JW Marriott, Marriott, Delta Resorts (not resorts), Autograph Assortment, Renaissance, Sheraton, Le Meridien and Westin.
For the legacy Marriott manufacturers, if the lounge is closed or the property doesn’t have a lounge, you’re entitled to both breakfast within the resort’s restaurant or 750 factors. On the time of writing, these manufacturers make up roughly 25% of this system’s portfolio, so I’ll assume a worth of $10 per night time for 15 of the 60 nights. |
$150. |
| Welcome present | Issues get a bit difficult with how this system handles welcome presents for Platinum Elite vacationers. It sounds easy sufficient on the floor (“Factors, breakfast providing or amenity”) however shortly will get difficult whenever you look throughout the 32 manufacturers.
Breakfast is included for everybody at sure manufacturers, offered as a welcome present for Platinum members at others and accessible by the lounge as a separate Platinum perk at nonetheless others. For a full breakdown of those perks, try this helpful information to Marriott breakfast advantages, and word that some facilities are as much as the person manufacturers. Nonetheless, I’ll peg this present at $10 per night time at full-service areas and, since manufacturers like Fairfield and SpringHill Suites provide 500 factors per keep, $4 per keep at limited-service properties. |
$360. |
| Annual Alternative Profit | Platinum Elite members are eligible for an Annual Alternative Profit upon qualification. Selections embody:
We advocate the Suite Evening Awards, as you’ll be capable of verify a base-level suite as much as 5 days earlier than check-in — although it’s as much as every property and isn’t assured. I’ll peg these at $40 apiece. |
$200. |
| Complete | $2,495. |
Associated: The way to redeem factors with the Marriott Bonvoy program
Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite ($4,685)
The following tier within the Marriott Rewards program is Titanium Elite standing. This degree is often earned after 75 nights (and is thus similar to previous Marriott Platinum). I’ll assume that you just full 90 nights, cut up evenly between full-service and limited-service Marriott properties for this evaluation.
| Profit particulars | Worth | |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus factors | Titanium members earn a 75% bonus on paid stays, which equals 7.5 further factors per greenback spent at most resorts in Marriott’s portfolio.
Given my assumption of 90 nights with a mean fee of $150 per night time, that’ll offer you a further 101,250 factors, value $850. |
$850. |
| Precedence late checkout | Similar profit, extra frequent utilization. | $175. |
| Devoted cellphone help |
Similar profit, extra frequent utilization. | $30. |
| Enhanced web | Similar profit, extra frequent utilization. | $90. |
| Upgrades to enhanced rooms, together with suites | The room improve profit for Titanium members is sort of equivalent to that provided to common Platinum members, besides that suites are included at Ritz-Carlton properties.
I’ll comply with the identical valuations ($35 per night time at full-service properties and $5 per night time at limited-service resorts) with an additional $200 for the extra chance of suites at Ritz-Carlton resorts. |
$2,075. |
| Lounge entry | Similar profit, extra frequent utilization. | $225. |
| Welcome present | Similar profit, extra frequent utilization. | $540. |
| Annual Alternative Profit | If you attain 50 elite qualifying nights within the Marriott Bonvoy program, you’ll be able to choose one of many above Alternative Advantages, however reaching 75 elite qualifying nights opens up one other Alternative Profit.
You possibly can have the identical decisions as beforehand famous, with two exceptions. You possibly can present Gold Elite standing to a buddy/member of the family as an alternative of Silver. You even have the added choice of 1 free night time award (legitimate at properties costing as much as 40,000 factors). We’ll persist with our valuation of $50 per night time, for a $500 valuation when contemplating the Annual Alternative Profit earned at 50 nights. |
$500. |
| United Premier Silver elite standing | United and Marriott teamed as much as kind the RewardsPlus partnership that provides Titanium Elite members computerized United Premier Silver standing.
We worth this degree at $495, although the true profit is determined by how steadily you journey on United. We assume conservative use and assign a worth of $200. |
$200. |
| Complete | $4,685. |
Associated: How I’m spending over 5 million Marriott Bonvoy factors
Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite ($6,445)
The highest tier within the Marriott program is Bonvoy Ambassador Elite. You will need to attain 100 elite qualifying nights and $23,000 in qualifying spending to qualify for this tier. For this evaluation, I’ll assume that you just full 120 nights, once more cut up evenly between full-service and limited-service properties, however to achieve the $23,000 mark, I’ll bump your nightly fee as much as $195.
| Profit particulars | Worth | |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus factors | The identical profit, however with 120 nights and a mean fee of $195 per night time, you’ll earn a further 175,500 factors, value roughly $1,475. | $1,475. |
| Precedence late checkout | Similar profit, extra frequent utilization. | $225. |
| Devoted cellphone help |
Similar profit, extra frequent utilization. | $40. |
| Enhanced web | Similar profit, extra frequent utilization. | $120. |
| Upgrades to enhanced rooms, together with suites | Similar profit, extra frequent utilization. | $2,600. |
| Lounge entry | Similar profit, extra frequent utilization. | $300. |
| Welcome present | Similar profit, extra frequent utilization. | $720. |
| Annual Alternative Profit | You received’t get any further Alternative Advantages for surpassing 100 nights, so we’ll preserve this on the similar valuation. | $500. |
| United Premier Silver elite standing | Similar profit, extra frequent utilization. | $265. |
| Ambassador service | Previously, Marriott gave all Ambassador Elite members a devoted Ambassador that might deal with reservations and different requests.
Sadly, this was suspended when Marriott laid off its Ambassadors in response to the coronavirus pandemic. They’ve introduced that devoted Ambassadors will return in 2023, which might improve the worth of this profit as soon as once more. For now, we’ll take a conservative method and worth this profit at $100. |
$100. |
| Your24 | The second (and ultimate) distinctive profit for Ambassador Elites is the Your24 profit, which lets you select your check-in and checkout time.
That mentioned, its flexibility is topic to availability, and lots of stories point out that it’s hit and miss, so we’ll worth it at $100. |
$100. |
| Complete | $6,445. |
Associated: 17 methods to earn plenty of Marriott Bonvoy factors
What if I’m ranging from scratch?
After all, as I discussed earlier, all the numbers above symbolize values for these of you who’ve already earned these standing ranges. Nonetheless, it’s possible you’ll be ranging from scratch with none standing within the new Marriott program. If so, you received’t take pleasure in any advantages till you may have spent 10 nights and earned Silver Elite standing. After that, you received’t take pleasure in further advantages till you hit 25 nights to earn Gold Elite standing. How are you going to quantify this climb up the ranks?
Similar to I did for the airline elite standing collection, I’ve tried to reply this by changing the above calculations into a worth per night time, as follows:
- Marriott Bonvoy Silver: $35 / 12 nights = $2.92 per night time.
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold: $805 / 30 nights = $26.83 per night time.
- Marriott Bonvoy Platinum: $2,495 / 60 nights = $41.58 per night time.
- Marriott Bonvoy Titanium: $4,685 / 90 nights = $52.05 per night time.
- Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador: $6,445 / 120 nights = $53.71 per night time.
For instance, say you propose to spend 60 nights at Marriott properties this yr. In the event you’re ranging from scratch, you’ll get no advantages for the primary 10 nights, then take pleasure in Silver advantages for the subsequent 15 nights (at a fee of $2.92 per night time), then take pleasure in Gold advantages for the subsequent 25 nights (at a fee of $26.83 per night time), and eventually take pleasure in Platinum advantages for the ultimate 10 nights (at a fee of $41.58 per night time). So, if you happen to begin from scratch and estimate that you just’ll spend 60 nights in Marriott resorts in 2023, you’ll get $1,130.35 in worth from this system.
Associated: Must you purchase resort or airline elite standing?
Is it value pursuing Marriott elite standing?
Given these values, is it value pursuing elite standing (or the subsequent tier of elite standing) with the Marriott program?
As with all evaluation we undertake right here at TPG, there isn’t a straightforward reply to this, because it relies upon totally in your particular person scenario. Nonetheless, listed here are just a few overarching questions that may aid you arrive at a call:
- How a lot will you journey sooner or later? If you’re pursuing elite standing, it’s important to consider how a lot you’ll be touring sooner or later. For instance, if you happen to push laborious to earn Platinum, the dear perks outlined above solely apply whenever you really journey.
- What’s the incremental worth of 1 tier over one other? Lots of it’s possible you’ll wind up inside putting distance of the subsequent tier, so think about whether or not the advantages are value pushing for it. There’s no sense in going out of your approach for perks that don’t matter to you.
- How nicely does Marriott’s geographical protection match your typical journey patterns? There’s actually no level in pursuing elite standing with a resort chain if you happen to can’t feasibly keep at one (or extra) of its properties often. Think about Marriott’s varied resorts in and round your widespread locations.
- How delicate are you to cost and comfort? There are various trade-offs on this passion, and one of the vital widespread is deciding whether or not to make use of your most popular airline or resort chain when it’s not essentially the most handy or least expensive. Would you keep at a resort beneath the Marriott umbrella if there was one other cheaper and/or extra handy model the place you want to be? If the reply isn’t any, it is probably not value going out of your technique to earn elite standing with the Marriott program (or elite standing with any resort chain, for that matter).
- Is a bank card a greater choice? As talked about above, many bank cards embody elite standing within the Marriott Bonvoy program. Consequently, it’s possible you’ll be higher off merely opening a kind of and using the advantages with out worrying about qualifying (or requalifying) the laborious approach.
These questions should not straightforward to reply, as many alternative components come into play. Nonetheless, it’s a worthwhile train to judge your personal scenario as you identify whether or not or not Marriott elite standing is for you.
Associated: Maximizing redemptions with the Marriott Bonvoy program
Backside line
Incomes after which sustaining resort elite standing may be fairly priceless, and with the Marriott Bonvoy program, you may have a large, worldwide chain at which to take action. Whereas it isn’t straightforward to quantify the worth of the advantages that these statuses provide, I hope this submit has given you a framework to assist resolve if it’s value devoting your self to the 30 manufacturers beneath the Marriott umbrella in 2023 and past.
That is The Factors Man’s everlasting web page about Marriott Bonvoy elite standing, so you’ll be able to bookmark it and verify again often for the most recent info.
Extra reporting by Nick Ewen and Ed Pizzarello.