In October 2021, Marriott Bonvoy announced its plans to eliminate its current award chart and switch to dynamic pricing. That’s the biggest change we’ve seen to the programme since day one, and has major implications for the value of Marriott points, and how aspirational the Bonvoy programme is.
Marriott has now confirmed that dynamic pricing (which they euphemistically call “flexible points redemptions”) will take effect “gradually” over 29 & 30 March 2022.
With this change, nightly redemption rates will move more closely in line with (not exactly with) hotel rates and availability. If there’s more availability, the number of points required may be fewer. If there’s less availability, the number of points required may be more.
Marriott has shared the following concerning stays in 2022:
- Nearly all hotel redemption rates will fall within the same high low range of the current categories
- However, there are 218 hotels (<3% of the Marriott International portfolio) where the maximum number of points required will increase
- Of these, 42 hotels will increase beyond the current Category 8 bounds, to as much as 130,000 points per night
For stays in 2023 and beyond, Marriott has stated the following:
For stays in 2023, Marriott International is focusing on ensuring even its most aspirational properties offer a mix of great rates during the year. Changes in rates for stays in 2023 above or below the high low range for stays in 2022 are planned to be incremental.
An increase of 30,000 points per night is no doubt painful, though strangely enough, I expected much worse. That’s not to dismiss how negative the switch to dynamic pricing is for Bonvoy members, but I was half expecting to see standard room redemptions at uberlux properties shoot up to 200, even 250,000 points per night.
Moreover, my sense is that someone sitting in Singapore is going to be mostly indifferent to the changes (though I deeply suspect Bonvoy members in the USA will be much more upset).
How Marriott Bonvoy dynamic pricing will work
As a reminder, here’s Marriott Bonvoy’s current award chart:
| Category | Off-Peak | Standard | Peak |
| 1 | 5,000 | 7,500 | 10,000 |
| 2 | 10,000 | 12,500 | 15,000 |
| 3 | 15,000 | 17,500 | 20,000 |
| 4 | 20,000 | 25,000 | 30,000 |
| 5 | 30,000 | 35,000 | 40,000 |
| 6 | 40,000 | 50,000 | 60,000 |
| 7 | 50,000 | 60,000 | 70,000 |
| 8 | 70,000 | 85,000 | 100,000 |
From now till 28 March 2022, you can still make bookings under this award chart, for any date in the future. On 29 and 30 March 2022, you’ll start seeing prices adjusted to match Marriott Bonvoy’s new dynamic pricing model.
If you made a booking up till 28 March 2022 and subsequently wish to change it, you’ll be subject to the new dynamic pricing- which could be higher or lower than what you paid. Points reservations are usually flexible, however, so you can always cancel and rebook if that’s more advantageous to you.
| Full List of Changes |
Under dynamic pricing, 218 hotels will see their current pricing increase from 5,000 to 30,000 points per night.
- 37 hotels where min. & max. points are increasing by up to 5,000 points
- 60 hotels where min. & max. points are increasing by up to 10,000 points
- 79 hotels where min. & max. points are increasing by up to 20,000 points
- 42 hotels where min. & max. points are increasing by up to 30,000 points
Analysing the changes
I’ve put the 218 hotels into an spreadsheet, cut by region and price increase. You can play around with the data if you like, but here’s my insights:
| ↑ 5K | ↑ 10K | ↑ 20K | ↑ 30K | |
| Africa | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Asia | 22 | 13 | 13 | 2 |
| Australia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Canada | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Caribbean | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Europe | 1 | 5 | 13 | 7 |
| Mexico | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Middle East | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| USA | 14 | 38 | 42 | 26 |
The first thing that will jump out of you is that the majority of increases (120/218) are taking place in the USA. I suppose that makes sense, given how it probably has the largest Bonvoy member base.
If we dig deeper into the numbers, a fair amount (43/120) of these USA increases are taking place at Fairfield Inns, Residence Inns, SpringHill Suites and TownePlace Suites properties (goodness me, there’s one Residence Inn that’s going up by 30,000 points!). No one likes price increases, but these don’t really affect the programme’s aspirational credentials.
Notable USA properties increasing in price include:
- Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park (+20,000)
- Ritz-Carlton New York NoMad (+20,000)
- St. Regis New York (+20,000)
- Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe (+20,000)
- JW Marriott Essex House New York (+30,000)
- West Hollywood EDITION (+30,000)
- Ritz-Carlton Bacara Santa Barbara (+30,000)
Asia is the second most affected region (50/218), but it’s worth noting that 48% of the increases (24/50) are in China, which won’t open anytime soon anyway.
Notable Asia properties increasing in price include:
- Ritz-Carlton Langkawi (+10,000)
- St. Regis Langkawi (+10,000)
- Marriott’s Bali Nusa Dua Gardens (+10,000)
- Duxton Reserve Singapore (+20,000; good luck with that!)
- St. Regis Maldives (+20,000)
- Ritz-Carlton Kyoto (+20,000)
- Le Meridien Maldives (+20,000)
- Suiran Kyoto (+20,000)
- Marriott’s Mai Khao Beach Phuket (+20,000)
- Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui (+30,000)
- Ritz-Carlton Nikko (+30,000)
Three Maldives properties are increasing in price, but I’m pleasantly surprised (or perhaps that’s the wrong term to use) that the St. Regis Maldives is “only” increasing by 20,000 points- I’d have thought it’s a nailed-on candidate for the 30,000 points category.
Europe is the third most affected region (26/218), and the impact is almost entirely on high-end aspirational resorts and hotels.
Notable Europe properties increasing in price include:
- W Verbier (+20,000)
- Hotel Cala di Volpe Costa Smeralda (+20,000)
- Hotel Pitrizza, Costa Smeralda (+20,000)
- Hotel Romazzino, Costa Smeralda (+20,000)
- St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort (+20,000)
- The Gritti Palace Venice (+20,000)
- Santa Maria Mykonos (+20,000)
- Mystique Santorini (+20,000)
- Ritz-Carlton Geneva (+20,000)
- The Bodrum EDITION (+30,000)
- The Pantheon Iconic Rome (+30,000)
- Renaissance Paris Vendome (+30,000)
As for the rest of the world (22/218) the main increases to take note of are:
- Al Maha Dubai (+20,000)
- St. Regis Bora Bora (+20,000)
- Ritz-Carlton Jeddah (+30,000)
- Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah (+30,000)
Here’s the thing: I can see the Americans getting worked up about the changes, what with the USA representing the brunt of the increases, and many of their favourite resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico going up in price.
But as someone sitting in Singapore, I only see price increases at a handful of properties I’d be interested in staying at. Those planning trips to Malaysia (specifically Langkawi), Maldives and Japan will be impacted, but otherwise it feels like we’ve dodged a bullet for now.
Top-up for Free Night Awards now available
Marriott has also announced that from late April, members will be able to top-up their Free Night Award with up to 15,000 points, to help them book more hotels.
Conclusion
Marriott Bonvoy has released further details on its dynamic pricing, which takes effect from 29 March 2022. There’s still time to make bookings under the existing award chart, so if your desired property is increasing in price then you should lock it in now (you can always cancel and rebook if it becomes cheaper).
The majority of the price increases come from the USA, and while we in Singapore aren’t unscathed, the impact is less than what I’d feared.
The real concern is 2023, when all Marriott properties can price outside their current bands. That’s the real wild card here, and probably the best indication of how the value of Marriott Bonvoy points will change.
What do you make of Marriott Bonvoy’s dynamic prices?
I think the top up should apply to 40k free night that is one of the Annual Choice Benefits if you reach 75 nights. Assuming hotel prices in SE Asia remain somewhat depressed I guess I personally don’t expect much devaluation next year either unlike other regions which have seen massive surges in hotel prices.
Also, the top-up should be applicable towards the two Free Night Awards targeted promo
thanks- forgot about these. have added a note.
This is a warm up. The really big negatives will come next year and those will be truly awful. If you doubt that, name two times in the last few years that Marriott has done something – anything – that only benefitted the customer.
The JW Phu Quoc is also moving up in terms of min/max bands. One of the more currently attainable properties in Asia that represents outsized value, which should be booked now if travelers are looking for a decent destination within the region.