Marriott's suite-upgrade perk gets more hotels — and a tighter window
From January 11, 2024, Marriott's Suite Night Awards became Nightly Upgrade Awards: five more brands including Ritz-Carlton and EDITION and roughly 20% more upgrade inventory, but requests now clear only three days out instead of five.
Marriott Bonvoy renamed its annual elite perk on January 11, 2024: Suite Night Awards are now Nightly Upgrade Awards. Underneath the rebrand sits a genuinely better perk — with one catch worth naming.
The good: the awards now work at five additional brands, including Ritz-Carlton and EDITION, the properties where a suite upgrade actually means something. Marriott also put roughly 20% more upgrade inventory into the pool. More hotels, more rooms — that’s a real buff, and we score it as one.
The catch: requests now clear within only three days of arrival, down from five. Two fewer days of runway means more trips where you land at the airport still not knowing if the suite came through.
Our take: net positive, but plan accordingly. HDFC Marriott Bonvoy cardholders chasing a suite should aim these awards at Ritz-Carlton and EDITION stays — that’s where the expansion pays — and accept that confirmation now arrives uncomfortably close to check-in.