For some trips, you might want — or need — an upgraded room type. Perhaps you need more space for your family or a one-bedroom suite to let your loved one sleep while you’re on early morning work calls. Luckily, you can redeem Marriott points for upgraded rooms at some properties. Here’s what you should know.
Redeeming Marriott points for upgraded rooms: What to know
Some tiers of Marriott elite status offer complimentary, space-available upgrades at check-in. However, for some trips, you want to know well before check-in that you’ve secured a better or bigger room. For these stays, you may want to redeem Marriott points for an upgraded room type.
Marriott Bonvoy offers two primary avenues if you want to use Marriott points to upgrade. You may be able to use more Marriott points to book an upgraded room, or you may be able to redeem points for the standard room award cost and then pay a cash copay to upgrade.
However, if you want to redeem points to upgrade, you must do so at booking. And unfortunately, you won’t see the option to upgrade with Marriott points at every property. So, if you’re hoping to secure an upgraded room with points for an upcoming stay, you may need to check multiple properties before you find one that lets you redeem Marriott points for an upgraded room.
In the remainder of this guide, I’ll discuss how you can redeem Marriott points for an upgraded room. These options are available online, so you can check your options when booking on the Marriott Bonvoy website.
Related: 5 ways to maximize Marriott Bonvoy award night redemptions
How you can use Marriott points for an upgraded room
You’ll see the option to book upgraded room types with points at some Marriott Bonvoy properties. When booking these properties, you may be able to choose whether to pay completely in points for your upgrade or redeem points for a standard room and pay a cash copay for the upgrade.
For example, consider a five-night stay later this year at the Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel & Resort in Brazil. I could book a standard room with a partial ocean view and balcony for 137,000 Marriott points or a mixture of cash and points (although I don’t recommend this since you wouldn’t get a fifth night free on your award stay).
But, I could redeem 40,000 to 50,000 more Marriott points or pay a $200 to $250 cash upgrade for a low-floor oceanfront room with a balcony.
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However, if I wanted a room with one king bed, I’d be better off booking a high-floor oceanfront balcony room for the same cost as the low-floor room.
If you don’t already get club lounge access as a Marriott Platinum Elite member or higher, it might be worth redeeming 70,000 to 80,000 more points than would be required for a standard room — or paying a $350 or $400 cash upgrade — for a high floor partial-ocean view room with club lounge access.
When I stayed at this property in 2022, the club lounge’s nightly food and drink offerings likely made up for the points or cash difference for guests who utilized the lounge and its bartenders each night.
If you prefer to book a suite with points, you can do so via a redemption with points upgrade or a redemption with cash upgrade.
You can also redeem Marriott points for a suite with club lounge access, although these cash upgrade and points upgrade rates are even higher.
It’s nice that Marriott lets its members redeem extra points or pay a cash upgrade rate when redeeming points. However, finding opportunities to do so in some destinations can be frustrating, as many Marriott properties don’t offer the ability to redeem points with a cash or points upgrade option. Also, you won’t know whether these are options until you click through to look at room types for a specific award stay.
Related: Best ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy points
Use nightly upgrade awards on your Marriott award stay
Say the upgrade rates aren’t feasible for you, or the property doesn’t let members upgrade award stays with more points or cash. An alternate option is to book a standard award stay in a non-upgraded room and then request to use nightly upgrade awards (formerly suite night awards).
You’ll find several major downsides when using nightly upgrade awards instead of booking the upgraded room type you want. First, there’s no guarantee your nightly upgrade awards will clear for your stay. Second, you won’t find out until within three days of your stay whether you’ve been upgraded. You also can’t request nightly upgrade awards at some hotels, so this might not even be an option.
You can earn nightly upgrade awards as Marriott Choice Benefits each time you accrue 50 or 75 elite night credits per calendar year. You can earn elite night credits by staying with Marriott, but you can also earn up to 40 elite night credits per calendar year just by having a personal and business Marriott credit card.
If you have the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, you’ll automatically get 40 elite night credits per year. Plus, the Marriott Brilliant Amex offers automatic Platinum Elite status and you can select an earned choice award each calendar year you spend at least $60,000 on eligible purchases with your Marriott Brilliant Amex.
However, I prefer to pay less annual fees with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and Marriott Business Amex. I can earn one elite night credit for every $5,000 I spend with my Marriott Boundless Card.
Related: The complete guide to earning Marriott elite status with credit cards
Bottom line
As a Marriott Titanium Elite member, I have only redeemed Marriott points for a standard room. I’ve occasionally used suite night awards (now called nightly upgrade awards) to secure an upgraded room type before arrival, and I’ve often lucked into at least a better-located room as a perk of my Marriott elite status.
However, if I wanted to reserve an upgraded room with Marriott points, it’s good to know that points or cash upgrades may be available.
