One of the valuable perks of Marriott Bonvoy elite status is being able to select Choice Benefits, which can be earned after passing 50 or 75 elite nights in a calendar year. If you’re eligible for Marriott’s Choice Benefits...
One of the valuable perks of Marriott Bonvoy elite status is being able to select Choice Benefits, which can be earned after passing 50 or 75 elite nights in a calendar year. If you’re eligible for Marriott’s Choice Benefits program, the clock is ticking on being able to make your selection for 2023, so I wanted to go over everything you need to know about how it works.
What are Marriott Choice Benefits?
In addition to the standard published program benefits that apply with every stay, Marriott Bonvoy elite members are able to select additional perks for passing certain milestones.
Elite members — in this case Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador members — can select Choice Benefits when they pass 50 and 75 elite qualifying nights in a calendar year.
Even elite nights not earned through stays qualify toward these thresholds. This includes that Marriott Bonvoy members can earn up to 40 elite nights per year with co-branded Marriott credit cards. For example, I have the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (review) and Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (review), and they offer 25 and 15 elite nights annually, respectively.
It sure is helpful to be able to start the year with 40 elite nights, as that gets you most of the way to the two Choice Benefits thresholds.
Marriott’s 50 night Platinum Choice Benefits
With Marriott Choice Benefits, Bonvoy members who pass 50 elite qualifying nights in a year can choose from the following rewards:
Five Suite Night Awards Five Elite Night Credits The ability to gift Silver Elite status $1,000 off the purchase of a Marriott Bonvoy retail bed A $100 charitable donation
Score $1,000 off a hotel bed with Marriott Choice Benefits
Marriott’s 75 night Titanium Choice Benefits
Then Marriott Bonvoy members who pass 75 elite qualifying nights in a year can choose from the following rewards (as you can see, this offers two elevated choices):
Five Suite Night Awards Five Elite Night Credits A free night award (valid at a hotel costing up to 40,000 points) The ability to gift Gold Elite status $1,000 off the purchase of a Marriott Bonvoy retail bed A $100 charitable donation
Select a free night certificate with Marriott Choice Benefits
How do you select Marriott Choice Benefits?
Marriott Bonvoy typically emails members to prompt them to select Choice Benefits. In addition to that, you can follow this link, and if you’re eligible to select Choice Benefits, you’ll immediately see the options. Note that:
Once you select your rewards you can’t change them You need to make your selection by Sunday, January 7, 2024; if you don’t make a selection by then, the Suite Night Awards will automatically be posted to your account It can sometimes make sense to wait to make your selection if you don’t have an immediate use, since you might change your mind on what makes more sense over time; however, we’re now down to the wire
Marriott Bonvoy Choice Benefits 2023
Which Marriott Choice Benefits are most valuable?
Since the clock is ticking on being able to select Choice Benefits, I’m in the process of making the selection for myself.
For some context, I have historically always selected Suite Night Awards as my Choice Benefits, since they can in theory unlock the most value. I say “in theory,” because they won’t be equally valuable for everyone. I’ve had great luck with these in the past couple of years, and have been able to use them at the St. Regis Aspen, St. Regis Venice, Gritti Palace Venice, and more.
For 2023, I made the same choice that I always do, and selected the Suite Night Awards. While I didn’t use all of mine for this past year, there’s the most potential for outsized value, and I do hope to use them all in 2024.
Marriott Bonvoy Choice Benefits selection 2023
Just to share a bit more on why the other options don’t appeal to me as much:
There’s usually no value in adding five elite nights to my total in a particular year, since I qualify for Titanium status, and won’t make the spending requirement for Ambassador status Gifting Silver or Gold status isn’t worth much, as the status doesn’t offer many benefits While a donation is a nice thing to do, realistically, I value some of the other options at more than $100, so that wouldn’t be a good way to maximize value Selecting a free night award worth up to 40,000 points could be a solid option, especially if you don’t otherwise get value out of the Suite Night Awards; however, historically, I’ve managed to get good value out of Suite Night Awards
I’ve received great upgrades with Suite Night Awards
Bottom line
Choice Benefits is one of the nice perks offered to Marriott Bonvoy Platinum and Titanium members. For passing 50 or 75 elite nights in a year, members can select from several valuable perks, including Suite Night Awards. The selection period for the Bonvoy Choice Benefits program for 2023 is coming to an end soon, so be sure to make your selection.
Keep in mind that in 2024, Marriott will be replacing Suite Night Awards with Nightly Upgrade Awards, but to me that doesn’t change my selection process for 2023.
What Marriott Choice Benefits are selecting for 2023, assuming you’re eligible?