Marriott Bonvoy elite status comes with a host of valuable perks, including free breakfast, room upgrades, late checkout, and more. However, members won’t unlock most of these benefits until they complete at least 50 nights stayed in a calendar year and achieve Platinum Elite status.
One of the most valuable perks at Platinum and Titanium Elite status is the opportunity to select a Marriott Annual Choice Benefit. These awards can include benefits like Nightly Upgrade Awards, Free Night Awards, and more.
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the Marriott Annual Choice Benefit, including the best options available and key factors to consider when making your selection.
What Are Marriott Annual Choice Benefits?
Marriott Annual Choice Benefits are exclusive milestone rewards available to members who accrue 50 or 75 elite nights within a calendar year. Upon reaching 50 elite nights, you can select your first Choice Benefit, and at 75 elite nights, you earn a second selection.
Reaching 50 elite nights also qualifies you for Platinum Elite status, which includes valuable perks like free breakfast at many Marriott brands, 4:00 PM late checkout, and more. At 75 nights, you achieve Titanium Elite status, which comes with additional benefits, including complimentary Air Canada Aeroplan 25K Status.
Related: Miles Ahead – Shortcuts to Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status
Remember, not all of the elite nights you earn must be nights you physically stay at a Marriott hotel. Elite nights earned through a Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit card also count toward these thresholds. For instance, cardholders of the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Card receive 15 elite nights every year as an ongoing benefit. This means you’ll only need to stay at a Marriott hotel for 35 nights to qualify for the first Annual Choice Benefit selection.
The Marriott Bonvoy American Express card offers benefits that include an annual Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate and 15 elite qualifying nights towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
Check out our American Express Marriott Bonvoy card review for more details.
50,000 Marriott Bonvoy
$1,500
$450+
$120
Yes
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Annual Choice Benefit at 50 Elite Nights
Earning 50 Elite Nights in a calendar year grants you Platinum Elite status, and you’ll be able to select one of the following Choice Benefits:
- 5 Nightly Upgrade Awards: Redeemable awards for upgrades to select Premium Rooms or Standard Suites
- $1,000 off a Marriott bed: A one-time US$1,000 discount on the purchase of mattress and box spring from a Marriott hotel brand
- Gift Silver Elite Status to another member: Share Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite Status with a family member or friend
- Charitable Donation: A donation of US$100 on your behalf to Arne M. Sorenson Hospitality Fund, UNICEF, or WWF
- 5 Elite Night Credits: Five extra Elite Nights added to your account for the current year
Annual Choice Benefit at 75 Elite Nights
After reaching 75 Elite Nights, you’ll unlock a second Annual Choice Benefit, which includes all the previous options along with two exclusive options at this threshold:
- 1 Free Night Award: A Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Award worth up to 40,000 Bonvoy points
- 5 Nightly Upgrade Awards: Redeemable awards for upgrades to select Premium Rooms or Standard Suites
- $1,000 off a Marriott bed: A one-time US$1,000 discount on the purchase of mattress and box spring from a Marriott hotel brand
- Charitable Donation: A donation of US$100 on your behalf to Arne M. Sorenson Hospitality Fund, UNICEF, or WWF
- Gift Gold Elite Status to another member: Share Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with a family member or friend
- 5 Elite Night Credits: Five extra Elite Nights added to your account for the current year
Which Annual Choice Benefits Provide the Most Value?
For the 50 Elite Night Annual Choice Benefits, selecting 5 Nightly Upgrade Awards offers the potential for the most value. Although they’re not always guaranteed to clear, they offer great value when they do. Nightly Upgrade Awards expire on December 31 of the year following the year in which they were earned.
Marriott Bonvoy members can apply a Nightly Upgrade Award for each night of their stay to request an upgrade to a premium room. The definition of a “premium room” can vary from hotel to hotel, but it typically includes rooms with better views, enhanced amenities, or suites. A critical point to remember is that you’ll need one Nightly Upgrade Award for each night of your stay.
The main advantage of Nightly Upgrade Awards is the ability to secure a confirmed upgrade up to five days in advance of your arrival, eliminating the uncertainty of requesting an upgrade at check-in. While using a Nightly Upgrade Award doesn’t guarantee an upgrade, it greatly increases your chances, as long as the hotel has availability.
The Frugal Flyer team has had tremendous success with Nightly Upgrade Awards, securing upgrades to some incredible rooms and suites. I used Nightly Upgrade Awards during a stay at the JW Marriott Phu Quoc and was upgraded to the luxurious Turquoise Suite.
Looking at the other choices, the only other potentially useful benefit is the five additional Elite Nights. If you’re close to reaching 75 Elite Nights and selecting the five Elite Night Credits would help you reach it, then this may be a better choice. When you reach 75 nights, you’ll unlock another Choice Benefit selection and Titanium Elite status.
If you’re looking for a new bed, a US$1,000 discount on a Marriott hotel bed might seem like a good deal. I took a quick look at the prices for the popular Westin Heavenly Bed, and even with the discount, you’ll still be paying over US$2,000 for one. Therefore, I think this choice is only for those who have absolutely fallen in love with a particular Marriott-branded bed.
The last two options— a $100 charitable donation and Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status— are not worth considering. Any of the other choices offer far more value than $100, and the entry-level Silver Elite status offers minimal perks. Plus, it can easily be obtained by simply holding a Marriott Bonvoy co-branded card.
At the 75-night threshold, I think the best Choice Benefit for most members will be the 40,000-point Marriott Free Night Award. This award can be redeemed at a wide range of mid-tier Marriott properties and even some higher-end hotels when combined with a 15,000-point top-up. The primary benefit of choosing the Free Night Award is its solid value and easy redemption, unlike Nightly Upgrade Awards, which offer only potential value and may go unused before expiring. While Nightly Upgrade Awards can offer greater value if you’re sure you’ll use them, I recommend choosing a more reliable perk over one with uncertain reliability.
As for the rest of the choices at the 75-night threshold, most options remain the same as those at the 50-night level, with the key difference being the ability to gift Bonvoy Gold Elite Status. While Gold Elite is a step up, it’s definitely not worth using one of your valuable Choice Benefits on.
The five bonus elite nights may warrant some consideration, but only for those who are close to reaching the 100-night requirement for Ambassador Elite status.
How to Select Your Marriott Annual Choice Benefits
When you reach the 50- or 75-night milestone, you’ll be eligible to choose your Annual Choice Benefit. Marriott will send an email to notify members that a Choice Benefit is available, but this email can often be delayed by several days. Instead of waiting, you can go directly to the Choice Benefit selection page to confirm your award.
Upon logging in to your account, you’ll be prompted to make your Annual Choice Benefit selection if any are available. The page will show all available options for each threshold, and you’ll need to select one from the list.
A few important points to consider when making your selection: Once chosen, your selection is final and cannot be changed or undone. Additionally, you must make your selection by February 1 of the following year; otherwise, you will automatically receive five Nightly Upgrade Awards.
After making your selection, the next page will prompt you to confirm and agree to the program terms as the final step.
Lastly, the final page will confirm your Annual Choice Benefits for the year, and you will receive an email confirming your selections.
Conclusion
Earning 50 or 75 elite nights with Marriott is a notable achievement, and the Annual Choice Benefits offer a great way to tailor your loyalty perks. For most members, the most valuable options are likely the five Nightly Upgrade Awards at the 50-night level and the Free Night Award at the 75-night level.
While the most valuable choice may seem obvious, it’s essential to carefully consider each option to make the best selection that aligns with your preferences. Keep in mind that once you make your decision, it cannot be changed, so take your time to choose wisely.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Marriott Annual Choice Benefit is a perk given to members who reach a certain elite status threshold (Platinum Elite or higher) in the Marriott Bonvoy program. It allows members to select from a range of rewards such as Nightly Upgrade Awards, Free Night Awards, Elite Night Credits, and more.
To qualify for the Marriott Annual Choice Benefit, you must achieve Platinum Elite or Titanium Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program. The benefit is available once you hit these status levels each calendar year.
Marriott members have until February 1st of the year following qualification to make their Choice Benefit selection. If you fail to make a choice before this deadline, you will automatically receive a default selection of five Nightly Upgrade Awards.
The five Nightly Upgrade Awards and the Marriott Bonvoy 40,000-point Free Night Award are regarded as the best options for most Bonvoy members.
No. All Annual Choice Benefit selections are final and cannot be changed.
Although the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card grants Platinum Elite status as a perk for holding the card, the cardholder must still accumulate the required 50 elite nights to qualify for the 50-night Annual Choice Benefit.
Jeff Jamieson
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