WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:07.180 Hello and welcome to Smart with Points, where we turn the confusing world of travel rewards into something actually useful. 2 00:00:07.260 --> 00:00:18.240 I'm Jack, and today I'm bringing you news that's going to make some of you very happy and others... Well, let's just say you might need to rethink your spring travel plans. 3 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:26.110 Marriott Bonvoy has just dropped their first global promotion of two thousand and twenty-six, and it's completely different from what status chasers have been expecting. 4 00:00:27.610 --> 00:00:37.020 The beloved double elite nights promotion that's been running for the past five years, it's gone, dead, replaced with something entirely new. 5 00:00:37.080 --> 00:00:45.600 So grab a coffee because we need to talk about what this means for your Marriott status and how to make the most of it. Let's start with what's actually on offer. 6 00:00:46.680 --> 00:00:57.740 Marriott's new promotion with the code SH26 runs from the twenty-fifth of February to the tenth of May, two thousand and twenty-six. Here's what you get after registering. 7 00:00:58.780 --> 00:01:06.390 Two thousand five hundred bonus Marriott Bonvoy points for every qualifying paid stay during the promotion period, and that's unlimited. 8 00:01:07.580 --> 00:01:21.020 Plus, you'll earn one bonus elite night credit for each different Marriott Bonvoy brand you complete a stay at. So that means one bonus night for your first Courtyard stay, another for your first Westin stay, and so on. 9 00:01:21.520 --> 00:01:32.000 You can register now through the twenty-sixth of April, two thousand and twenty-six. But here's the critical bit. You must register before your first eligible stay. Don't wait on this one. 10 00:01:32.500 --> 00:01:41.200 Just register now via the Marriott app or website. And as always with these promotions, only paid stays booked directly through Marriott channels qualify. 11 00:01:42.220 --> 00:01:51.620 Award stays, cash plus points bookings, and third-party reservations are all excluded. Now, let me explain why this is such a big change. 12 00:01:52.440 --> 00:02:01.340 From two thousand and twenty-one to two thousand and twenty-five, Marriott ran an almost identical spring promotion each year. It was simple. 13 00:02:02.080 --> 00:02:12.260 One thousand bonus points per night plus one bonus elite night credit per night, and it was incredibly powerful for status seekers. Think about it this way. 14 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:23.700 A member staying twenty-five nights during the promotion window would earn fifty elite night credits. That's twenty-five regular nights plus twenty-five bonus nights. 15 00:02:23.710 --> 00:02:31.840 That's enough to jump from nothing to platinum status in a matter of weeks. It was essentially a buy one night, get one free deal for elite nights. 16 00:02:32.890 --> 00:02:44.100 The two thousand and twenty-six version is fundamentally different in two major ways. First, the points bonus has shifted from per night to per stay, but at a higher amount. 17 00:02:44.760 --> 00:02:54.720 You now earn two thousand five hundred points per stay instead of one thousand per night. For single night stays, that's a one hundred and fifty percent increase in bonus points. 18 00:02:55.640 --> 00:03:09.240 Brilliant if you're doing quick overnights. But for multi-night stays, it's actually worse. A five-night stay that would have earned you five thousand bonus points now earns just two thousand five hundred. 19 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:16.280 Second, and this is the big one for status chasers, the elite night credit is now per brand rather than per night. 20 00:03:17.220 --> 00:03:29.580 Marriott has around thirty brands in their portfolio, so the theoretical maximum bonus elite nights you could earn is approximately thirty. Compare that to potentially seventy-five or more under the old structure. 21 00:03:30.380 --> 00:03:39.920 That's a massive reduction. So let's be brutally honest about who wins and who loses with this change. The winners are frequent single night travelers. 22 00:03:40.980 --> 00:03:48.220 If you regularly do one night stays for business or during road trips, you'll earn significantly more bonus points than under the old promotion. 23 00:03:49.760 --> 00:04:01.480 Ten one night stays now earn you twenty-five thousand bonus points compared to ten thousand under the previous structure. And if you happen to stay at ten different brands, you'd also pick up ten bonus elite nights. 24 00:04:02.090 --> 00:04:12.120 Not too shabby. The losers? Status chasers who relied on the double elite nights promotion to accelerate their path to platinum or titanium. 25 00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:23.960 If you were planning to reach titanium, which requires seventy-five nights by staying thirty-eight nights during the promotion window and doubling up your elite night credits, you'll need to completely rethink your strategy. 26 00:04:24.900 --> 00:04:36.100 Also losing out are extended stay guests. A week-long holiday at a Westin now earns the same two thousand five hundred bonus points as a quick overnight at a Courtyard. 27 00:04:37.230 --> 00:04:47.700 The promotion actively incentivizes shorter stays and brand hopping. But even though this isn't the promotion many were hoping for, there are still ways to squeeze value from it. 28 00:04:49.260 --> 00:05:02.450 Here are my tips for maximizing this offer. First, break up longer stays. If you're planning a week in a city with multiple Marriott properties, consider splitting it across different hotels and brands. 29 00:05:03.480 --> 00:05:17.310 Three separate stays across three brands would earn you seven thousand five hundred bonus points and three bonus elite nights versus just two thousand five hundred points and one elite night for staying put at the same property. 30 00:05:18.520 --> 00:05:27.240 Second, diversify your brands. The elite night credits reward variety, so think strategically about which brands you haven't stayed at yet. 31 00:05:28.340 --> 00:05:43.430 Marriott has around thirty brands, from budget-friendly Fairfield and Moxy to premium options like St. Regis and W Hotels. Each new brand unlocks another bonus elite night. Third, stack with property specific promotions. 32 00:05:44.420 --> 00:05:53.490 This is a global system-wide offer, which means it can be combined with hundreds of individual hotel bonus points promotions that Marriott runs simultaneously. 33 00:05:54.600 --> 00:06:08.008 You could earn two thousand five hundred bonus points from SH26 plus an additional three thousand to ten thousand points from a property specific offer on the same stay And fourth, check your exclusive for you offers. 34 00:06:08.828 --> 00:06:18.828 Marriott has been rolling out targeted bonus offers for February two thousand and twenty-six, and some members are seeing generous individual promotions in their Promotion Central dashboard. 35 00:06:19.598 --> 00:06:29.048 These can stack on top of SH26 as well. Log in to the Marriott app and check your Promotions page. Now, what does this mean for the bigger picture? 36 00:06:30.208 --> 00:06:37.888 This promotion feels like a deliberate shift in Marriott's loyalty strategy. The Double Elite Nights promotion was arguably too generous. 37 00:06:38.908 --> 00:06:45.148 It allowed savvy members to reach Platinum or Titanium status with far fewer stays than the program intended. 38 00:06:46.328 --> 00:06:54.088 By switching to a per brand model, Marriott is still offering a nod towards Elite nights, but in a much more controlled way. 39 00:06:54.108 --> 00:07:02.568 It's worth remembering that Marriott's soft landing policy continues in two thousand and twenty-six. Members who don't re-qualify only drop one tier. 40 00:07:03.388 --> 00:07:11.608 So if you held Titanium status in two thousand and twenty-five and don't re-qualify this year, you'd still retain Platinum for two thousand and twenty-six. 41 00:07:12.528 --> 00:07:23.248 That safety net, combined with Elite night credits from Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, like the fifteen nights you get from the Marriott Bonvoy Amex, means Elite status isn't out of reach. 42 00:07:23.928 --> 00:07:34.948 It just requires more organic stays than before. Here's my honest take as a Marriott Titanium member myself. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little disappointed. 43 00:07:35.978 --> 00:07:50.128 The Double Elite Nights promotion was a brilliant safety net. Knowing that your spring stays counted double made status re-qualification feel much more achievable. That said, I can see why Marriott made this change. 44 00:07:51.328 --> 00:08:01.788 The old promotion probably inflated Elite tiers more than they'd like. And remember, it's the properties, not Marriott corporate, who foot the bill for Elite benefits. 45 00:08:02.868 --> 00:08:06.128 For points collectors, though, this is actually a decent offer. 46 00:08:07.208 --> 00:08:22.788 If you're someone who frequently does short stays, the two thousand five hundred points per stay is genuinely more generous than the old one thousand per night, and those points can be transferred to airline partners or used for free nights, which is always welcome. 47 00:08:23.138 --> 00:08:32.308 The brand diversity angle is interesting too. As someone who tends to default to the same few brands, this promotion is a nudge to explore Marriott's wider portfolio. 48 00:08:33.228 --> 00:08:46.268 Maybe try a Moxy for the first time or give a Loft a go. There's something to be said for getting out of your comfort zone. Let me give you a quick summary of the key details. The promotion code is SH26. 49 00:08:47.028 --> 00:08:54.568 Registration is open now through the twenty-sixth of April two thousand and twenty-six. Remember, you must register before your first stay. 50 00:08:55.308 --> 00:09:06.208 Eligible stay dates are from the twenty-fifth of February to the tenth of May two thousand and twenty-six. The bonus is two thousand five hundred points per stay plus one Elite night credit per brand. 51 00:09:07.088 --> 00:09:19.028 Only paid stays booked direct with Marriott qualify. Excluded are award stays, cash plus points bookings, third-party bookings, Bulgari, and Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. 52 00:09:19.688 --> 00:09:26.708 You can register for the SH26 promotion through the Marriott app or website, and we'll have the link in the show notes. 53 00:09:27.768 --> 00:09:36.828 If you're new to hotel loyalty programs, we've got a complete beginner's guide to hotel loyalty that covers everything you need to know about earning and using hotel points effectively. 54 00:09:37.908 --> 00:09:45.628 And if you're looking to boost your Marriott Bonvoy balance through credit card spend, check out our UK credit card recommendations on the website. 55 00:09:46.308 --> 00:09:56.008 Some of those cards let you transfer points to Marriott Bonvoy, which can be really valuable. That's it for today's episode. Thanks so much for listening to Smart with Points. 56 00:09:56.088 --> 00:10:03.928 If you found this useful, please subscribe to the podcast on all major platforms or head over to our website at smartwithpoints.co.uk. 57 00:10:05.028 --> 00:10:16.368 We've got newsletters, guides, and all the latest travel rewards news to help you travel smarter. And before you go, a quick word from our sponsor. Looking for the best award flights? 58 00:10:17.048 --> 00:10:29.688 Use awardtravelfinder.com to search availability across Qatar Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and more. Try it for free with our link in the show notes. Happy hotel hopping and safe travels.