Marriott previously announced that they would extend free night awards from credit cards, travel packages, choice benefits, or promotions that expire in 2020 until 1/31/21.
They have now announced that any of those awards that were originally set to expire between 1/1/20-7/31/21 will now expire on 8/1/21.
Marriott previously announced that points won’t expire until 2/28/21. They have now announced that they will extend the moratorium on points expiration through 7/31/21. Points will begin expiring again on 8/1/21. Marriott points normally expire after 24 months of inactivity.
Marriott previously announced that suite night award expiring on 12/31/20 will be extended through 12/31/21 and that 2020 elite status that was set to expire on 2/28/21 will now expire on 2/28/22. They also added promotional elite qualifying nights to accounts.
Kudos to Marriott for the extensions, but it would have been nice for them to match Hyatt’s free night extension through 12/31/21. But I guess they figure they can always extend these again down the line if they need to.
Amazing!
Meanwhile I still didn’t get 13 nights from being Gold in 2019. I only got 5. Tweeting and emailing didn’t help. They keep on telling me that it is correct since I was Gold through Amex Plat (was from spending $30k originally, until they cut the earning rate, so I used the Amex Plat benefit to become Gold).
Well that’s better than IHG. I have a reward night that was set to expire in October and all they did was push it to December.
When is IHG going to extend their free night certificates?
Don’t hold your breath, unless you want to be enshrined in Guiness
That’s great news for all the certs holders
Any word on IHG? My certificate was extended from early April to the end of December, but as it turns out that’s just as useless.
My IHG Premier card is up for renewal next month – how IHG treats this issue will help me decide whether to renew.
If there’s news I’ll be sure to post it.
Dan,
Will this extension include the 5/7 nites cert?
Thank you!
Yes, those are called travel packages.
When will it be updated online? My 7 night certificate is still listed as 1/31/21 expiration
When they get around to it. Probably several weeks.
YOU MISSED THE MAIN POINT – it doesn’t apply where original expiration date was before 2020! Argh
Huh? Why should it apply to awards that expired before COVID? And why would that be the main point?
And I did write that “awards that were originally set to expire between 1/1/20-7/31/21 will now expire on 8/1/21.”
“Free Night Awards with an ORIGINAL expiration date prior to 2020 will not be eligible for the additional extension.“
So if you had a travel package and Marriott extended it into 2020, and then your plans were upended by Covid, you will be SOL.
Did you try calling?
No, they’ve been consistently bad by phone, per all reports. I mean, if they don’t auto extend I won’t have a choice but to try, but my expectations are low. We had original exp date in 2019, extended into 2020, then auto extended into 2021.
I’ve had good luck with their executive offices.
My guess is that if it auto extended last time, it will auto extend this time. Time will tell when they get around to updating the expiation dates.
Haha – in Bonvoy IT we trust?
Exactly. Keep us posted.
I was at the Megado in Europe October 2018 and the Marriott head of IT was bragging how they’d “fixed” 99% of the problems. The person next to mumbled “yeah 99 % which were all created by you.”
Also – you do own a major and influential Travel blog, it’s not so clear that us little people would receive the same decent treatment.
Nah, Marriott hates me for my honest #Bonvoyed coverage. Blacklisted from their PR department and proud of it.
Thanks for responding to all my comments, it’s appreciated. (I still think you should flag this more prominently in the blog- most people don’t read the comments.)
You know, I think it’s going to be fine… I forgot that when Marriott extends a certificate, it cancels and reissues. So I’m guessing the “original” expiration date would be in 2020 for basically everyone.
Hi Dan, our 7 night package that was to expire in Dec 2019 we called and they extended to Jun 2020 (while reducing it from category 5 to 4). We called before they expired and they extended to 1/31/21. When we called last week to try extending past that date, they refused saying that it was already extended, so no more! Since most places to Europe are still closed and traveling in there in the winter isn’t best either… Do you think they may still automatically extend it to 8/1/21? Otherwise I hate to think that we’ll be forced to use them in US!
It should extend. Keep us posted.
same issue here. Actually had one expired in Dec 2019, called the day after expiration, and rep wouldn’t re-instate, asked for a supervisor, the supervisor kept repeating the same, and didn’t help. Now concerned about my 5 remaining vouchers. Not able to travel in 2020 with big family as originally planned isn’t what we intended. appreciate any advice.
Free Night Awards (FNA)
Members who currently have a Free Night Award (FNA) that had an original expiration date in 2020, or which will expire before July 31, 2021 as part of their credit card benefit, annual choice benefit, promotions or travel package will be able to redeem it through August 1, 2021. Free Night Awards with an original expiration date prior to 2020 will not be eligible for the additional extension.
I just checked my online account, and my cert still shows an expiration of 1/31/21. Any reason to be nervous, and any idea when they’ll update their system with the new expirations?
It will be extended automatically.
My Hyatt free night still says 1/3/21
Category 1-4 – Standard Award
Total Earned 1
Expiration Date Jan 3, 2021
It will be extended automatically.
Thank you !
My 3 remaining pre Bonvoy travel packages are still showing the expiration date of 1/31/2020 and I will be in my 6th Israeli government paid 14 day hotel quarantine until the end of January. Has anyone received an further extension to August 1, yet?
Sorry, meant 2021
Very good news. I still have one week from the points and miles travel packages from the pre-Bonvoy days, as well as several free nights from my Bonvoy Chase and Amex cards.
I had a related question regarding Marriott free nights.
I have Amex personal, business and chase bonvoy cards
I seem to be getting a two 35k rewards and one 25k reward. Would you know which one is giving me the 25k reward? and is it worth keeping?
amex doesnt give 25K certificates
Wow, it’s finally possible to use 3 years worth of free nights for 3 nights in a row.
Any update on the travel packages getting extended as it seems the expiration dates havn’t changed yet??
They will be extended.
All but 1 of my 9 certificates got extended by Bonvoy’s “elite” IT department