One of the big perks of Marriott Bonvoy elite status (particularly Platinum status and above) is complimentary upgrades subject to availability. The issue is, elite ranks have really been swelled over the years, and it sure feels like there’s not much transparency to the whole process.
So Marriott is trialing a new concept, whereby the hotel group shows an upgrade list, similar to what you’ll find at airlines. I first covered this a couple of days ago, but would like to provide an update, as the company has officially announced this, including sharing the planned rollout of this concept.
Is this a step in the right direction when it comes to transparency, or a new way for Marriott to monetize and deny upgrades?
Marriott app shows “Your Complimentary Upgrade Status”
Marriott has developed and is currently beta testing an elite upgrade list, a new Marriott Bonvoy app feature that provides eligible members with the ability to see their position on the upgrade list before arrival. Marriott explains that members have consistently said they want greater visibility into complimentary upgrades, and this is intended to address that.
The feature is currently available for a small subset of hotels, and will expand to 250+ hotels in the United States and Canada by early November 2026.
The idea is that close to the date of arrival, this page of the app shows “Your Complimentary Upgrade Status,” and it displays both the estimated number of upgrades available, as well as your current position in line for an upgrade. For example, in the below screenshot, it shows zero upgrades available, and the member being number two for an upgrade.
The app then indicates that they’ll let the member know one day in advance if their complimentary upgrade is confirmed. Then the small print notes that the estimated upgrades available reflect rooms matching booked stay dates and bed types, and that Nightly Upgrade Awards are prioritized before complimentary upgrades, and are not reflected in the numbers.
It goes without saying that there are still a lot more questions than answers here. For example, some upgrades are only processed overnight the day before arrival, or early on the day of arrival, so how does that fit into the concept of these upgrades confirming one day in advance? Also, exactly which rooms are hotels including in this alleged upgrade pool?
Is this about transparency, or is there an ulterior motive?
There’s no denying that the major hotel groups have seen their pool of elite members inflated massively over the years, especially as the hotels centrally “mint” more elite members with credit card deals.
Understandably, this can make it hard for hotels to manage expectations — elite members think they’re special, but when everyone is special, no one is special. So we’ve seen some hotels start to post signs listing the number of elite members on property, presumably with the intent of helping people manage expectations.
If you’re a Platinum member but you know that over 100 people either have the same status as you, or maybe higher status, then maybe you won’t be as upset if you don’t get a great upgrade.
We also know that Marriott already has a secret way it prioritizes room upgrades, and even has an AI tool that it now uses to prioritize upgrades.
So that brings us to this latest change. On the one hand, I do think the upgrade waitlist concept adds some transparency, and I appreciate that. However, the current amount of information shared through the list is so limited that I think it almost borders on useless. What rooms are actually being considered for this? And also, there’s a difference between an upgrade to a high floor and a suite upgrade, yet the list has no nuance for that.
All that being said, we’re talking about Marriott here, and I can’t help but think that there’s another play to all of this, and that Marriott might be trying to take a page out of the airline playbook in another way. Remember how first class upgrades used to be really common, and aren’t anymore?
Over the years, airlines have gotten much better at monetizing their first class cabins. Part of that includes getting more aggressive about selling upgrades, including at big discounts as the travel day approaches. Hotels are also leaning more into selling upgrades in advance to elite members, and one certainly has to wonder about the next evolution to this concept.
“You’re number two on the upgrade list, and there’s only one upgrade available… but for just $X, you can confirm that room and skip the upgrade list!” Anyway, we’ll mark this as “developing” for now, especially since it’s still just in beta mode.
Bottom line
Marriott is trialing a new upgrade list concept, whereby elite members are being told how many rooms are available for upgrades, and where they rank, with the idea being that upgrades will confirm one day before arrival. This is expected to be rolled out at 250+ hotels in the United States and Canada by early November 2026.
Transparency with hotel upgrades has always been a challenge, especially given the number of people theoretically eligible for upgrades. So on the one hand, this is a step in the right direction when it comes to transparency. On the other hand, I have to imagine there’s another motive here (better monetizing of upgrades?), and also feel like this list is so basic as to almost be useless. Is the room I’m potentially eligible to upgrade to a basic room five floors up, or a suite?
What do you make of Marriott’s upgrade list concept?
I was once told by a snooty idiot at the LAX Westin, "You are JUST a platinum". So basically, a nothing! I canceled my reservation on the spot.
I have lifelong status with them. Rollover from Starwood. I never liked Marriot. Marriot gives major ick to this day. Bunch of reptiles.
I only ever use them in a pinch. I was at an airbnb in Milan last year. I did not like it, so left...
I was once told by a snooty idiot at the LAX Westin, "You are JUST a platinum". So basically, a nothing! I canceled my reservation on the spot.
I have lifelong status with them. Rollover from Starwood. I never liked Marriot. Marriot gives major ick to this day. Bunch of reptiles.
I only ever use them in a pinch. I was at an airbnb in Milan last year. I did not like it, so left and Milano was pretty much sold out. Marriot it was, and it was fine...in a pinch. I tend to use them at airports in Europe last minute. Will NOT go out of my way if there are other options.
What they're actually saying is that, since so many have status, nobody is actually special and you should just stay somewhere else.
Ben, you are 100% correct. They will monetize this. 24 hours before the stay: “Do you want to upgrade to an ocean view room for $75?” It’s all become a tiring game. Artificially inflated room prices because of the points system, not to mention buying points at discounted rates. You have to do some math to see any given room on any given day, then look at dollar per night and points per night, and math it out. SMH.
The problem in general is what is an upgrade
What do people even want them past and ego point of view
If someone needs a particular room etc then book that room.
Yes I'm a frequent traveller , have status but to me the room is least important part of a trip unless it is and then I arrange for what I need.
@Ben
Am I missing something, was there an update from last few days?
An upgrade is different in the US compared to outside the US. The upgrade may just be a one level upgrade if lucky in the US. As more people become premium members it will get harder to get upgrades.
Chances of a real upgrade are better outside the US. A real upgrade is not just one level up or a better view..... Many are in denial of the current state of the hotel chains in the US.
The problem in general is what is an upgrade
What do people even want them past and ego point of view
If someone needs a particular room etc then book that room.
Yes I'm a frequent traveller , have status but to me the room is least important part of a trip unless it is and then I arrange for what I need.
It has nothing to do with how many in each class is in your hotel. I was recently told on a trip to the Ritz in Maui that because we were only ambasssador and not titanium, we get no turn down service or other perks we had received automatically in the past. So clearly instituting these tiers is to cut back on amenities to certain lower classes who previously got them. Boo.
@HE But isn’t Marriott Ambassador a higher tier elite than Titanium and the highest published tier?
Wondering how that will work in practice though... I checked into a Marriott hotel a few weeks ago, Amex FHR reservation + Plat status. Asked about upgrades - was told the hotel is full so no upgrade. I point out to the website which is still selling multiple types of rooms... Now this is where it gets interesting. The front desk person tells me that indeed, they're not full - they still have one suite...
Wondering how that will work in practice though... I checked into a Marriott hotel a few weeks ago, Amex FHR reservation + Plat status. Asked about upgrades - was told the hotel is full so no upgrade. I point out to the website which is still selling multiple types of rooms... Now this is where it gets interesting. The front desk person tells me that indeed, they're not full - they still have one suite left, one junior suite and one executive room, but they have a policy that they save those for cash bookings until 6pm so they can't upgrade into those. It was maybe 3pm, I couldn't be bothered and just wanted my room - but this is not how I read "subject to availability" for either Amex FHR or Bonvoy elite status...
My experience, too. Delta Toronto. Endless rooms available for sale, upgrades only after 6. Who would repack their bags to switch rooms hours after they checked in and settled into their room? Never booked that hotel again, gotta vote with your feet, they will learn.
I’m lifetime plat, and as soon as I achieved the goal, I basically stopped staying at Marriott’s. Around that time it was when things were changing after Covid, and pricing at Marriott was adjusted higher. It now compares in some markets with Hyatt pricing, just without Hyatt benefits or service. Relative to upgrades, forget it! Unless you’re an Ambassador you really don’t stand a consistent chance in seeing a quality upgrade. I still have plenty...
I’m lifetime plat, and as soon as I achieved the goal, I basically stopped staying at Marriott’s. Around that time it was when things were changing after Covid, and pricing at Marriott was adjusted higher. It now compares in some markets with Hyatt pricing, just without Hyatt benefits or service. Relative to upgrades, forget it! Unless you’re an Ambassador you really don’t stand a consistent chance in seeing a quality upgrade. I still have plenty of Marriott points I’m burning through, but they are not my go to chain for stays.
You're the best kind of member they wanted.
And many people seem to do exactly like you.
Bonvoy loves people who reach lifetime status and stop staying with them.
They are dumb enough to give so much business and even dumber to barely even use the earned lifetime benefits.
They complain Bonvoy sucks and other programs are better, but still make it to lifetime Platinum instead of staying at those better chain.
My wife has Platinum status, there was a time a few year's ago we pretty much upgrade every stay. We'll, we just got back from Japan and only had a minor upgrade at one hotel out of several Marriots we stayed at. (Upgraded from mountain view to ocean, same room size). Meanwhile I'm only Gold with Accord and yet have enjoyed massive upgrades to suites my last two vacations.
@Joseph that is what happens when the credit card companies offer elite status to those on the U.S. so no one should expect much from Marriott and Hilton these days.
The comment section fill with complainers and people in denial, as well as the gaslighting by hotels, is why I stopped being loyal. And damn near close to all of the time book via portals to get more of my rewards back.
US hotels are a sick joke.
Marriott and Hilton are on a race to the bottom as they have such dominance in North America. Ironically I am happy with Courtyard or Hampton in America as I find the rooms perfectly adequate and the check in and out process is always a genuine pleasure. I'd never ever book a full service Hilton, even having had Diamond status for ever. I dod so before and they quite literally gave me the worst room...
Marriott and Hilton are on a race to the bottom as they have such dominance in North America. Ironically I am happy with Courtyard or Hampton in America as I find the rooms perfectly adequate and the check in and out process is always a genuine pleasure. I'd never ever book a full service Hilton, even having had Diamond status for ever. I dod so before and they quite literally gave me the worst room in an almost empty hotel and they no longer gove full breakfast. The room was so bad that the Diamond help desk person (I know this is the internet so I don't know if they have a dedicated help desk or they just were very helpful because I was Diamond - I travel too much to care and resolve things by just never going back). However, this room was something special, hard to believe it was ever designed for a room. I learned there and then how little full service Hiltons care for Diamond. As for Marriott, again I have been Titanium for 15+ years, way over 1,000 nights and we'll over 20k spend per year. Would I expect anything from Marriott, NO, absolutely not. They could not care less and hotels have been well encouraged to ignore status and to focus on revenue. As a super frequent traveller and high spender I obviously have developed a few relationships with general managers and they will flat out admit privately that there is no encouragement or incentives from Mariott to care for Titanium or ambassadors, in any way shape or form. Marriott sell the franchise as money making and seem to actively flat out say, or at least heavily imply, that the franchise owners revenue obsession is shared and supported by corporate. I have a few Hiltons and Mariotts that I love, and I am a very easy guest, it would be hard to annoy me as time passes quickly and one hotel stay is neither here nor there. Now, outside of a few cities, I book on open market based on deals for premium rooms/suites with breakfast and I strongly lean on published reviews. I save money, enjoy better rooms, experience a lot of very well run hotels, some famous. Vast majority of the time (as a very very experienced traveller) I can see how these hotels are deeply into customer experience. No hard feelings though, I had a good run with Hilton, Mariott and SPG.
I think the key is transparency. They should say how the upgrade list is determined. Is it strictly by status? What’s the tiebreaker?
I could see Marriott’s current AI system upgrading a low-level elite who is spending a lot of money and working her or his way toward titanium or ambassador status over the elite with lifetime titanium status who only stays at Marriott a couple times per year on points. The system thinks that...
I think the key is transparency. They should say how the upgrade list is determined. Is it strictly by status? What’s the tiebreaker?
I could see Marriott’s current AI system upgrading a low-level elite who is spending a lot of money and working her or his way toward titanium or ambassador status over the elite with lifetime titanium status who only stays at Marriott a couple times per year on points. The system thinks that rewarding the more active customer will generate further loyalty.
Another trick that many hotels have long employed is never putting suites into the Marriott inventory. There are quite a few franchised Marriott properties that make suites only available through the property’s sales office. That prevents upgrades. We saw something similar with the number of Marriott properties caught putting suites on AirBNB.
If it works like United the. I am all for it. It took United some time to figure it all out but they both monetize it and set expectations. I love United upgrade list. And I always pay for upgrade it that day on that flight it is important to me.
If it works like United the. I am all for it. It took United some time to figure it all out but they both monetize it and set expectations. I love United upgrade list. And I always pay for upgrade it that day on that flight it is important to me.
They'll absolutely monitize this, it would be silly to think otherwise. Hilton and Marriott (and others) already keep tempting you with paid upgrades even if you're top tier. The info is pretty limited as it stands as well, take the example that you're #1 on the list and there's 5 rooms left, you don't know if those 5 rooms are just higher floor, corner rooms, better view or actually suites. The only way to know...
They'll absolutely monitize this, it would be silly to think otherwise. Hilton and Marriott (and others) already keep tempting you with paid upgrades even if you're top tier. The info is pretty limited as it stands as well, take the example that you're #1 on the list and there's 5 rooms left, you don't know if those 5 rooms are just higher floor, corner rooms, better view or actually suites. The only way to know for sure is do a dummy booking for your dates and see what rooms are left and how much is being charged to get an idea of how many might be left of the "real" upgrades. Even then there's no guarantee they'll upgrade you to one
I will tell you exactly what this is about. I suspect many high-quality hotel owners are furious with Bonvoy for creating unreasonable expectations. We annually spend a week in Cannes at the JW Marriott there. It's a beautiful hotel, right on La Croisette, very well run, with rooms that are large for Europe, and the staff is very nice. If you read the reviews on TripAdvisor, it gets five-star reviews from absolutely everybody who stays...
I will tell you exactly what this is about. I suspect many high-quality hotel owners are furious with Bonvoy for creating unreasonable expectations. We annually spend a week in Cannes at the JW Marriott there. It's a beautiful hotel, right on La Croisette, very well run, with rooms that are large for Europe, and the staff is very nice. If you read the reviews on TripAdvisor, it gets five-star reviews from absolutely everybody who stays there, except that it routinely gets torched by high status Bonvoy members who think that they should have a waterfront Suite with balcony as an upgrade.
When they don't get it, they write stupid angry reviews clearly as punishment for not giving them what they want, which usually comes out towards the end when after destroying the place they happen to mention that they didn't get an upgrade that they thought they should have. If you look at the reviews, any one of them that starts with "I'm a plutonium level Bonvoy member", you know a whole bunch of BS is coming. Everybody else loves the place, and the locals put it on par with the Carlton and the Martinez, but it doesn't command their room rates, even though its rooms are bigger, in large part I think because of the stupid reviews from pissed off Bonvoy members. I think hotel management finally figured out that there's no reasoning with with these idiots, and if I were there I would seriously consider deflagging the place and signing up with luxury hotels of the world or the like. Just because you spend 50 nights at a Courtyard in Des Moines doesn't mean that they're going to give you a Waterfront Suite in High Season when you show up with your wife for your anniversary. What this hotel did this year, which was brilliant, was to put a nice looking 81/2 by 11 note encased in plastic at the front desk every morning that says effectively "we love our Bonvoy members, but because so many high status Bonvoy members are here today, the only upgrades that will be available will be ones that have previously been booked through the app." And then they list how many Bonvoy members of each category are there. And it's shocking. They had like 42 Ambassador Elites in-house on the first day that I saw the sign, and in total it was close to 200 premium Bonvoy members. This in a hotel with 242 rooms and suites, of which only 20 have a direct Waterfront view, although there are quite a few with partial views. I want the Waterfront view, so guess what? I pay for it. I reserve a waterfront room with balcony, and I get a waterfront room with balcony . And because they know us and like us, every once in a while they'll give us a slightly schwankier version of that. But I never expect anything more than what I pay for, as probably do most people with money. I'm sure similar high quality hotels in the chain at destination locations experience much of the same, and it sounds like they're putting pressure on Marriott to dampen the unreasonable expectations. Going to a system where you can stand by for a room and the inventory available is clearly marked will help, but the sense of entitlement among Elite Bonvoy members is really quite remarkable, and I feel sorry for the hotels that have to deal with it.
"They had like 42 Ambassador Elites in-house on the first day that I saw the sign, and in total it was close to 200 premium Bonvoy members."
How do you trust these figures. Maybe they put inflated numbers so they can dial down expectations of the elite members checking in.
"Just because you spend 50 nights at a Courtyard in Des Moines doesn't mean that they're going to give you a Waterfront Suite"
But...
"They had like 42 Ambassador Elites in-house on the first day that I saw the sign, and in total it was close to 200 premium Bonvoy members."
How do you trust these figures. Maybe they put inflated numbers so they can dial down expectations of the elite members checking in.
"Just because you spend 50 nights at a Courtyard in Des Moines doesn't mean that they're going to give you a Waterfront Suite"
But that is precisely how Marriott designed its own loyalty program. If a guest fulfills their end of the bargain by spending 50 nights at Marriott properties, why is it so unreasonable to expect Marriott to honor its end?
Marriott established the rules, defined the qualifications, and promoted the benefits to encourage customer loyalty. Guests didn't invent these expectations; Marriott created them.
So why should someone be ridiculed for expecting the company to deliver on the very benefits it used to earn their business?
You cannot invite customers to play by your rules, with promises of benefits, and then portray them as entitled for expecting those benefits to be honored. That isn't an unreasonable expectation. It's the fundamental principle of a loyalty program, loyalty is supposed to work both ways.
Totally in agreement with @BBT. Then, there shouldn’t be a loyalty program with these promised benefits that are rarely delivered these days by Marriott and Hilton @Wjcandee
It’s so interesting, keen loyalty program members explaining why they think hotels don’t need to live up to the deal they agreed to. There’s so many of these posts all over the place, you wonder whether it’s Bonvoy bots, but I doubt that.
Upgrades are always at the discretion of the hotel. Many seem entitled to them. I'm lifetime Titanium (along with Hilton Diamond and Hyatt Globalist). If I want an upgrade I buy it. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone post something like "I'm xxxxx level and didn't get an upgrade even though I went on the website and suites were available" They act entitled to whatever is in inventory. However, many hotels...
Upgrades are always at the discretion of the hotel. Many seem entitled to them. I'm lifetime Titanium (along with Hilton Diamond and Hyatt Globalist). If I want an upgrade I buy it. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone post something like "I'm xxxxx level and didn't get an upgrade even though I went on the website and suites were available" They act entitled to whatever is in inventory. However, many hotels project to sell suites (either outright or as an upgrade) so why give them away? Just like airline upgrades (and I've been elite on airlines over 40 years) that is history. Those that long for a past which will never return will only be disappointed.
I think they could go a lot further with airline-ization. First, make the beds exactly five feet long, and implement an upcharge for extra foot room beds. Then, only people with suites and club room reservations can get into the hotel before 4pm, followed by credit card holders between 4 and 6pm. Finally, late arriving guests are entitled to one change of clothes in their rooms and have to store their luggage in the basement.
This is so much more complicated than the airlines. There is the large corner room with the view, the junior suite, with a view of the parking lot, a suite with a view of the foundations of the neighbouring building. Etc etc etc etc etc etc.
As opposed to one class of upgraded service on the airlines.
The chance of the app showing the upgrade availability and the ranking right to everyone is infinitesimal.
Agreed. I'd also add that the complexity gets even worse when you consider:
-The number of room types
-The rooms that members book (base vs exec vs suite, etc.)
-Number of nights for each guest
-Available nights of each upgraded room type
-Each member's elite status
IMHO, there's no way to implement this with any sort of transparency and simplicity.
Unless everyone arrive at the same time and visually see all suites are being occupied by paid and upgraded guests.
There is ZERO transparency.
This is the pinnacle of gaslight propaganda.
Will this actually lead to greater transparency, clearer expectations, and better results for elites? Or, just like with many airlines these days, more ‘dying on the waitlist.’
I like this concept I was recently in Florida at the Westin, and I knew that it wasn’t that crowded because it was in the summertime and when I checked in the novice service person was going to give me the Bayview instead of the ocean view then I commented how strange that would be especially since it was a Friday night and the hotel was only half full. She then asked the supervisor who...
I like this concept I was recently in Florida at the Westin, and I knew that it wasn’t that crowded because it was in the summertime and when I checked in the novice service person was going to give me the Bayview instead of the ocean view then I commented how strange that would be especially since it was a Friday night and the hotel was only half full. She then asked the supervisor who then upgraded me to Ocean view and two bedroom two bath suite so I think transparency is the best going forward you don’t have to continually negotiate each time you check in. I am a titanium Elite for life member.
In it's current form I'm not sure the information would be that helpful. You don't know what rooms are considered as upgrades or how many are left of each type. Take this example, you could be number 1 on the list with 5 rooms remaining for upgrade but those 5 rooms could be just higher floor or corner rooms.
Nothing frustrates me more than when I book a "premium" non-suite room (like something with a desirable view, high floor, etc.) only to be "upgraded" to a suite that while it's a suite it's an inferior room. Many suites are on the lowest floors, overlook HVAC units, etc. That's not an "upgrade."
Or it’s an upgrade to a higher floor where you get the same floor, just one floor up, with a view of the gas station or the rubbish bins.
1) this requires a much better system than what they currently have. The major airlines (particularly United) do a decent job with its app and website and I trust that they analyze the passenger info properly.
2) airlines own the flights and thus control their seat assignment well. Marriott doesn’t own most of the hotels these days and is easily on the edge of having some conflicts with any hotel owner at any time. Therefore,...
1) this requires a much better system than what they currently have. The major airlines (particularly United) do a decent job with its app and website and I trust that they analyze the passenger info properly.
2) airlines own the flights and thus control their seat assignment well. Marriott doesn’t own most of the hotels these days and is easily on the edge of having some conflicts with any hotel owner at any time. Therefore, I don’t trust that they can implement this process properly.
Marriott is a very poorly managed company. Let’s wait and see how it will be threaded by AI next.
I Agree with ET
Property owners are the concern