Marriott Bonvoy has provided a characteristic generally known as Factors Advance, which permits members to guide upcoming stays utilizing factors with out truly having the factors of their account, and solely “fulfill” the reservation no less than 14 days upfront.
Whereas Factors Advance was beforehand a really enticing factor of this system, it has gotten much less beneficiant through the years, and Marriott has introduced that Factors Advance might be totally discontinued as of March 28, 2023.
What Is Marriott Bonvoy’s Factors Advance?
Lengthy-time Marriott Bonvoy factors collectors will recall the times when Factors Advance could possibly be used to lock within the pricing of a future reservation earlier than a devaluation was set to occur.
For instance, for those who used Factors Advance to make a reserving at a property that was pricing at 60,000 Bonvoy factors per night time, however which might quickly be rising to 80,000 Bonvoy factors per night time, you’d nonetheless be capable of pay simply 60,000 factors so long as you cobbled collectively these factors in your account no less than 14 days upfront of the keep.
The power to lock in pre-devaluation pricing was deemed far too beneficiant, on condition that it resulted in members making plenty of speculative bookings at any time when certainly one of Marriott’s (frequent) devaluations was introduced.
In late 2019, the Factors Advance coverage was modified to lock within the room, not the charge, when redeeming factors with out having these factors in your account.
Nonetheless, Factors Advance had its use instances: for instance, if award availability at a sure resort was very hotly contested, you could possibly strike rapidly and lock in a reservation there throughout a preferred interval, even for those who haven’t amassed the complete quantity of factors in your account but (and even for those who knew that worth would change over time resulting from ever-encroaching dynamic pricing).
Factors Advance may be helpful if, say, there was a resort you wished to guide however you have been ready for the factors you had earned from an American Categorical Marriott Bonvoy Card to publish to your account on the assertion date. You’d be capable of lock within the reserving, wait to your factors to publish, after which fulfill the reservation with out worrying concerning the order of operations.
Factors Advance Will Come to an Finish
It’s subsequently considerably disappointing to listen to that Factors Advance might be phased out as of March 28, 2023.
Going ahead, you’ll must have sufficient Bonvoy factors sitting in your account to make any reserving, and there might be no means round this requirement.
Any Factors Advance options that have been made previous to this date will nonetheless be honoured. You’ll must have sufficient factors in your account as of no less than 14 days previous to the keep date in an effort to fulfill the reservation, and also you’ll be topic to no matter dynamic pricing is in impact on the time of doing so.
Marriott Bonvoy Continues to Squeeze Away the Worth
The discontinuation of the Factors Advance coverage could seem minor within the grand scheme of issues – certainly, I can’t bear in mind the final time I’ve personally used this characteristic, ever because it was made considerably much less helpful as of late 2019.
Nevertheless, it’s nonetheless an instance of the continual downward spiral that has outlined Marriott Bonvoy in recent times.
Worth continues to be eroded from this system within the type of the latest change to dynamic pricing and ever-increasing award prices, whereas even essentially the most seldom-used options which are solely sometimes helpful, like Factors Advance, are actually being eradicated.
Whereas it’s true {that a} handful of welcome new options have been added through the years, it’s clear that the general trajectory has been detrimental by way of worth for the consumer, and one has to marvel how far this development can proceed earlier than Marriott Bonvoy members start to look elsewhere.
Conclusion
Any Factors Advance bookings made earlier than then will nonetheless be honoured, however from April 2023 onwards, you gained’t be capable of make a brand new reserving with out having sufficient factors in your account.
Factors Advance was solely interesting in restricted circumstances in its present kind, nevertheless it’s nonetheless disappointing to see a doubtlessly helpful characteristic being eradicated with little of worth being added to enhance this system.
