How to avoid my big Marriott Choice Benefit mistake
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I may be a points and miles "pro" — in that I live and breathe TPG content for a living — but I do make my own travel mistakes from time to time, perhaps more often than I'd like to admit.
My latest slip-up came just this week, as I was rushing through some end-of-year tasks. I had earned 70 night credits with Marriott this year, including 55 hotel nights plus 15 elite night credits, courtesy of my Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card. As a result, I was eligible to select one of the following Choice Benefits:
- Five Suite Night Awards
- Gift of Silver Elite status for a friend/family member
- 40% off your favorite mattress
- Five elite night credits
- A $100 charity donation
Almost instinctively, I decided to select five Suite Night Awards, since I had good luck making the most of them in 2019, managing to use eight of the 10 I earned upon reaching Titanium status based on my 2018 stays.
And then I immediately realized that I was just five nights shy of qualifying for Titanium, which would have earned me another Choice Benefit — I clearly should have picked five elite night credits, instead, giving me another chance to snag five Suite Night Awards or potentially picking a free night certificate instead.
Unfortunately, any Choice Benefit selections are final — the five Suite Night Awards appeared in my account almost right away, and I was stuck.
This mistake really could have cost me — Titanium status is considerably more valuable than Platinum, including suite upgrades at Ritz-Carlton hotels, 48-hour guaranteed availability, and, while I don't need it as a Premier 1K, United Silver status. Note that the five nights also would've counted toward Marriott lifetime elite status, and while that Choice Benefit represents less than 1% of the 600 nights needed for Lifetime Platinum status, every little bit can help.
Fortunately, I managed to walk away unscathed — I'm grandfathered into Titanium status for life, so I have Marriott's 75-night status, regardless. Without that lifetime perk, though, I really would have been kicking myself for that oversight, so it seemed as good a time as any to remind you to make your choice wisely — and don't overlook an opportunity to stack your perks, as I could have very easily done in this case.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.