Marriott now enforcing limit on Points Advance reservations

When Marriott announced changes to its Bonvoy loyalty program, which kicked in on Sept. 14, 2019, the chain explained that its new limit on Points Advance reservations was more of a polite suggestion, leading us to explain that "Marriott is requesting that members limit themselves to three active Points Advance reservations at a time."

Now, it turns out that the new limit wasn't a suggestion at all — the loyalty program terms and conditions now state "A maximum of three (3) Points Advance bookings are permitted to be maintained per Membership Account at any one time." And, now, Marriott has begun identifying members with more than three Points Advance reservations (or more than five booked before Sept. 14), and informing them that they have 48 hours to confirm, change or cancel their reservation.

Over the past few days, a number of TPG readers have reported receiving the below email:

It has come to our attention you currently have more active Points Advance reservations than the policy allows. The Points Advance policy states a member can have no more than three Points Advance reservations on file.

Please use one of the four options below to either convert or cancel the excessive reservations:

1. Cancel the reservation
2. Modify to a paid reservation
3. Purchase points for the certificate to be issued
4. Free Night certificate on account can be attached (if point value allows)

Please make the necessary changes within 48 hours by going online, or by contacting your local Customer Engagement Center.

A spokesman confirmed that the following will trigger the above email:

• Six or more Points Advance reservations made by Sept. 13
• Four or more Points Advance reservations made after Sept. 13

Ultimately, Points Advance isn't nearly as valuable as it once was — as of Sept. 14, new reservations simply lock in availability, not the rate you see at booking. Instead, if peak pricing applies on your requested dates when you go to finalize your booking — once you have the required number of points in your account — you'll need to confirm a Points Advance stay at the new, higher rate. Now, new bookings will be subjected to this reservation cap as well.

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