Marriott’s Latest Award Price Hike: Which Popular Hotels Got More Expensive (And Why)

Marriott Bonvoy quietly raised award prices across its global hotel portfolio in early 2026, with individual properties becoming 2.4% to 15.6% more expensive to book using points. The increases, initially detected by Chinese frequent flyer forums, represent a systematic devaluation affecting the entire year for most properties rather than isolated peak-date adjustments. The move signals a broader shift in how the hospitality giant values its loyalty currency at a time when competitors like Hyatt are delivering stronger redemption rates.

The Scope of the Price Increases

Marriott Bonvoy members face a median increase of 5% to 10% across award prices, though the most popular leisure destinations and premium properties absorbed the heaviest hits. The Athenee Bangkok saw one of the steepest jumps, climbing from 32,000 to 37,000 points—a 15.6% increase that makes the Thai resort significantly less accessible for standard point balances. The London EDITION rose from 107,000 to 115,000 points, while the New York EDITION jumped from 109,000 to 113,000 points.

These specific increases cluster around luxury and lifestyle brands that command premium pricing. Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis properties—among Marriott’s most coveted redemptions—now swing between roughly 125,000 and 280,000 points per night depending on location and season. Most affected properties fell into the 3% to 8% increase range, but the cumulative effect across the portfolio represents a meaningful devaluation of the Bonvoy currency.

What This Means for Point Value

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The average Marriott Bonvoy point has lost approximately 17% of its purchasing power, dropping from 0.84 cents to roughly 0.7 cents per point in 2026. This means that 100,000 points now translate to approximately $700 in hotel value instead of the previous $840. Independent analysis confirms a median observed value of 0.77 cents per point, placing Marriott substantially behind Hyatt’s average of 1.5 to 1.8 cents per point.

For travelers accustomed to calculating redemption value, the shift is stark. A night at a popular urban property that once cost 80,000 points might now require 85,000 to 90,000 points, forcing members to either extend their earning timeline or adjust their redemption strategy. The devaluation applies across all seasons and geographies, making it a structural change rather than a temporary adjustment.

Premium Properties Hit Hardest

Luxury and lifestyle brands absorbed the most aggressive price increases, with Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis properties leading the adjustment. While these properties can still deliver strong redemption value during high cash-rate periods—approaching 1.0 to 1.2 cents per point—the elevated price floor makes them less accessible for members with modest point balances. This creates a two-tier system where only well-accumulated members can comfortably book flagship luxury properties.

Marriott simultaneously increased the top-off limit for free-night awards to 25,000 additional points as of March 12, 2026, up from 15,000 previously. However, April 2026 data indicates that award pricing has remained relatively stable since this policy change, suggesting the price hikes were part of a broader devaluation trend rather than directly tied to the expanded top-off allowance.

The 5th-Night-Free Lifeline

The primary mechanism for offsetting the devaluation remains the 5th-night-free benefit on bookings of five or more consecutive nights. This benefit effectively provides a 20% discount on total points cost, allowing savvy travelers to push redemption value to 1.0 to 1.4 cents per point on extended stays. For Category 1 through 4 properties, this math works particularly well and remains one of the program’s strongest value propositions.

However, the higher base prices mean that even with the 5th-night-free math applied, the absolute number of points required for a five-night stay at luxury properties has climbed significantly. A five-night redemption at The Athenee Bangkok now requires 148,000 points after the free night, compared to 128,000 points under the previous pricing structure.

Historical Precedent in Loyalty Devaluation

Award price increases are routine in the loyalty industry, but Marriott’s 2026 adjustment stands out for its scale and breadth. The 5% to 10% median increase across the entire portfolio exceeds typical annual adjustments and reflects the company’s confidence in member retention despite the devaluation. Marriott’s eight-category pricing structure, which ranges from 5,000 points off-peak at Category 1 to 100,000 points at peak for Category 8, now features a wider gap between off-peak and peak pricing tiers.

For moderate to heavy travelers staying 10 or more nights annually, Marriott Bonvoy still delivers net annual value of $1,400 to $4,200 after card fees, assuming they maximize the 5th-night-free benefit. This value proposition remains competitive within the hotel loyalty space, though the recent increases compress margins for casual members.

What Frequent Flyers Should Monitor

Members should track whether additional property-level increases occur later in 2026 or whether this represents a one-time adjustment. The timing of these increases—early in the year before peak summer travel—suggests Marriott wanted to reset baseline prices before the high-demand season. Future data releases from loyalty analysts will clarify whether the program’s overall redemption value has stabilized or whether further erosion is planned.

The devaluation underscores the importance of maximizing 5th-night-free benefits on future bookings and reassessing which redemptions still deliver value above 0.7 cents per point. For members contemplating membership or credit card applications, the lower point value now requires higher earning targets to achieve the same number of complimentary nights. Marriott’s move signals a program entering maturity, where volume growth increasingly depends on maintaining member engagement despite reduced purchasing power.