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Marriott Bonvoy raised Marriott Bonvoy award pricing again in July 2026, and it did so without any advance notice to members. Award rates climbed across the chain’s roughly 10,000 properties, and the increase falls on top of an already dynamic pricing model. If you hold Marriott Bonvoy points, your balance now buys fewer free nights than it did a week ago.
In this article, we break down what changed, share real examples of the higher rates, and explain why hotel points keep losing value over time. We also cover practical steps to protect your points and get more from each redemption. For a broader look at your options, see our guide to the best credit cards.
Marriott quietly increased award prices across most of its brands in early July 2026. Because Marriott uses dynamic pricing, award rates already move with cash prices and demand. However, this change pushed the baseline higher, so the average number of points needed per night rose even at properties that were not sold out. Marriott did not publish a chart or send a notice, so most members only noticed when they went to book.
The practical effect is simple. The same hotel now costs more points than it did before, and the value you get per point drops as a result. According to AwardWallet data, members value Marriott points at about 0.93 cents each. Several of the new rates fall well below that benchmark, which means you are paying more points for less value.
To show the impact in practice, here are two properties where the higher rates land below the average value of a Marriott point. Both examples come from low-season dates, so peak pricing would push them even higher.
At these rates, you spend more points for a redemption that returns less than the cash price justifies. In both cases, paying cash and saving your points for a stronger redemption would deliver better value. This is the core problem with hoarding points in a dynamic program.
Loyalty programs rarely get more generous over time. Instead, they trend toward higher award prices as cash rates rise and as programs chase revenue. Marriott’s dynamic model ties award costs to cash prices, so hotel inflation flows straight into your points balance. In short, points are not immune to inflation, and the longer you hold them, the more devaluation risk you take on.
This increase also affects members who top off Free Night Certificates with points. Marriott lets you add points to bridge the gap between a certificate’s cap and a pricier property. As more hotels move above the old thresholds, that top-off now costs more points than before. As a result, a benefit that once stretched your certificates further has quietly become more expensive.
You cannot stop Marriott from adjusting its award chart. However, you can change how you earn and burn points to limit the damage. Here are the moves that make the biggest difference.
On the other hand, a few habits make devaluations hurt more. Avoid these if you want to keep your points working for you.
If you still value Marriott stays, the right card helps you earn points close to when you spend them and adds annual free night certificates. The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card both hand out a free night certificate each year, which can offset the sting of higher award rates when you use them on pricier properties.
Still, a flexible rewards card often beats a co-branded hotel card in a dynamic program. Points that transfer to several partners let you move value where it works best. Compare your choices in our best Marriott Bonvoy credit cards and best hotel credit cards guides.
Marriott’s latest award increase is a reminder that hotel points lose value over time. The program raised rates with no notice, and several new prices fall below the average value of a Marriott point. That trend is unlikely to reverse, so the smart response is to spend points when you find a stay that beats the cash rate.
Treat your points like a currency that slowly loses purchasing power, because that is exactly what it is. Book high-value redemptions, keep some rewards in flexible programs, and avoid sitting on a huge balance. To stay on top of the latest program changes and card offers, subscribe to our newsletter.
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