Marriott ends its points advance system

Marriott has finally decided to cut one of its best member benefits after slowly dropping its value over the past few years.

The Points Advance system was a helpful tool for planning a trip securely when you didn’t have the points available. Customers could book a room, then build points to cover it. The booking wouldn’t be canceled as long as enough points appeared in the account two weeks before the stay.

It was perfect for travel hackers who cycle through points regularly and customers anticipating a big intro bonus but hadn’t met the requirement yet. Better still, it allowed broader travel plans to be booked concurrently. Marriott had already stripped its value by removing rate locks. Customers could only book a date, and reward rates could rise or fall depending on availability. 

But on March 27th, the system will officially end. Those who have already booked stays using Points Advance will have their reservations honored, so don’t worry if you’ve got one planned, but anyone else must earn or buy points before booking a room.