AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
If you've got top-tier Marriott elite status, check your email. Marriott notified its Ambassador Elite members of the new unique Plus One benefit, which allows them to gift Ambassador Elite status to someone under certain conditions. At this time, Marriott has not said whether this will be a permanent benefit or only available this year.
So, what is this secret-sounding benefit? Here's what we know.
Which Marriott Ambassador Elites Are Eligible for the Plus One Benefit?
The new Plus One benefit is not open to all Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elites. It's only available to exceptional members who exceed the status spending requirements — in grand fashion. To reach Marriott Ambassador Elite status, you must stay 100 nights and spend at least $23,000. To qualify for the Plus One benefit, Ambassador Elite members must have $40,000 in qualifying spending. That's a big amount of spending.
One thing to keep in mind is that you cannot gift status to anyone you like. Instead, this perk is designed to be gifted to a spouse, companion, or significant other. The critical criterion is that they have to reside at the same address as you.
Marriott makes it clear in the email that if fraud is suspected, both accounts will be investigated. If the suspicions are confirmed, both accounts will be canceled. So, be very careful to follow the rules here.
Related: All Hotel Elite Status Match & Fast Track Opportunities
Marriott Ambassador Plus One Benefit Limitations
This benefit sweetens the pot for the top-tier Marriott members who spend the most money with the hotel giant. However, the only major issue is that it is restricted to someone who resides at the same address. We all have loved ones who we do not live with.
Take, for instance, a single person who qualifies. Should they not be able to gift status to one of their parents or siblings? Alternatively, why can’t you gift status to one of your kids who travels for work?
Couple that with the fact that in many cases, if traveling for pleasure, the qualifying member may be traveling with the “loved one” they would have gifted status, greatly diminishing the utility of this benefit.
If you're deciding whether to eclipse the $40,000 spending threshold, consider these limitations before you spend extra.
Related: Do Any Credit Cards Provide Top-Tier Hotel Elite Status?
Our Take
The bottom line is that the new Marriott Plus One benefit is a great perk. However, the number of people taking advantage of it will be very small. On the one hand, it is great for Marriott to add more benefits for its top-tier members who spend huge sums at their properties. On the other hand, the restriction to only someone who lives at the same address is a little stingy.
However, it is good to know this perk exists, especially if you can take advantage of it. Hopefully, this new perk will be a success this year, and Marriott will roll out the benefit as a permanent perk to Ambassador status — or even something similar for lower-tier elites.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.