I’ve been a long-time status chaser and genuinely enjoy the game. Watching the Elite Night counter move in real time is part of the motivation. It makes the stays feel like progress.

I recently stayed at two different brands during the 2026 promo period and, like many of you, have been refreshing the Bonvoy app like it’s a stock ticker waiting to see the bonus Elite Night Credits post.

Then I read the FAQ.

One bonus Elite Night per brand.
And the bonus nights may not post until up to 6 weeks after the promo ends.

I understand the idea behind encouraging brand exploration. But limiting it to one bonus per brand during the entire promo already makes it restrictive. Adding a delayed posting timeline on top of that just feels unnecessary.

The old promos were simple. Stay X nights, get Y bonus nights. Or pick your favorite brands and camp out for a week or longer. And the bonus ENC would post alongside your earned nights. You could actually see your progress immediately.

Now it’s:

• Stay at a new brand once
• Keep track of which brands you’ve “used”
• Wait until sometime in June or July to see if the bonus nights show up

For those chasing Platinum, Titanium, or Ambassador, real-time progress matters. It’s psychological. It’s motivating! 

Who was the genius that green lit this promo?

Marriott, if you’re lurking, please bring back the old structure that let status seekers camp out at their favorite brands and earn bonuses cleanly and transparently. It worked. It was simple. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Am I missing something here, or does this feel over-engineered compared to what we used to have?


Marriott’s 2026 Promo: One Brand Bonus and Then Wait 6 Weeks? Seriously?