Travel
Marriott Bonvoy’s Ambassador Elite Status: Is it Worth the Hype?
courtesy of thepointsguy.com
The Lowdown on Ambassador Elite
For guests who spend $23,000 and 100 nights annually with Marriott Bonvoy, you would expect nothing but the best from Ambassador Elite status. Contrary to what you might expect, Ambassador Elite doesn't deliver significant value above Titanium Elite, the tier just below Ambassador Elite.
The Two Exclusive Benefits
There are only two benefits of Ambassador Elite status that Titanium Elite status doesn't provide: Your24 and the dedicated Ambassador Service team.
Your24: Is it Worth It?
If requested and confirmed in advance, Your24 allows you to occupy the room for 24 hours. However, some Ambassador Elite members have reported receiving unappealing rooms when using Your24. In fairness, it's inconvenient for hotels to have guests occupy a room until after working hours. However, who wants a small room next to an elevator or ice machine?
The Missing Perks
In this story, we'll walk you through the benefits we'd like to see from Ambassador Elite status that would differentiate it from Titanium Elite status — and encourage us to maintain our Ambassador Elite status.
Earn More Points
As you can see, every tier jump increases the number of points per dollar you earn on stays. Why is there no increase in point accruals from Titanium Elite status to Ambassador Elite status? It stumps us. Ambassador Elite members should be earning 20 points per dollar.
More Choice Benefits
It baffles us that Marriott offers Choice Benefits each year when you reach its third- and second-highest tiers, but it doesn't offer a third Choice Benefits selection when you reach its highest tier. A generous third set of Choice Benefits for Ambassador Elite members would increase the program's value and help justify the high qualification thresholds.
United Airlines Status Match
Titanium and Ambassador members are offered a status match to the Premier Silver tier in United Airlines' MileagePlus program. Shouldn't Ambassador Elite status go above and beyond what Titanium Elite status offers? That's why we'd like to see Ambassador Elite members receive a status match to Premier Gold, the next United MileagePlus elite status tier above Premier Silver.
courtesy of thepointsguy.com
Access to Ritz-Carlton Club Level
While club access is granted to Marriott Platinum Elite and higher members at most Marriott brands, the Ritz-Carlton club level is exempt from this benefit. We'd like to see Ritz-Carlton club access extended to Ambassador Elite members, particularly given that many Ritz-Carlton clubs are almost always empty.
Double Welcome Gifts
Wouldn't it be nice if Ambassador Elite members could select two welcome gifts? Continued business and loyalty should be generously rewarded.
Is it Worth the Extra Nights and Spending?
Titanium Elite status requires 75 elite nights per year, while Ambassador Elite status requires 100 elite nights per year and $23,000 of qualifying spending. So what's the incentive to stay 25 additional nights and spend $23,000 annually with Marriott? As of now, not much.
The Bottom Line
From additional point-earning opportunities to enhanced benefits, these are the five ways we'd like Marriott to improve its Ambassador Elite program. Without these changes, it's hard to justify the extra nights and spending required for Ambassador Elite status.
Hey there! I’m William Cooper, your go-to guy for all things travel at iMagazineDaily. I’m 39, living the dream in Oshkosh, WI, and I can’t get enough of exploring every corner of this amazing world. I’ve got this awesome gig where I blog about my travel escapades, and let me tell you, it’s never a dull moment! When I’m not busy typing away or editing some cool content, I’m out there in the city, living it up and tasting every crazy delicious thing I can find. Join me on this wild ride of adventures and stories, right here at iMagazineDaily. Trust me, it’s going to be a blast! 🌍✈️🍴
