Advertising Disclosure: Links and credit card offers on this page may earn us a small commission. They never influence what we cover but they do keep the lights on. Learn More
Note: This post was published on May 14, 2025. Card details and benefits may have changed since then.
One extremely interesting quirk since the launch of Marriott Bonvoy has been the one brand exception that does not require (and I know that “require” is a term very loosely followed by actual hotels) Bonvoy Platinum members to be upgraded into a standard suite at the time of check in if available. For Ritz Carlton, you needed to be Titanium or higher.
📰 Want MilesTalk to show up in your Google News? (Yes, you do!).
👉 Click here to add MilesTalk as a trusted news source for all things related to miles, points, and credit card rewards in your Google searches!
While for a loyal RC guest it may have driven them to acquire Titanium over Platinum, it was also very confusing for guests, no doubt leading to a lot of frustration.
So it’s great news that Platinums are now eligible for this benefit.
Two caveats:
- Titaniums and Ambassadors still obviously have upgrade priority. More and more, especially since the addition of Platinum status to the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, I see hotels half full of Platinums and higher. So this doesn’t mean you’ll actually ever GET that suite 😉 And of course despite terms requiring it if available, many hotels skirt the policy and you won’t know what a standard suite is (the app will show suites for sale but it doesn’t mean any are the base level suites which is all that is required by terms).
- You still won’t get lounge access (no elites do) at Ritz Carlton. These are carved out because they are exclusive spaces with significant investment by the property and with a significant upcharge. FWIW, Fairmont does the same exclusion for Platinum members where they have lounge access across Accor, but not at Fairmont, unless you are the top, top Diamond tier.
HT: Loyalty Lobby
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points with $5,000 in spend within 3 months. How to apply for this offer.
Thoughts?
Let me know below in the comments, on Twitter, or in the private MilesTalk Facebook group. And don't forget to follow me on Instagram for all sorts of tips on miles, points, credit cards, and travel.
If this post helped you, please consider sharing it!
You can find credit cards that best match your spending habits and bonus categories at Your Best Credit Cards.
New to all of this? My “introduction to miles and points” book, MilesTalk: Live Your Wildest Travel Dreams Using Miles and Points is available on Amazon and at major booksellers.
