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Welcome to Smart With Points, the podcast that helps you navigate the world of travel rewards and airline miles. I'm your host Jack, and today I've got some news about Marriott's latest promotion that might just add a little extra value to your hotel stays. It's not going to revolutionise your travel plans, but if you've got some Marriott bookings coming up, you'll definitely want to stick around for this one. So grab your coffee, settle in, and let's dive into Marriott Bonvoy's newest offering that could net you some bonus points with minimal effort. Marriott Bonvoy has just launched their second, and likely final, global promotion for two thousand and twenty-five. They're calling it the 'Celebrate two thousand and twenty-five' promotion, and it's offering members the chance to earn two thousand and twenty-five bonus points per eligible stay. Now, before you get too excited, let me give you the full breakdown. Here's what you need to know about this promotion. You can earn two thousand and twenty-five bonus Marriott Bonvoy points per eligible stay, but there's a maximum of three stays that qualify, which means you're looking at a total of six thousand and seventy-five bonus points at standard properties. Now, here's where it gets a bit more interesting. If you're willing to venture into the great outdoors, the bonus increases to four thousand and twenty-five points per stay at Marriott Bonvoy Outdoors properties. These include the Postcard Cabins and Trailborn brands. If all three of your stays are at these outdoor properties, you could earn up to twelve thousand and seventy-five bonus points in total. The promotion is valid for stays between the twenty-eighth of October two thousand and twenty-five and the tenth of January two thousand and twenty-six. You need to register by the twenty-seventh of December two thousand and twenty-five, and importantly, only paid stays qualify. Award stays and Cash plus Points bookings are excluded from this offer. Now, let's be completely honest about whether this is actually worth it. This isn't the most generous promotion Marriott has ever run. If we value Bonvoy points at around zero point seven pence each, which is fairly standard in the points and miles community, we're looking at roughly fourteen pounds per stay at standard properties, or twenty-eight pounds per stay at Outdoors properties. The real value really comes down to your stay patterns. If you're planning short, relatively inexpensive weekend breaks, this could work out to a decent return. For example, a two-night stay at one hundred pounds per night with this bonus would effectively give you about seven percent back in points, on top of your regular earnings. It's not earth-shattering, but it's certainly better than nothing. The three-stay cap is frustratingly low though. I suspect Marriott is being cautious about their promotion spend after what's been a challenging year for hotel loyalty programmes across the board. Now, let's talk about the outdoors angle. The additional two thousand points for stays at Marriott Bonvoy Outdoors properties is genuinely intriguing. These are Marriott's newer lifestyle brands aimed at outdoor enthusiasts, and they're actually quite different from your typical Marriott property. If you were already considering a cabin getaway or outdoor adventure this winter, timing it to fall within the promotion period could net you an extra twenty-eight pounds worth of points per stay. That's not insignificant, particularly if you're combining it with elite status bonuses and credit card earning. So how can you maximise your earnings from this promotion? First, make sure you're using a Marriott co-branded credit card for payment. In the UK, we don't have access to the same range of Marriott cards as our American cousins, but the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card can earn you additional points on top of your stay earnings. Second, if you're close to hitting a status milestone, consider whether these three stays could push you over the edge. The combination of elite night credits plus the bonus points might just be enough to justify booking directly with Marriott rather than through other channels. Third, remember that a 'stay' is defined as one or more consecutive nights at a single participating property, where you personally register, pay for, and stay in the guest room. This means that multiple bookings for consecutive nights at the same hotel are counted as a single stay, not as separate stays. If you're planning a longer trip, breaking it up across different Marriott properties, if feasible, could allow you to claim multiple bonuses instead of just one. My take on this promotion? Register, but don't go out of your way. This promotion falls firmly into the 'nice to have' rather than 'game-changing' category. I've already registered - it takes about thirty seconds - but I'm not restructuring my travel plans around it. That said, if you've got Marriott stays already booked for the next few months, you'd be leaving money on the table by not registering. The fact that it applies to existing bookings, as long as you register before your stay, makes this a no-brainer for anyone with upcoming Marriott reservations. Registration is straightforward, but Marriott's systems can be temperamental. If you're having issues with the registration link, try logging into your Marriott Bonvoy account and navigating to the 'Promotions' tab instead. Alternatively, switch browsers or use the Marriott Bonvoy mobile app. Remember, you must register before your first eligible stay, and registration closes on the twenty-seventh of December two thousand and twenty-five. Don't leave it until the last minute - set a reminder now if you're prone to forgetting these things. Let's look at the bigger picture here. This promotion is Marriott's second global offer of two thousand and twenty-five, following their spring double elite nights promotion. It's worth noting that we typically only see one or two major Marriott promotions per year these days, which is a far cry from the frequent offers we saw a few years ago. The hotel loyalty landscape has shifted significantly. With occupancy rates remaining strong across most markets, hotel chains have less incentive to offer aggressive promotions. We're in an era where we need to be grateful for whatever bonuses come our way, rather than expecting the generous offers of the past. That said, there's still value to be extracted from hotel loyalty programmes if you're strategic about it. Combining promotions like this with status benefits, credit card bonuses, and smart redemption strategies can still result in significant value - you just need to work a bit harder for it than you used to. So, my final thoughts? Is this promotion going to change your life? Absolutely not. Will it add a nice little bonus to your existing Marriott stays? Absolutely yes. My advice: register now, then forget about it until you're actually booking a Marriott stay. Don't let the promotion dictate your travel decisions, but do let it enhance the value of trips you were planning anyway. That's all for today's episode of Smart With Points. Thanks so much for listening. If you found this useful, please make sure to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also subscribe on our website at smartwithpoints.co.uk. Looking for the best award flights? Use AwardTravelFinder.com to search availability across Qatar Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and more. Try it for free with our link in the shownotes.