--- title: "Blackout dates" description: "Blackout dates are dates when a hotel reward, offer or negotiated rate can't be used. What \"no blackout dates\" means and what to check in a rate deal." canonical: https://engine.com/glossary/blackout-dates updated: 2026-11-02 author: "Engine Editorial" --- # Blackout dates Blackout dates are dates on which a hotel reward, special offer or negotiated rate can't be used. Not to be confused with: a sold-out hotel Updated November 2, 2026 by Engine Editorial ## What are blackout dates? Blackout dates are the days a hotel deal stops applying, whether it's a points redemption or a company's negotiated rate. This cheat sheet covers how to think about them and what to check before you sign a rate agreement. The detail is further down. ### How to think about it - **The deal doesn't apply that day.** The hotel industry generally understands blackout dates as dates on which certain travel rewards or special offers can't be used. - **They live in rate contracts too.** Blackout dates sit next to cancellation rules, last room availability and rate caps in the terms of a corporate hotel rate. - **"No blackout dates" is not a promise of a room.** A UK advertising ruling read the phrase as no dates when reward rooms are entirely unavailable, not a room at every hotel on every date. - **Limited is not none.** Marriott Bonvoy's Limited Blackout Dates policy keeps standard rooms available every day for points, but hotels may limit how many on a limited number of days. ### Before you sign a rate agreement - **Compare event periods.** Put blackout dates and event periods on the proposal comparison checklist, next to rate, inclusions and cancellation windows. - **Ask about last room availability.** It means your rate is available as long as a standard room is for sale, which protects access on busy nights. - **Plan for event spikes.** Negotiating once a year and ignoring seasonality or event spikes is a common mistake that costs money. - **Read the property list.** A program-wide policy can carve out properties. Marriott Bonvoy's rules name properties that do not fully participate in its Limited Blackout Dates policy. ## Blackout dates vs. related terms | Term | What it means | Where you see it | | --- | --- | --- | | Blackout date | A date a reward, special offer or negotiated rate can't be used | Loyalty program rules and corporate rate agreements | | No blackout dates | No date when reward rooms are entirely unavailable, not a guaranteed room every night | Loyalty program marketing | | Limited blackout dates | Standard rooms available every day for points, though hotels may limit them on a limited number of days | Marriott Bonvoy program rules | | Last room availability | Your rate is available as long as a standard room is for sale | Corporate rate contracts | ## Earn hotel points on work stays On Engine, travelers can add a hotel loyalty number to eligible bookings and earn hotel loyalty benefits alongside Engine Rewards. Free to use. [Get started](https://engine.com/sign-up) ## Questions ### What does "no blackout dates" mean? In a 2012 ruling on an IHG ad, the UK Advertising Standards Authority said the claim would be understood to mean there are no dates when reward rooms are entirely unavailable. It does not mean a room will always be available at any hotel on any date. ### Do hotel loyalty programs have blackout dates? It depends on the program's rules. IHG has advertised reward nights with no blackout dates, and Marriott Bonvoy runs a Limited Blackout Dates policy under which hotels may limit points rooms on a limited number of days. ### Can a corporate hotel rate have blackout dates? Yes. Blackout dates are one of the terms to confirm in a corporate rate agreement, along with change and cancellation rules, last room availability and any rate caps. ### Why couldn't I book a reward night with no blackout dates? The program may hold only part of a hotel's rooms for points. IHG told the regulator it required hotels to allocate a percentage of daily room inventory to reward nights, and its terms said rooms may be unavailable during high demand periods. ## Go deeper - [How to get corporate rates for your hotel stays](https://engine.com/blog/hotel-rates) - [Best available rate](https://engine.com/glossary/best-available-rate) - [Peak travel times](https://engine.com/glossary/peak-travel-times) - [Engine hotel loyalty point stacking](https://engine.com/features/loyalty-point-stacking) ## Sources 1. Advertising Standards Authority (UK), "ASA Adjudication on InterContinental Hotels Group plc," https://www.asa.org.uk/rulings/intercontinental-hotels-group-plc-a12-183721.html, accessed November 2, 2026. 2. Marriott International, "Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program Terms & Conditions," https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/terms/default.mi, accessed November 2, 2026. 3. Engine, "Business Tips: How to Get Corporate Rates for Your Hotel Stays," https://engine.com/blog/hotel-rates, accessed November 2, 2026. 4. Engine, "5 of the Best Hotel Chains for Business Stays and Events," https://engine.com/blog/best-hotel-chains, accessed November 2, 2026. 5. Engine, "Hotel Loyalty Point Stacking," https://engine.com/features/loyalty-point-stacking, accessed November 2, 2026.