Marriott raises its 2026 room-revenue outlook after a 6.5% Q3: US rooms up 7.4% on higher rates and fuller hotels

If you are pricing a holiday trip, the clearest signal this week is not a fare sale. It is Marriott's third-quarter report, which shows the world's largest hotel company charging more and filling more rooms at the same time. In its earnings release, Marriott said worldwide revenue per available room (RevPAR) rose 6.5% in the quarter, and it raised its full-year RevPAR growth outlook to 4.5% to 5%.

What RevPAR is, and why it matters to a traveler

RevPAR is room revenue divided by rooms available, so it moves with both the nightly rate and the share of rooms filled. Marriott said the 6.5% gain came "on higher ADR and occupancy," meaning average daily rate rose as well as the number of rooms sold. The release does not break out the two figures in the text we read, so we cannot say how much of the 6.5% is price alone. What it does show is that guests did not walk away as rates climbed.

Marriott also said the conflict in the Middle East continued to weigh on that region, though trends "improved meaningfully" from the second quarter.

The strongest market is the one you are most likely to book

US and Canada, at 7.4%, grew faster than every other region Marriott detailed except APEC. Capuano, Marriott's chief executive, described the growth as broad-based across customer segments and chain scales, which means it was not only luxury properties lifting the average.

New York shows how that looks at street level. The New York Post reported Monday, citing hotel-data firm CoStar Group, that the city's average nightly rate hit a record $468.54 in September, with budget hotels averaging $203, up 23% from $164 in September 2019. The Post also quoted Thanksgiving-night prices it found on hotel websites, including $2,912 at the Four Seasons on East 57th Street. We have not independently verified those listings, and a single city is not a national price index, but it matches the direction in Marriott's numbers.

What it costs you

As an illustration only, not a forecast: a 7.4% rise on a $200 room is about $15 a night, or $60 over a four-night stay. That is the average across the whole system and your own dates will differ. Holiday weekends and event dates in big cities run well above the average.

What to do

• Book now for Thanksgiving and December dates in major cities. With occupancy rising alongside rates, there is no sign in this report that last-minute prices will fall.
• Pick a refundable rate where you can. If a price drops later, you can rebook; a prepaid, non-refundable rate locks you in.
• Check outside the core. Marriott said the Middle East conflict is still a drag on that region, but that is a reason to read State Department advisories before booking there, not a promise of bargains.
• Price the full stay. Resort and destination fees are added at checkout at many hotels.

The business side

Marriott earned $794 million in net income, up 9% from $728 million a year earlier, and adjusted EPS of $3.02 against $2.47. Franchise and base management fees rose 13% to $1,341 million, helped by co-branded credit card fees. It added about 20,100 net rooms in the quarter and reported a record development pipeline of more than 634,000 rooms. For the fourth quarter it guided to RevPAR growth of 4.5% to 5.0%, below the Q3 pace, so the company itself is not assuming growth keeps accelerating.

Marriott shares traded at $414.70 at 11:21 AM ET, up 3.86% on the day, according to Nasdaq.com.

For the other half of the trip cost, see our recent coverage of TSA volumes and fares and Delta's smaller Main Cabin.

Sources: Marriott International third-quarter 2026 results, PR Newswire, November 2, 2026; New York Post, November 2, 2026, citing CoStar Group; Nasdaq.com quote data, delayed or real-time as shown. This is market information, not investment advice.