Marriott Bonvoy: How to earn and redeem points, el...

Marriott Bonvoy is a well-liked lodge loyalty program, particularly amongst U.S. vacationers. This system has launched quite a lot of adjustments in recent times, together with increasing award prices with no discover earlier this yr. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to nonetheless get worth while you journey as a Marriott Bonvoy member if you recognize the place to look.

Whether or not you are a loyal Marriott buyer or new to this system, realizing the best way to maximize your Marriott Bonvoy redemptions is necessary. This information supplies all of the important info you want.

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As of March 2025, after this system’s recent devaluation, TPG values Marriott Bonvoy factors at 0.7 cents apiece. Nevertheless, since Marriott makes use of dynamic pricing, you could get extra (or much less) worth, relying on the way you redeem factors.

What are Marriott’s standing ranges?

Marriott presents 5 ranges of elite standing: Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite. Every tier requires a set variety of nights stayed, however some Marriott credit cards can fast-track you to the following standing tier or present standing outright.

It is necessary to notice which you can typically solely get pleasure from elite standing advantages while you book directly with Marriott (versus online travel agencies and credit card travel portals). Nevertheless, there are some platforms the place now you can double dip — like The Edit by Chase Travel.

For an in depth breakdown, try our information to Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

This is a high-level overview of what every degree presents.

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Member

Anybody who registers for a free Bonvoy account can entry the next perks:

• Free normal Wi-Fi
• Discounted member charges
• Cell check-in
• Factors and elite night time credit earned on paid stays
• Fifth night free on award stays

Silver Elite

You may earn Marriott Silver Elite standing after finishing 10 qualifying nights in a calendar yr. Advantages embody:

• A ten% factors incomes bonus on stays and eligible lodge purchases
• Late checkout, based mostly on availability

Gold Elite

You may attain the Gold Elite tier after finishing 25 qualifying nights in a calendar yr. Perks embody all the advantages of Silver Elite standing, plus:

• A 25% factors incomes bonus on stays and eligible lodge purchases
• 2 p.m. late checkout, based mostly on availability
• House-available upgrades to “enhanced rooms” (excluding suites)
• A welcome reward of factors every time you keep
• Reciprocal earnings with Emirates Skywards (earn Skywards miles on Marriott stays and Bonvoy factors on Emirates flights)

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Platinum Elite

Platinum Elite standing requires a minimal of fifty qualifying nights in a calendar yr. This degree presents further advantages past Gold Elite, together with:

• A 50% factors incomes bonus on stays and eligible lodge purchases
• House-available room upgrades (together with choose suites)
• Lounge entry at manufacturers with lounges
• Assured 4 p.m. checkout, topic to availability at resort and conference resorts
• Alternative of a welcome reward throughout every keep (varies by model however usually contains factors, free breakfast or an amenity)
• Entry to a 24-hour devoted help line
• Quick-track to Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 5 Star standing

Upon staying 50 nights, Platinum Elite members can select one Annual Choice Benefit. Choices embody 5 elite night time credit, 5 Nightly Improve Awards, $1,000 off a mattress, a $100 charitable donation and gifting Silver Elite standing to a different member.

Titanium Elite

You may attain Titanium Elite status after finishing 75 qualifying nights in a calendar yr. The advantages are much like these of Platinum Elite, with just a few additions:

• A 75% factors incomes bonus on stays and eligible lodge purchases
• A 48-hour assure for room availability
• Complimentary Hertz 5 Star standing
• United MileagePlus Premier Silver standing by Marriott’s RewardsPlus partnership with United Airways

Titanium Elite members are additionally eligible for a second Annual Alternative Profit choice after finishing 75 nights in a yr.

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Ambassador Elite

Marriott’s high revealed standing tier is Ambassador Elite, which requires staying 100 qualifying nights and spending $23,000 on qualifying Marriott purchases in a calendar yr. Along with Titanium Elite advantages, Ambassador Elite members obtain:

• Devoted Ambassador service that can assist you out with reserving and managing stays
• Select the 24-hour interval you wish to keep (e.g., should you arrive on a ten p.m. flight for a one-night keep, you could possibly try the next night time at 10 p.m.)
• Complimentary Hertz President’s Circle standing

Cobalt program

You will not discover “Cobalt” in any official Marriott Bonvoy promotional supplies, however TPG obtained leaked details about this secret Marriott status level in August 2019. Cobalt standing is so unique that it is reportedly solely accessible by an invite from Marriott Worldwide’s president and CEO.

The advantages are largely the identical as Marriott Ambassador Elite standing however with further touches, similar to a customized observe from the final supervisor, a gathering with the final supervisor and a “distinctive expertise on-property” at luxurious manufacturers.

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Assured advantages

An awesome facet of Marriott Bonvoy is that lots of the elite standing advantages are assured — and should you do not obtain them, you are entitled to compensation. Try Marriott’s “Elite Benefit Guarantees” page to be taught which advantages are assured and the best way to request compensation.

For instance, the “Final Reservation Assure” guarantees elite members as much as $200 and 90,000 Marriott factors — plus lodging at a close-by lodge — for being “walked” from a hotel (the precise numbers differ by model and elite tier).

When does Marriott standing expire?

When you earn Marriott Bonvoy elite standing, it’s legitimate for the remainder of the calendar yr by which you earned it and a further 14 months after that.

For instance, should you earned standing anytime in 2025, you’d get pleasure from advantages by the remainder of this yr, all of 2026 and the primary two months of 2027. Your standing past that interval shall be based mostly in your qualifying exercise through the 2026 calendar yr.

Associated: When does your hotel elite status expire?

How one can earn Marriott Bonvoy factors

There are a number of methods to earn Bonvoy points, from staying at Marriott properties to spending on cobranded bank cards.

Lodge stays

Bonvoy members earn 10 factors per greenback spent on qualifying expenses at most Marriott lodge manufacturers, however there are just a few exceptions. You may earn 5 factors per greenback spent at some manufacturers, together with Ingredient, Protea Motels, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites and Houses & Villas by Marriott, 4 factors per greenback spent at StudioRes properties and solely 2.5 factors per greenback spent at Marriott Govt Flats. See the total record on Marriott’s website.

You’ll be able to increase your incomes charges with elite standing and hotel promotions.

Take into account that you will typically have to guide instantly with Marriott to earn factors for a keep. Stays that do not earn factors embody these booked by on-line journey companies and most bank card journey portals, as a part of an occasion, by a tour operator or as a comped keep. You additionally will not earn factors on stays the place you redeem a free night time certificates or Marriott Bonvoy factors, although eligible on-property purchases ought to earn factors.

Bank card bonuses and spending

There are a number of playing cards you should use to earn Marriott Bonvoy factors. These all earn bonus factors on Marriott purchases, and plenty of of them include further perks like elite standing and annual free night time awards:

Two of those are at present providing helpful elevated welcome bonuses. In case you apply and get authorized for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Categorical Card, you’ll be able to earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. With the Marriott Bonvoy Sensible American Categorical Card, you’ll be able to earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership.

The data for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Organizing occasions

Occasion planners can earn 2 factors per greenback spent, plus relevant elite standing bonuses, for any qualifying event held at a Marriott property. Fundamental members can earn as much as 60,000 factors per occasion, whereas elite members earn extra relying on their tier. You may additionally earn a further elite night time credit score for each 20 room nights you guide as a part of your occasion, as much as 20 elite night time credit per occasion.

Referring mates

Marriott Bonvoy rewards you for referring friends to the program. You’ll be able to refer as much as 5 new members every calendar yr and earn 2,000 factors per keep for as much as 5 of their paid stays inside twelve months of enrollment. Mates you refer additionally earn 2,000 bonus factors per keep for as much as 5 paid stays of their first yr, as much as a most of 10,000 bonus factors.

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Consuming out

Like many lodge manufacturers and airways, Marriott has a dining rewards program that allows you to earn factors while you dine at taking part eating places. The Eat Around Town program offers Marriott elite members 6 factors per greenback spent and nonelite members 4 factors per greenback spent. Moreover, this system will generally provide a welcome bonus to new members.

To begin incomes, register for Eat Round City, join a bank card to your account and pay with the identical card while you dine at taking part eating places.

Factors earned by Eat Round City are along with the rewards you’d in any other case earn on the eating buy, similar to with credit cards, apps like Seated and eating places’ in-house loyalty applications.

Incomes factors with companions

Marriott Bonvoy companions with a handful of applications, permitting members to earn Bonvoy factors on different purchases. These embody:

• Automotive leases: Earn as much as 500 Bonvoy factors per rental at Hertz or 250 factors per rental at Greenback and Thrifty while you guide by Marriott’s automobile rental web page.
• Cruises: Earn 3 factors per greenback spent — or 5 factors per greenback spent while you pay with a Chase Marriott Bonvoy card — on cruises booked by Cruise with Points (as much as 30,000 factors per cruise).
• Starbucks: Marriott launched a partnership with Starbucks in 2024. You’ll be able to link your accounts to earn 100 Bonvoy factors while you make three qualifying Starbucks purchases throughout any Marriott Bonvoy Week.
• Uber and Uber Eats: Link your Marriott and Uber accounts to earn Bonvoy factors on qualifying Uber rides and food orders. Plus, you get automated Marriott Silver Elite standing with an Uber One annual membership.

Shopping for a mattress

In case you did not know, Marriott sells mattresses. It has 15 on-line retailers the place you’ll be able to store for a greater night time’s sleep. If you buy, present your Bonvoy account quantity to earn 10,000 factors per mattress.

Transferring factors from different applications

You’ll be able to switch Bilt Rewards Factors, Chase Ultimate Rewards factors and American Express Membership Rewards factors to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio. In our expertise, factors switch nearly immediately from all these applications. You may also switch Singapore KrisFlyer miles to Marriott Bonvoy at a 2:1 ratio, which may take as much as 4 days.

United MileagePlus elite members can convert as much as 100,000 miles to Marriott Bonvoy factors per calendar yr at a 1:1 ratio. We typically do not advise this as a result of United miles are extra helpful than Marriott factors, per TPG’s March 2025 valuations. Nevertheless, transferring factors to high off your Bonvoy account for a helpful redemption could make sense.

Combining factors with different members

A improbable facet of Marriott Bonvoy is the power to transfer your points to different members, which will help households or mates get nearer to their subsequent free trip. You’ll be able to do this online.

In accordance with Marriott, each accounts have to be in good standing and open for at the least 30 days with qualifying exercise or 90 days with out qualifying exercise. You could switch in 1,000-point increments, with a restrict of six transactions per yr and two transactions per thirty days. You’ll be able to switch as much as 100,000 factors complete out of your account per calendar yr and obtain as much as 500,000 factors per calendar yr.

Elite night time credit, lifetime standing and free night time certificates are nontransferable.

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Shopping for factors

You’ll be able to buy up to 100,000 Bonvoy points annually. The acquisition price is usually $12.50 per 1,000 factors, however Marriott generally runs promotions on buying points that decrease the value. This is not typically one of the best ways to earn factors, nevertheless it would possibly make sense should you’re brief just a few factors for an upcoming redemption.

Incomes miles as an alternative of factors

It is also value noting which you can earn airline miles with choose airline loyalty programs as an alternative of Marriott factors in your lodge stays. Relying on the model, you will earn 1 or 2 miles per greenback spent on qualifying lodge expenses.

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Do Marriott Bonvoy factors expire?

In case your account has no qualifying exercise, your Marriott Bonvoy points will expire after 24 months. You’ll be able to keep away from this by incomes, redeeming or buying factors at the least as soon as each 24 months. Word that gifting, receiving or transferring factors doesn’t preserve your factors lively.

How to redeem Marriott factors

You may sometimes get essentially the most worth out of your Marriott factors while you redeem them for lodge stays or switch them to airline loyalty applications. This is an outline of the varied methods to redeem Marriott factors; see our complete guide to Marriott redemptions for extra info.

Award nights

Since Marriott ditched its award chart in favor of dynamic pricing, award charges at the moment are based mostly on money costs and occupancy ranges (amongst different elements). This implies you will not know precisely how a lot your award keep will price till you go to guide. Fortunately, Marriott’s web site has a helpful calendar characteristic that can assist you see which dates have the bottom costs.

When reserving a typical room, you’ll be able to pay with money, factors or a mixture of cash and points. Moreover, you will obtain the lowest-priced night for free should you redeem factors for 5 or extra consecutive nights due to Marriott’s “Keep for five, Pay for 4” perk.

You may also redeem Marriott points for upgraded rooms. This feature is not accessible at each property, so you will have to seek for award nights and see if upgraded rooms are bookable by way of “Redemption with Money Improve” or “Redemption with Factors Improve.”

When reserving, do not forget about Marriott’s Greatest Price Assure. In case you discover a decrease price elsewhere and submit a claim inside 24 hours of constructing your reservation on Marriott’s web site, Marriott will match that price — and provide you with a 25% low cost or a 5,000-point bonus.

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Marriott Bonvoy Moments

In case you’re in search of a distinct kind of redemption, contemplate exploring the Marriott Bonvoy Moments program. This allows you to money in your factors for distinctive experiences like live performance tickets, culinary occasions and tickets to see your favourite sports activities staff. Packages change recurrently; try the present choices here.

Whereas most Moments are dealt with as auctions, others provide fixed-price redemptions, and a few can be found to a restricted variety of members for just 1 point. It is onerous to peg a price on these, as many aren’t simply replicable utilizing money. How do you place a value on dwelling out your “Fast & Furious” fantasy in Los Angeles?

Room credit, merchandise and reward playing cards

If you do not have sufficient factors to guide a free night time, you’ll be able to take what Marriott calls an “instant redemption.” This lets you redeem your factors for a selected greenback quantity, which acts as a credit score towards your complete room invoice. You may also redeem Marriott factors for merchandise and gift cards.

Nevertheless, the redemption price for all of the above is barely 0.4 cents per level, so this is not the most effective use of your factors.

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Journey redemptions and airline transfers

Marriott has round 40 airline partners; you’ll be able to switch your factors to most of those at a price of three Bonvoy factors to 1 airline mile. Air New Zealand Airpoints is the one exception, with a 200:1 ratio. You may additionally get 5,000 bonus miles for each 60,000 factors you switch to most airline companions (75 bonus miles for Air New Zealand) and 10,000 bonus miles while you switch 60,000 factors to United. Nevertheless, transfers to American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles and Delta SkyMiles are not eligible for the 5,000-mile bonus.

Take into account that transfer times vary by airline.

You may also redeem factors towards cruises by way of Cruise with Points or towards flights and rental automobiles by Marriott’s Air + Car program, however these redemptions have a price of lower than 0.4 cents per level.

Marriott additionally presents a number of cobranded bank cards that can assist you earn elite standing and get free nights quicker. A few of them, just like the Bonvoy Bevy and the Bonvoy Brilliant, are providing enticing elevated welcome bonuses — so now could possibly be a good time so as to add one in every of these to your pockets.