Marriott Bonvoy Rewards® Program 2026: Fast Track to Elite Status
The Marriott Bonvoy program can help you score free night awards, room upgrades and unique, on-property benefits that elevate every trip you take. The sheer size of this hotel loyalty program means you can find a property you love nearly anywhere you go, and Marriott Bonvoy rewards are easy to earn through paid hotel stays, credit card spending and other qualifying activities. If you want to earn free hotel nights and enjoy elite status perks along the way, read on to learn about Marriott Bonvoy membership benefits and steps you can take to reach the next tier.
Marriott Bonvoy® quick facts
| How many Marriott Bonvoy points for a free night? | ~10,000-100,000+ points |
| How can I get the fifth night free? | Enjoy a free night when you book five consecutive award nights under one reservation with points |
| Marriott Bonvoy® points value | $0.007 per point* (10,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points are worth around $70) |
| How many hotels does Marriott have? | 9,500+ hotels in 143 countries and territories |
| Marriott Bonvoy rewards levels | Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite, Ambassador Elite |
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Large amount of hotel properties worldwide Wide selection of types of hotels Reasonable starting cost for award nights Points are transferable to airline programs Many ways to earn points, including Marriott credit cards | Points expire after 24 consecutive months of inactivity Higher elite levels can only be earned by staying at Marriott properties (or getting certain co-branded credit cards) Some of the Marriott credit cards are issued by Chase, which are subject to the 5/24 rule Program uses dynamic pricing for awards |
Is Marriott Bonvoy worth it?
Marriott Bonvoy is Marriott International’s global loyalty program. Membership in the program is free, and individuals can earn Marriott Bonvoy points through paid stays with the hotel brand, paid travel through various partners, spending on co-branded Marriott credit cards and more.
→ See LendingTree’s top picks for the best Marriott credit cards
While Marriott Bonvoy rewards aren’t the most valuable hotel loyalty points out there, the benefits of this program include a broad selection of properties to choose from, ease of earning rewards and the automatic perks you get with co-branded Marriott credit cards. The fact that you can transfer several types of flexible rewards to Marriott Bonvoy (including American Express Membership Rewards® and Chase Ultimate Rewards®) makes this program even more versatile for consumers who pursue travel rewards through credit card spending.
How Marriott Bonvoy points work
Marriott Bonvoy rewards work similarly to other hotel loyalty points. You earn points through paid hotel stays, credit card spending and other qualifying activities, and you redeem them for award stays at Marriott properties, room upgrades and other eligible redemptions. We’ll go over all the ways you can earn and redeem Marriott points in the sections below.
You can use your points for free night stays at Marriott properties around the world. When searching for a stay online, enter the destination and date, and select the “Use Points / Awards” option. The number of points needed to book a stay can vary depending on the date, location, hotel brand and room type.
For example — on the low end — we found a stay at a City Express Junior by Marriott Guadalajara Periférico Sur in Guadalajara, Mexico, for 10,500 points per night in February 2026. On the higher end, we found a stay at The St. Regis New York on the same date for 144,000 points.
Let’s take a look at a few other examples of Marriott bookings in early April 2026
First, a booking at the Aloft Miami – Brickell.
The flexible member rate for this room is $298.32 after taxes and fees, or 37,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. This equates to approximately $0.0080 per point — a little bit above our estimated value for Marriott points. This is a strong option, but in some cases, you may be able to get an even higher value.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at a more luxurious night at the W South Beach in Miami, Florida.
This option is a much better value than the previous one. After taxes and fees, this room will cost $1,425 or 92,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night, plus a $85 daily resort fee. In this case, your points will be worth approximately $0.0145 each — well above our estimated value of $0.007 per point. This makes it one of the best candidates for redeeming Bonvoy points.
If you plan on using Marriott Bonvoy points in the future, it’s good to be strategic about how you use them in order to stretch the value of your points.
While this value is low compared with flexible rewards programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards®, which are valued at up to 2 cents each, it’s a very good redemption value for hotel loyalty points. In fact, we value Hilton Honors points and IHG Rewards points at just $0.005 each.
Generally speaking, hotel points are valued lower because they’re so easy to earn. With an abundance of hotel credit cards and opportunities to earn hotel points, this drives down the value of each point.
But when you use Marriott Bonvoy points strategically, you can increase their value.
When you redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for a four-night stay, you will automatically get a fifth consecutive night free at the same hotel (the night that requires the least amount of points among five nights). This is an effective way to earn more travel for the same amount of points. And this promotion works for stays that are multiples of four. An eight-night stay will earn you two free extra nights, or 12 nights will earn you three free nights, and so on.
With this in mind, avoid using points for stays of three nights or fewer. Consider paying cash instead to save your points for a five-night stay.
How to use the Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate
In some cases, you may be awarded a free night certificate from the Marriott Bonvoy brand, although certificates are normally good for stays up to a certain number of points (for example, up to 85,000 points). For example, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card gives cardholders a Free Award Night (worth up to 85,000 points at participating hotels; certain hotels have resort fees) each year after your card renewal month.
To make the most of any certificate, you should strive to use it for properties that offer the most value. For example, you should use a certificate worth up to 85,000 points for a hotel that costs that many points (or at least close to it), and not for a lower-tier hotel that only costs 10,000 to 20,000 points per night.
Also, be aware that you can top off free night certificates with up to 15,000 additional points. This means, if the price of a hotel is out of range of your certificate, you may be able to make up the difference with points. This benefit will be useful since Marriott uses dynamic award pricing, which means the values of different hotels and stays fluctuate based on demand and other factors.
How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points
There are multiple ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. While staying at Marriott properties is the best way to earn points, there are other options for those who travel less frequently.
Marriott credit cards
Marriott Bonvoy has a unique portfolio of credit cards, split evenly between two different issuers: Chase and American Express. These co-branded credit cards are excellent for earning Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases. On top of the base points you earn through your Marriott Bonvoy account for your hotel stays, you will earn additional points by using one of these cards to pay for your stay.
These cards have at times offered generous welcome bonuses, which could be worth up to three free nights or more right off the bat.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Marriott Bonvoy elite status | Annual Fee | Regular APR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card*
|
Silver Elite status | $0 | 19.99% - 28.49% Variable | ||
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card*
|
Silver Elite status with a path to Gold Elite status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year | $95 | 19.49% - 27.99% Variable | ||
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful credit card*
|
Gold Elite status | $250 | 19.99% - 28.49% Variable | ||
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card*
|
Gold Elite status | $250 | 19.49%-28.49% Variable | ||
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card*
|
Platinum Elite status | $650 | 19.49%-28.49% Variable | ||
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card*
|
Gold Elite status | $125 | 19.49% - 28.49% Variable |
Savvy traveler tip
You must book directly with Marriott to earn points and for your status to be recognized. If you book with a third-party travel agency, you will not be able to use the benefits.
You can earn anywhere from 2.5 to 10 points per dollar spent across Marriott Bonvoy hotel brands. Plus, some hotels offer Elite Night credits.
10 points per $1, plus one Elite Night Credit per night stayed:
- EDITION®
- The Ritz-Carlton®
- The Luxury Collection®
- St. Regis®
- W® Hotels
- JW Marriott®
- Marriott Hotels®
- Sheraton®
- Marriott Vacation Club
- Delta Hotels by Marriott®
- Westin®
- Le Meridien®
- Renaissance® Hotels
- Autograph Collection®
- Tribute Portfolio®
- Design Hotels®
- Gaylord Hotels®
- MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy™
- Sonder by Marriott Bonvoy, Hotels
- Courtyard by Marriott®
- Four Points® by Sheraton
- SpringHill Suites by Marriott®
- Fairfield by Marriott®
- AC Hotels by Marriott®
- Aloft®
- Moxy® Hotels
5 points per $1, plus 1 Elite Night Credit for every 1 night stayed:
- Residence Inn by Marriott®
- TownePlace Suites by Marriott®
- Element by Westin®
- Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy
- Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy™
- Sonder by Marriott Bonvoy, Apartments
5 points per $1, plus 1 Elite Night Credit for every two nights per stay:
- Protea Hotels® by Marriott
- City Express by Marriott™
- Four Points Flex by Sheraton™
4 points per $1:
StudioRes™
2.5 points per $1, plus 1 Elite Night Credit for every three nights stayed:
- Marriott Executive Apartments®
When you have Marriott Bonvoy elite status, you also earn bonus points for paid stays with Marriott.
| Status Level | Additional Points Earned |
|---|---|
| Silver Elite | 10% points bonus |
| Gold Elite | 25% points bonus |
| Platinum Elite | 50% points bonus |
| Titanium Elite | 75% points bonus |
| Ambassador Elite | 75% points bonus |
Marriott runs promotions from time to time to encourage customers to book hotel nights. These promotions usually involve awarding bonus Marriott Bonvoy points. For example, recent promotions have offered up to 25,000 points for stays at some resorts.
You can find a list of active promotions on Marriott’s website (you have to be logged into your online account) or by checking the Marriott Bonvoy app. Some promotions are not widely available and may be tailored to individual members. There might not always be active promotions available.
The Eat Around Town by Marriott Bonvoy program lets you earn up to 6,000 bonus points during the first 60 days of joining. To earn bonus points, simply sign up for the program, link a credit or debit card, dine at or order takeout from participating restaurants and pay with your linked card. You can also earn the following rewards on dine-in and takeout orders (including tax and tip):
| Membership Level | Earning rate |
|---|---|
| Eat Around Town members | Up to 4 points per $1 spent |
| Marriott Bonvoy Elite members | 6 points per $1 spent |
Marriott lets you transfer points to other members without any fees, although you can only transfer a maximum of 100,000 points per calendar year. Recipients can only get up to 500,000 Marriott rewards points in a calendar year with this method of accruing points.
Either way, having the option to pool points is excellent for couples who want to earn together toward free stays, or even for family members saving up for a special group trip.
Travel credit cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points let you transfer your rewards to your Marriott Bonvoy account at a 1:1 ratio. Cards eligible for points transfers include:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Sapphire Reserve for Business℠
American Express cards that earn American Express Membership Rewards® points also let you transfer your rewards to your Marriott account at a 1:1 ratio. Here’s a list of the cards that let you earn Membership Rewards points, including some no-annual-fee credit cards:
- American Express Platinum Card® (see rates & fees)
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates & fees)
- American Express® Gold Card (see rates & fees)
- American Express® Business Gold Card (see rates & fees)
- American Express® Green Card
- Business Green Rewards Card from American Express (see rates & fees)
- The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (see rates & fees)
You can also buy Marriott points to add to your balance, in 1,000-point increments. However, this strategy is only recommended if you are short a few thousand points for an award stay, as purchasing points can be expensive.
If you need to purchase points, it’s best to wait until there’s a promotional offer. These occur occasionally and can help you get a better value.
Marriott also offers its own refer-a-friend program that lets you earn bonus points when friends sign up for new memberships and book paid stays. Currently, you can earn the following:
- 2,000 points for each stay your referrals make, with a max of five stays per referral (up to 50,000 points)
Your friends also get to earn points on their end:
- 2,000 points after their first five stays (up to 10,000 points)
You can also earn points for referring friends to a Marriott Bonvoy credit card with Chase:
- 40,000 points for each friend that opens a credit card account (200,000 points per year)
If you are someone who books work or business events regularly, booking with Marriott can pay off. Planners who are Marriott Bonvoy™ members get the chance to earn up to 60,000 points (2 points per $1) for qualifying events booked at participating properties. Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite members can earn up to 105,000 points per event.
Marriott members can earn 500 hotel points each time they rent a car with Hertz. To qualify, you have to supply your Marriott Bonvoy number to Hertz when you pick up the car at the rental counter.
Marriott Cruise with Points lets you earn Marriott points when you book a cruise through their portal. As an example, Marriott recently offered 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar for each cruise you book, plus bonus points on select cruises. You may even be eligible for special offers.
How to use Marriott points
Marriott Bonvoy rewards can be used for award nights and upgrades to a premium room type. However, there are other ways to redeem points outside of hotel stays.
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Book free nights
Redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for free hotel stays at more than 9,500 properties around the world. Award nights can run as low as 10,000 points per night in some cases, or up to 100,000 points per night or more for stays in premium and luxury properties worldwide.
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Marriott Cash + Points
If you’re a little short on a Marriott redemption you want to make, you may also want to consider using a combination of cash and points.
To know if using cash and points is truly worth it, you’ll need to run the math for the hotel stay you want (taxes and fees included) versus the cost in taxes and fees for using the Cash + Points option.
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Marriott Pointsavers
The Marriott Bonvoy Pointsavers program lets members save points on award nights at eligible properties around the world. These lower-priced award nights are only available on select dates and are subject to availability. Marriott Pointsavers can help you stretch your rewards further when you’re able to use them.
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Upgrade rooms with points
The Marriott Bonvoy program also lets you use your points for hotel room upgrades. In many cases, you will be given the option to book a stay with points and then use additional points for an upgrade, like an oceanfront room or a suite.
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Transfer points to airline partners
You can also transfer your Bonvoy rewards to an array of airline partners, although doing so is generally a poor value due to the lower transfer ratios. For example, most transfer partners offer a ratio of 3:1, which means you only get 1 airline mile for every 3 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer.
Since Marriott points are worth approximately 0.7 cents ($0.0070) each, you would need to get at least 2.1 cents in value for each mile for the transfer to be worth it. That means you should usually only transfer points to airline partners if you need to “top up” your account with a few thousand miles for a free trip, or if you’re going to be able to get a very high value per airline mile.
Marriott transfer partners and ratios are as follows:
Airline partner Transfer ratio (Points to miles) AEGEAN Miles+Bonus 3:1 Aer Lingus AerClub 3:1 Aeromexico Club Premier 3:1 Air Canada Aeroplan 3:1 Air China PhoenixMiles 3:1 Air France-KLM Flying Blue 3:1 Air New Zealand Airpoints 200:1 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™ 3:1 American Airlines AAdvantage® 3:1 ANA Mileage Club 3:1 Avianca LifeMiles 3:1 British Airways Executive Club 3:1 Cathay Pacific Asia Miles 3:1 China Southern Airlines Sky Pearl Club 3:1 Copa Airlines ConnectMiles 3:1 Delta SkyMiles® 3:1 Emirates Skywards® 3:1 Etihad Guest 3:1 FRONTIER Miles 3:1 Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club 3:1 Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles® 3:1 Iberia Plus 3:1 InterMiles 3:1 Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank 3:1 LATAM Airlines LATAM Pass 3:1 LATAM Pass Brazil 3:1 Qantas Frequent Flyer 3:1 Qatar Airways Privilege Club 3:1 Saudia Alfursan 3:1 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer® 3:1 Southwest Rapid Rewards® 3:1 TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go 3:1 Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus 3:1 Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles 3:1 United MileagePlus® 3:1 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club 3:1 Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer 3:1 Vueling Club 3:1 -
Use points for travel extras (TSA PreCheck®, cruises, cars)
The Marriott Bonvoy program lets you redeem rewards for some travel extras that are separate from the loyalty program itself. Options include point redemptions for cruises with Marriott as well as a TSA PreCheck® membership. You can also redeem Marriott points for flights and car rentals with more than 250 airlines and car rental companies.
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Redeem for Marriott Bonvoy Moments experiences
Redeem Marriott Bonvoy rewards for special “experiences” that can elevate your vacations or time spent closer to home. Marriott Bonvoy Moments vary and change frequently, but can include special culinary events, meet-and-greets with celebrities or sports stars, concerts, film festivals and more.
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Other Marriott redemption options
If you have a large stash of Marriott Bonvoy points and no opportunities for travel on the horizon, there are other ways to use them. You can:
- Purchase merchandise, such as electronics, fashion and more.
- Donate your points to a list of charitable organizations.
- Redeem your Marriott points for gift cards.
With that said, you should always check the redemption value to ensure you’re getting a good deal.
Marriott Bonvoy hotel brands
When you join the Marriott Bonvoy program, you’ll quickly find that the program’s more than 9,500+ hotels range from quaint to luxurious. At each of Marriott International’s 30+ brands, you can earn Marriott Bonvoy points for your stay. The points you earn can be redeemed for free nights at Marriott properties, for other types of travel or for gift cards.
As you explore the Marriott Bonvoy program and all it has to offer, you should familiarize yourself with the various properties you can book with your points.
Marriott Bonvoy luxury properties offer exquisite experiences in some of the most beautiful and dynamic locations in the world. These properties charge significantly more for award nights, but the splurge can be worth it.
| Brand | # of locations |
|---|---|
| The Ritz-Carlton and Ritz-Carlton Reserve | 132 |
| St. Regis | 69 |
| JW Marriott | 129 |
| W Hotels | 70 |
| EDITION | 33 |
| The Luxury Collection | 133 |
Marriott Bonvoy also offers a range of premium properties that are not quite luxury but much more exclusive than its traditional hotels.
| Brand | # of locations |
|---|---|
| Marriott | 623 |
| Sheraton | 441 |
| The Marriott Vacation Clubs | 102 |
| Delta Hotels | 142 |
| Westin | 250 |
| Le Meridien | 118 |
| Renaissance Hotels | 174 |
| Gaylord Hotels | 6 |
Marriott Bonvoy also considers some hotels as Select. This means they offer upgraded amenities and features with a focus on making the travel experience more comfortable.
| Brand | # of locations |
|---|---|
| Courtyard | 1,372 |
| Four Points | 399 |
| Springhill Suites | 500+ |
| Fairfield | 1,399 |
| Protea Hotels | 64 |
| AC Hotels | 269 |
| Aloft Hotels | 245 |
| Moxy Hotels | 184 |
| City Express | 154 |
| Four Points Flex by Sheraton | 399 |
Marriott Bonvoy properties for longer stays feature roomier suites with features that can help you get comfortable for the long haul.
| Brand | # of locations |
|---|---|
| Residence Inn | 951 |
| TownePlace Suites | 593 |
| Element Hotels | 129 |
| StudioRes | 1 |
| Homes & Villas by Marriott | 2,000+ |
| Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy | 2 |
| Marriott Executive Apartments | 39 |
| Sonder | 37 |
Marriott Bonvoy lists some properties as curated, marking them as special and unique. These properties are located in select destinations around the world.
| Brand | # of locations |
|---|---|
| Autograph Collection Hotels | 349 |
| Tribute Portfolio | 170 |
| Design Hotels | 208 |
| MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy | 7 |
Marriott elite status
Marriott Bonvoy offers five tiers of elite status, some of which you can reach just by having the right credit card. Elite status is a great way for frequent travelers to earn extra benefits while staying at Marriott properties, such as upgraded rooms, points bonuses, late checkout, an in-hotel welcome gift and more. Read on for an overview of Marriott Bonvoy elite status tiers and what they mean.
Becoming a Marriott Bonvoy member is absolutely free, and you get some perks just for signing up. All members with zero to nine paid nights in a year automatically get complimentary in-room Wi-Fi during their stay, exclusive member rates at Marriott properties, mobile hotel check-in and a mobile key.
Marriott Bonvoy membership is for anyone who may stay in Marriott properties occasionally, and up to a few times per year.
Staying with Marriott hotels 10 or more nights per year can help you achieve Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status while enjoying all the perks that come with it. Benefits include all the perks of regular membership, along with 10% bonus points on eligible hotel purchases and priority late checkout.
Note that you can reach this tier of status just by having a hotel credit card like the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card, which has a $0 annual fee.
Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy is more difficult to achieve through paid hotel stays since you must stay a minimum of 25 nights in Marriott hotels within a year. However, you can reach this tier of status automatically with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card.
Gold Elite status perks include everything that comes with Marriott Bonvoy membership and Silver Elite status, except that members earn 25% bonus points on paid hotel stays. Other Gold Elite perks include enhanced room upgrades, 2 p.m. checkout and a welcome gift of points.
Stay at least 50 nights per year in a Marriott hotel, and you can reach Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status. This level of membership can help you earn 50% more points on paid stays with the hotel brand, plus 4 p.m. late checkout, a welcome gift of choice, an annual choice benefit for members with 50 elite night credits, dedicated customer support and lounge access.
If you don’t plan to stay in Marriott properties 50 nights per year or more, you can get automatic Platinum Elite status with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
Reaching the Titanium Elite status tier with the Marriott Bonvoy program requires you to stay in Marriott-branded hotels at least 75 nights per year. That’s a steep requirement to meet, yet members who get there are awarded with a range of premium benefits.
Not only do Titanium Elite members earn 75% more points on paid stays with Marriott, but they get enhanced room upgrades, dedicated customer support, a 48-hour guarantee on all bookings, an annual choice benefit for members with 75 elite night credits, Hertz Five Star status, a welcome gift of choice, automatic United MileagePlus Premier Silver status and more.
Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite membership requires guests to spend at least 100 nights in Marriott hotels per year, or meet a $23,000 USD spending requirement over the same timeline. Since this is such a huge barrier to meet, this tier of status gets the best of the best when it comes to benefits.
Perks that come with Ambassador Elite status include 75% more points on paid hotel stays, dedicated personal service from a hotel ambassador, Your24™ customized service, Hertz President’s Circle status and more. Ambassador Elite members also enjoy all the perks that come with Titanium Elite status.
Marriott Bonvoy promotions and extras
Membership Bonvoy membership benefits can be enhanced by special promotions and extras the program offers from time to time. Here’s an overview of Marriott Bonvoy promotions for 2026 and how to take advantage.
Bonvoy Escapes
Marriott Bonvoy Escapes is a discount program that lets you save on paid stays at participating properties on Wednesday through Sunday during eligible weeks. While Marriott Bonvoy members save 20% through this promotion, non-members only save 15%.
If you’re planning a paid stay with Marriott already, taking advantage of this promotion makes sense. After all, you’ll save money on your hotel stay, and your paid night will count toward requirements for elite status.
Other Limited-Time Promotions
The Marriott Bonvoy program also offers other promotions that change throughout the year. These promotions can help you score big savings in eligible cities or at eligible properties, or earn more bonus points on paid stays with the hotel brand.
Since Marriott Bonvoy promotions change regularly, check the Marriott Offers page for updated information.
Marriott Credit Cards with Status Perks
Marriott Bonvoy credit cards come with a range of perks you can get automatically, and without even having to stay with the hotel brand. These benefits include automatic elite status, a Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate, resort credits, elite night credits and more.
Pros and cons of the Marriott Bonvoy program
While the Marriott Bonvoy program is one of the largest hotel rewards programs in the world, it definitely has its pros and cons. That said, some of the major benefits and drawbacks depend on the type of traveler you are, whether you want to pursue elite status and how you prefer to spend your points. Here are some of the pros and cons of the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program.
Pros
- Choose from over 9,500+ hotels around the world.The Marriott Bonvoy rewards program is one of the better hotel loyalty programs because of its large portfolio of properties. You have more options when it comes to earning points through stays, and more ways to redeem your points when you’re ready.
- Marriott does a great job of “guarding” its elite status levels.There are ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy status, but you can only climb a few tiers without needing to physically stay at its properties consistently. This is great for consumers who travel regularly for business or leisure. The fewer people with elite status, the more valuable it is.
- Points are easy to earn.There are numerous ways to earn points for hotel stays with Marriott. Members earn a base rate of 10X points per dollar on most paid stays, and it’s easy to boost your rewards with a Marriott credit card.
Cons
- Top tier status is difficult to earn.While lower elite status can be reached automatically with a Marriott co-branded credit card, top elite status levels can only be reached with a large number of stays. By contrast, you can score top-tier Hilton Diamond status just by signing up for the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express (enrollment required).
- You may pay resort fees for award stays.For those who enjoy staying in more luxurious properties, Marriott can charge resort fees on award nights. Other large brands, such as Hilton and Hyatt, do not charge such fees on award stays. Resort fees can vary, so keep this in mind for your next booking, and call the hotel or resort to ask what your charges might look like.
- Points can expire.If your account is inactive for 24 consecutive months, you can lose your accrued points. This means you’ll need to keep tabs on your rewards balance over time and make sure you’re earning or redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points more than once every few years.
Frequently asked questions
No. Although you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to Marriott Bonvoy (at a 1:1 ratio), only transfer them when you need to use the points, as you can’t transfer the points back to Chase.
Neither Chase nor American Express publicly disclose their minimum credit score requirements for Marriott co-branded cards. But you’ll generally need to have good credit to qualify. The best way to understand your options is to use prequalification.
Yes, you can join Marriott Bonvoy’s rewards program for free, with instant access to perks like free in-room Wi-Fi, member rates and mobile check-in and services.
Yes, your Marriott Bonvoy points can expire if your account is inactive for 24 consecutive months. However, you can keep your points alive by completing an eligible stay, earning points through qualifying activity, or redeeming any amount of your points.
Yes. Since 2019, Marriott Bonvoy and the Marriott Rewards program have been the same thing.
The information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful credit card, Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card, Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, Sapphire Reserve for Business℠, American Express Platinum Card®, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, American Express® Gold Card, American Express® Business Gold Card, American Express® Green Card, Business Green Rewards Card from American Express, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express and Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
