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Marriott Bonvoy is a massive hotel loyalty program, spanning 30+ brands and thousands of properties ranging from budget-friendly Fairfield Inn to ultra-luxury Ritz-Carlton.
Despite its size (and perhaps because of it), the Marriott Bonvoy program follows predictable patterns that savvy travelers can use to save money and maximize their points earnings and redemptions. Here's what you need to know.
» Learn more: Things to know before joining Marriott Bonvoy
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What’s new with Marriott in 2026?
As of March 2026, members can top off their Marriott free night certificates with up to 25,000 additional points for eligible stays, up from 15,000. That means they can be applied toward hundreds of additional properties when paying with certificates and points.
The change applies to all free night certificates, including those issued annually on eligible Marriott cards and those earned by certain elite status members through Marriott’s Annual Choice Benefit.
How much are Marriott Bonvoy points worth?
Based on NerdWallet’s most recent analysis, Marriott Bonvoy points are worth 0.8 cent apiece.
That's a meaningful decline from where they stood when we first began tracking them in 2019, and there's no guarantee they'll hold steady going forward. In general, it's wise not to sit on a large stockpile of Bonvoy points for too long.
For context: if you redeem 50,000 points for a free night, you're getting roughly $400 in value at that rate. Whether that's a good deal depends heavily on where and when you're booking — which is why redemption strategy matters.
» Learn more: What are points and miles worth this year?
Marriott brands: Where to stay based on your style
With more than 30 Marriott hotel brands, properties span nearly every price point and travel style.
Luxury brands
Luxury brands offer top-tier experiences and typically carry the highest award redemption costs. This tier includes:
- The Ritz-Carlton.
- St. Regis.
- JW Marriott.
- The Ritz-Carlton Reserve.
- The Luxury Collection.
- W Hotels.
- Edition.
These premium-brand hotels are high-end, but priced lower than the luxury brands. They include:
- Marriott Hotels.
- Sheraton.
- Marriott Vacation Clubs.
- Delta Hotels by Marriott.
- Le Méridien.
- Westin.
- Renaissance Hotels.
- Gaylord Hotels.
Select brands
Select brands are moderately priced with solid amenities and often locally inspired design. They include:
- Courtyard.
- Four Points.
- Four Points Flex by Sheraton.
- SpringHill Suites.
- Protea Hotels.
- Fairfield by Marriott.
- City Express.
- AC Hotels.
- Aloft Hotels.
- Moxy Hotels.
Longer stay brands
Longer-stay brands cater to extended trips with apartment-style amenities like full kitchens and larger living spaces, including:
- Marriott Executive Apartments.
- Residence Inn.
- TownePlace Suites.
- Element Hotels.
- StudioRes.
- Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy.
Collections
Collections are boutique and one-of-a-kind properties, generally ranging from upscale to luxury. These include:
- Autograph Collection.
- Design Hotels.
- Tribute Portfolio.
- MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy.
» Learn more: Marriott brands — what to know
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How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points
1. Stay at Marriott hotels
The base earning rate is 10 points per dollar spent at most Marriott properties. Some budget and extended stay brands — including Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites and Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy — offer slightly lower rates.
Bonvoy elite status holders earn additional points on top of this base rate:
- Silver members earn 10% more.
- Gold members earn 25% more.
- Platinum members earn 50% more.
- Titanium and Ambassador members earn 75% more.
2. Use a Marriott credit card
The Marriott credit card portfolio includes a half-dozen consumer and business cards issued by Chase and American Express.
Personal Marriott cards
Annual fee
$0.
$95.
$250.
$650.
Rewards
• 3 Marriott Bonvoy® points per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
• 2 points per $1 on grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming and internet, cable and phone services.
• 1 point per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
• 6 Marriott Bonvoy® points per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
• 3 points per $1 on up to $6,000 a year in combined purchases on grocery stores, gas stations and dining.
• 2 points per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
• 6 Marriott Bonvoy® points per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
• 4 points per $1 on up to $15,000 a year in combined purchases at grocery stores and on dining.
• 2 points per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
• 6 Marriott Bonvoy® points per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
• 3 points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines.
• 2 points per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
Terms apply.
Other benefits
• 5 Elite Night Credits annually.
• Automatic Silver Elite Status.
• Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
• 15 Elite Night Credits annually, qualifying you for Silver Elite status, plus path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
• 1 Elite Night Credit toward Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
• Free Night Award (valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $15,000 in a calendar year.
• Gold status, plus 15 Elite Night credits each year toward Platinum Elite status.
• 1,000 points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott Bonvoy at participating properties. Terms apply.
• Free Night Award (valued up to 85,000 points) every year after your account renewal month.
• Platinum status and 25 Elite Night credits per year.
• Fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
• Priority Pass Select lounge membership (enrollment required).
• Up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide.
• Terms apply.
New cardholder offer
Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.
Earn 3 Free Night Awards after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of account opening, and an additional 1 Free Night Award after spending $4,000 total on eligible purchases within 4 months of account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. Redeem your Free Night Awards for a one-night stay at properties with a redemption level up to 50,000 points per night, a total value of 200,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.
Earn 85,000 Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.
Earn 200,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 5/13/2026. Terms Apply.
Learn more
* Rewards earned by using one of these cards at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels come on top of the points you earn for being a member of the Bonvoy loyalty program. Taken together, paying with a Marriott card at a Marriott location can earn 14-17 points per dollar spent.
** There are two Marriott Bonvoy cards with substantially the same benefits but they come from different issuers. The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card, described above, is from Chase. Its near-twin is the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card, which you can read about here.
To view rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, see this page.
Business Marriott cards
Marriott offers a single small-business card, the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, which currently features this welcome offer: Earn 3 Free Night Awards after you spend $6,000 in purchases and an extra 2 Free Night Awards after you spend an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms apply.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card also offers:
- 6x points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
- 4x points at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
- 2x points on all other eligible purchases.
- 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary.
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.
It carries an annual fee of $125. Terms apply.
» Learn more: Which Marriott Bonvoy credit card should I choose?
🤓 Nerdy Tip
If you have multiple personal Marriott credit cards, the elite night credits don't stack on top of each other. However, if you have a Marriott business credit card, those nights stack on top of personal cards. For example, if you have the Boundless card and the Business card, you’ll receive 30 elite night credits every year. 3. Dine through Eat Around Town
Marriott's Eat Around Town program lets you earn bonus Bonvoy points at eligible restaurants by linking any debit or credit card — no Marriott card required. Points earned this way are on top of whatever your card normally earns.
4. Host events at Marriott
Planning a corporate meeting or private event at a Marriott property earns members 2 points per dollar spent up to 60,000 points, plus one elite night credit for every 20 room nights booked. With elite status, you’ll earn points at a faster rate — with a higher earnings cap, too.
5. Refer friends to join Marriott Bonvoy
Refer up to five friends to Marriott Bonvoy per calendar year, and both you and each new member earn 2,000 bonus points per stay for their first five stays — up to 10,000 points for them, or up to 50,000 points annually for you.
6. Earn through Marriott cruise, rental car and shopping partners
Cruises: You'll earn 3x Bonvoy points when you book a cruise through Marriott's cruise partner program, called Cruise with Points. Chase Marriott Bonvoy card members receive an extra 2x points.
Rental cars: Bonvoy members earn 500 points when they rent a car with Hertz or 250 points with Dollar or Thrifty. Elite status members earn additional bonus points.
7. Transfer credit card points
Marriott is a transfer partner for Chase Ultimate Rewards® and American Express Membership Rewards, meaning these points can be converted to Marriott points. That said, this is generally not the best use of those highly flexible currencies. Consider it only if you have a specific high-value Bonvoy redemption in mind. Terms apply.
For more ideas, see our complete guide to earning Marriott points.
» Learn more: The complete guide to earning Marriott Bonvoy points
🤓 Nerdy Tip
Marriott Bonvoy points expire if there is no qualifying activity in your Marriott account within 24 months. Qualifying activity includes making a purchase on a Marriott credit card, earning points by staying at a hotel, earning points through a Marriott Bonvoy partner, redeeming points or purchasing points. Should you ever purchase Marriott points?
You can purchase Marriott Bonvoy points in increments of 1,000 for $12.50, which means points cost 1.25 cents. Considering we value Marriott points at 0.8 cent, this generally isn't a good deal, but it can make sense if there’s a limited-time sale or if you've found a sweet-spot redemption.
» Learn more: 4 times it makes sense to buy points
How to get the best value at Marriott
Book direct and use the Best Rate Guarantee. If you find a lower cash rate within 24 hours of booking directly with Marriott, the program will match the price and apply an additional 25% discount to the room rate (or 20% for Design Hotels). Alternatively, you can opt for 5,000 bonus points instead of the discount.
Plan around five-night redemptions: Marriott’s fifth-night-free benefit rewards longer stays with points. If you can structure trips to hit five consecutive nights at the same property, you're getting a meaningful bonus on top of your redemption.
Aim for aspirational redemptions. The best Bonvoy value tends to come from booking high-end properties you'd never pay cash for. A Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Bali or a Luxury Collection property in a big city can deliver exceptional value per point when cash rates are high and award rates are relatively lower.
Receive elite status with the right card. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card grants Platinum status automatically, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card grants Gold, and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card grants Silver — all without a single hotel stay. If you travel just occasionally, a card-linked status upgrade can unlock meaningful perks like lounge access and room upgrades without requiring heavy annual travel.
Time transfers carefully. If you're considering transferring points to an airline, watch for limited-time transfer bonuses that occasionally pop up. These can meaningfully improve the otherwise unfavorable Bonvoy-to-miles conversion rate. NerdWallet tracks the best transfer offers.
» Learn more: Five ways to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points
Marriott Bonvoy elite status
Marriott Bonvoy has five elite status levels: Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador. We have a deeper dive into Marriott Bonvoy elite status, but below is a quick look at how those status levels compare:
| Silver Elite | Gold Elite | Platinum Elite | Titanium Elite | Ambassador Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points earning bonus | ||||
| 10%. | 25%. | 50%. | 75%. | 75%. |
| Late checkout | ||||
| When available (time unspecified). | 2 p.m. (when available). | 4 p.m. (guaranteed). | 4 p.m. (guaranteed). | 4 p.m. (guaranteed). |
| Room upgrades | ||||
| None. | When available, no suites. | When available, including suites. | When available, including suites. | When available, including suites. |
| Check-in gift | ||||
| None. | Points. | Points, breakfast, or welcome amenity. | Points, breakfast, or welcome amenity. | Points, breakfast, or welcome amenity. |
| Lounge access | ||||
| None. | None. | Yes. | Yes. | Yes. |
| Annual choice benefit | ||||
| None. | None. | At 50 stays. | At 50 stays and 75 stays. | At 50 stays and 75 stays. |
| Ambassador service + Your24 | ||||
| None. | None. | None. | None. | Yes. |
Lifetime elite status
Members who hold status long enough can earn it permanently. Here's how to earn it:
- Silver. Five years of Silver elite status and 250 lifetime nights.
- Gold. Seven years of Gold elite status and 400 lifetime nights.
- Platinum. Ten years of Platinum elite status and 600 lifetime nights.
Credit card elite night credits count toward annual status thresholds, but you'll still need the lifetime night totals (which require real hotel stays).
» Learn more: How to get Marriott Lifetime status
Marriott Annual Choice Benefit
Members who hit 50 elite nights unlock an Annual Choice Benefit, which allows you to pick one of the following benefits:
- Five Nightly Upgrade Awards to use for upgrades to premium rooms and suites.
- Save $1,000 on the purchase of a bed from any Marriott brand.
- Gift Silver elite status to a family member or friend.
- Donate $100 to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) or the Arne M. Sorenson Hospitality Fund.
- Five Elite Night Credits to help you reach the next elite status level.
Titanium elites can choose from two additional perks:
- One Free Night Award worth 40,000 Marriott points.
- Gift Gold Elite Status to a family member or friend.
Members unlock another Annual Choice Benefit after hitting 75 nights.
» Learn more: Titanium vs. Platinum elite status
To view rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, see this page.
To view rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, see this page.
Information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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