The Guide to Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Status

Odds are you’ve seen a Marriott property or two, even if you never stray too far from home. As the largest hotel chain in the world, Marriott can offer accommodation almost everywhere you go. It also features a relatively robust rewards program, called Marriott Bonvoy, with benefits that can net you perks such as complimentary breakfast, suite upgrades and more.

Let’s take a look at Marriott Platinum elite status, its benefits and how to earn this level of status.

Here's how long you'll hold elite status, based on your existing status (and how you attained it):

Marriott has a total of five published elite status levels; Platinum is the third level you can achieve, after both Silver and Gold status. You’ll find a variety of perks, including:

• 50% bonus on points. Platinum members will earn a 50% bonus on all points earned during Marriott stays.

• Room upgrades. Those with Platinum status are entitled to room upgrades, including suites.

• Welcome amenity. Choose from complimentary breakfast, additional points or other welcome amenities during your stay.

• Executive lounge access. Platinum members receive executive lounge access regardless of the room type they book.

• Late checkout. You’ll receive up to a 4 p.m. checkout as a Platinum member.

• Annual choice benefit. Upon earning 50 elite night credits, Platinum members can choose from a variety of benefits, including:

  • Five suite night awards.

  • 40% off a mattress purchase from Marriott.

  • The ability to gift Silver elite status.

  • A $100 charity donation.

  • Five elite night credits.

• Complimentary Wi-Fi. All Marriott Bonvoy members receive free Wi-Fi.

• Fifth night free. Marriott Bonvoy members are entitled to their fifth night free on all award stays.

» Learn more: Your guide to the Marriott Bonvoy program

Unlike other hotel chains, there is just one way to become a Marriott Platinum elite member: stay 50 nights in a year in a Marriott (not necessarily consecutively). Once you’ve hit 50 nights, you’ll automatically be awarded Platinum status.

You might opt for the traditional, straightforward method of acquiring these credits by spending 50 nights in a Marriott-branded hotel. Luckily, there are other methods to earn elite night credits, so you don't necessarily need to spend that many nights a year in a Marriott bed.

» Learn more: Should you earn Marriott elite status this year?

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, which has a $650 annual fee is the only credit card that gives you complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status. In addition it also gives you 25 elite night credits per year toward even-higher levels of elite status (like Titanium Elite status).

Terms apply.

» Learn more: Best Marriott Bonvoy credit cards right now

If you're not ready to fork over the annual fee on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you can earn elite status through a combination of hotel stays and elite night credits. Marriott has a handful of credit cards that provide 15 nights per year by simply holding the card:

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card.

• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.

• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card.

• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card.

• Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card.

Terms apply.

It’s important to note that for the most part, you cannot stack your elite night credits. This means that if you hold both the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you’ll still only receive 15 elite night credits for the year. Terms apply.

The only exception to this is the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. If you hold both a consumer version and business version of the co-branded credit cards, you’ll receive a total of 30 elite night credits each year towards elite status. Terms apply.

Finally, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card allows you to earn one elite night credit for every $5,000 that you spend.

» Learn more: The best hotel credit cards right now

» Learn more: What to know before joining Marriott Bonvoy

Achieving lifetime Platinum elite status

It’s possible to achieve lifetime Platinum elite status, though it’ll take a while. In order to meet the qualifications for lifetime status, both of these things must be true:

• You must have 600 qualifying nights.

• You must have 10 years of Platinum elite status or higher.

Marriott status match

Marriott isn’t currently offering a public status match to its Bonvoy program, though it’s still possible to gain Marriott Silver status if you’re a United MileagePlus elite member.

If you have United Gold, Platinum or 1K elite status, you can match over to Marriott Bonvoy Gold status without needing to meet a challenge.

How long does Marriott Platinum status last?

Marriott’s elite status is usually valid during the year in which you’ve earned it and the year afterward (though that has changed due to COVID-19 related status extensions). Generally though, if you earn Platinum status in June 2023, you’ll have it for the remainder of 2023 and throughout all of 2024.

» Learn more: Benefits of Marriott Bonvoy credit cards

As the third level of elite status that Marriott offers, you can expect some pretty significant benefits with Marriott Platinum. These include benefits such as late checkout, free breakfast and room upgrades, among others.

While there’s just one way to earn Marriott elite status, you can help ease the path by holding a co-branded Marriott credit card. If you’re a small business owner, you can stack cards to earn an automatic 30 elite night credits each year — getting you more than halfway to the 50 nights required for Platinum status.

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.