6 Little-Known Ways to Earn More Marriott Points

Marriott Bonvoy is a behemoth loyalty program with 30 hotel brands where you can earn and redeem points. Whether you travel frequently or just on occasion, there are loads of ways to earn loyalty points for a redemption stay. For example, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card earns as many as 6 points per dollar spent at Marriott properties. Even when you’re not traveling, a Marriott co-branded credit card can help the points pile up rather quickly.

But there are lots of ways you may be leaving Marriott Bonvoy points on the table. Here's how to avoid some common mistakes and get more points from your spending.

These are just some of the earning opportunities that you may have missed in the Marriott loyalty program.

1. Marriott Eat Around Town

Similar to other travel brands with dining programs, Marriott’s Eat Around Town allows you to link your credit cards to the program and earn points when you pay with them at participating restaurants. There are more than 11,000 restaurants in the dining portfolio, and it costs you nothing to be a member.

Marriott elite members earn 6 points per dollar spent, while standard members earn 4 points per dollar spent. These points are on top of any earnings from credit cards that earn bonus points for dining.

You don’t have to use a Marriott co-branded card, either. For example, if you're a Marriott Bonvoy elite member and link the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card, you’d earn 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards® points plus 6x Marriott Bonvoy points. There’s nothing like double-dipping on earning points for the same transaction!

There are occasional promotions, too, like earning 8x points and 1,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after dining 10 times at a place (charges must exceed $30 to earn this frequent diner bonus). It may take a while for the points to add up, but these are free points you're leaving behind by not participating.

» Learn more: The best dining rewards programs

2. Homes & Villas by Marriott International

Marriott is hoping to take a bite out of the home-sharing pie with Homes & Villas by Marriott International. As with a short-term vacation rental company, customers can book homes and villas in a variety of locations, including cities, beach destinations and mountain towns.

Similar to hotel stays, you can redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for a residence. Unlike Marriott’s various hotel categories, Homes & Villas doesn’t have a set redemption range. To know how many points you'll need to book, you'll have to use the search function on the program’s website.

For every dollar you spend, you can earn 5x points. Elite members earn a bonus, based on their tier, with higher point bonuses for higher elite levels. For example, Silver Elite members earn a 10% bonus, whereas Titanium Elite and Ambassador members earn a 75% bonus.

Like at hotels, top elite members also earn a welcome bonus, which ranges from 500 to 1,000 points depending on their status tier. Plus, each night counts toward elite status. You’ll also earn bonus points when using a Marriott co-branded card.

If you're a fan of vacation home rentals, why not use Homes & Villas by Marriott International to earn a few extra points?

» Learn more: What makes Marriott unique?

3. Marriott + Uber and Uber Eats

Be sure to link Marriott and Uber accounts to earn points for ridesharing and food delivery services with Uber. While it's disappointing that rides for UberX don't qualify, higher-category rides do. UberXL, Uber Comfort, Uber SUV and Uber Black earn 3x points.

If you use Uber often, these points offer a little icing on the cake.

Speaking of cake, Uber Eats deliveries qualify for points, too. You’ll earn 2x points on Uber Eats deliveries of $25 or more.

4. Cruise with Points

This online travel agency is affiliated with Marriott and sells cruise vacations similar to what you might find on other travel websites. Depending on the price of your cruise, you can earn 3x points, or 5x points if you book it with a Marriott co-branded credit card.

You can book a variety of cruise destinations on dozens of cruise lines, including Seabourn or Virgin Voyages, through this partnership. If you want to redeem points for a cruise, you can use them to lower the cost of a sailing with a travel credit.

» Learn more: How to earn and redeem points and miles on cruises

5. Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques

Marriott fans looking for holiday gifts can earn some bonus points in the process. Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques sells a variety of hotel-themed gifts, from candles and robes to even larger items, like pillows and mattresses.

Popular options include fragrance diffuser sets, which may particularly excite the Marriott loyalists in your life. For example, Westin is known for its signature white tea scent in public areas, and you can purchase those white tea fragrances at Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques.

Some purchases can even earn you bigger points bonuses. If you buy one of Marriott’s branded mattresses, you can earn 10,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points.

6. Shop Marriott

Travelers who pine for the amenities of a Marriott stay won't need to wait until their next booking to enjoy the comforts of the hotel chain. Head to Shop Marriott for access to Marriott linens, scented candles, pillows and more.

While you're unable to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for a Shop Marriott purchase, you can earn bonus points if you spend on the right credit cards (like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, which earns 6x points on Marriott purchases).

» Learn more: The best hotel credit cards right now

Earn extra Bonvoy points on purchases you're making anyway

By linking your Marriott Bonvoy account or making purchases — often for things you were already buying — you can rack up free Marriott Bonvoy points without ever setting foot in a hotel. Whether you travel often or just occasionally, your next hotel redemption trip could be just a few purchases away.