Marriott Bonvoy Guide: How to Earn, Redeem and Maximize Points

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

What’s new with Marriott in 2026?

Free night certificate top-offs expand

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.

Marriott launches partnership with Japan Airlines

On July 14, 2026, Marriott Bonvoy and Japan Airlines (JAL) launched an interesting partnership. With it, Marriott Bonvoy members can receive automatic JAL elite-qualifying "FLY ON Points" simply by linking accounts, alongside comprehensive reciprocal status matches and fast-track challenges.

How much are Marriott Bonvoy points worth?

Based on NerdWallet’s most recent analysis, Marriott Bonvoy points are worth 0.7 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.

Premium brands

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.

• Homes & Villas 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

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.

* 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: Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy® Bonus Points and 1 Free Night Award after you spend $8,000 in purchases on the Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. The Free Night Award has a redemption level up to 50,000 points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Resort fees and terms apply. Offer ends 11/4/26. 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?

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

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 0.7 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.

Link your account to Japan Airlines: Under the new July 2026 JAL partnership, Bonvoy elites automatically receive JAL FLY ON Points (FOPs) simply for linking accounts. Platinum members get 20,000 FOPs, while Titanium and Ambassador members receive 30,000 and 40,000 FOPs, respectively — plus automatic JAL Crystal elite status (oneworld Ruby). This is an incredibly easy shortcut to international airline benefits.

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:

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

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.