Marriott Bonvoy is a well-liked lodge loyalty program, particularly amongst U.S. vacationers. This system has modified considerably through the years, together with Marriott’s elimination of award charts in early 2022. However, there’s nonetheless loads of worth within the Marriott Bonvoy program.
Whether or not you’re a long-term Marriott loyalist or new to this system, you need to know methods to get probably the most worth out of your Marriott Bonvoy redemptions. On this information, I’ll arm you with all the mandatory info.
Elite standing
Earlier than we get into incomes and redeeming factors, let’s begin by taking a look at Marriott’s elite standing advantages.
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Marriott presents 5 printed ranges of elite standing: Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite. You’ll sometimes attain every degree by finishing qualifying nights. However choose Marriott bank cards present computerized standing and elite night time credit that you should utilize towards assembly the qualifying night time necessities for every standing. Specifically, you’ll be able to earn as much as 30 elite nights per 12 months with Marriott bank cards.
Word that you will get entry to those advantages while you e-book instantly with Marriott. Usually, you may miss out on elite standing advantages if you happen to e-book by Expedia, Resorts.com or one other on-line journey company, even if you happen to add your Marriott Bonvoy quantity to your reservation.
You will get a whole breakdown of the advantages of every standing degree in TPG’s valuation of Marriott Bonvoy’s elite standing, however I’ll present a high-level overview under.
Member
By signing up and changing into a Marriott Bonvoy Member, you’ll get free customary Wi-Fi, entry to member charges and cell check-in. You’ll earn factors you can redeem without spending a dime nights or different redemptions. So, even if you happen to don’t suppose you’ll earn Marriott elite standing, you’ll a minimum of need to join the Bonvoy program.
Silver Elite
You’ll earn Marriott Silver Elite standing after finishing 10 qualifying nights in a calendar 12 months. Silver Elite advantages embrace a ten% level bonus on stays and late checkout, primarily based on availability.
You’ll robotically get Silver Elite standing as a cardholder of the next cobranded Marriott bank cards:
You may earn Lifetime Silver Elite by accumulating 250 lifetime nights and incomes Marriott Silver Elite standing or larger for a minimum of 5 years.
Gold Elite
You’ll earn Marriott Gold Elite after finishing 25 qualifying nights in a calendar 12 months.
Along with Silver Elite perks, Gold Elites obtain enhanced web entry, a 25% level bonus on stays, 2 p.m. late checkout primarily based on availability, upgrades to an “enhanced room” (excluding suites) primarily based on availability and a welcome present of factors every time you keep.
Cardholders of the next playing cards get Marriott Gold Elite standing as a perk of their card (enrollment is required for some):
The data for the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit score Card and Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Card have been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Members will obtain Lifetime Gold Elite standing as soon as they earn 400 lifetime nights and have held Gold Elite standing or larger for seven years.
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Platinum Elite
After finishing 50 qualifying nights in a calendar 12 months, you may earn Marriott Platinum Elite standing.
Along with Gold Elite advantages, Platinum Elite members obtain a 50% level bonus on stays, space-available room upgrades (together with choose suites), lounge entry, assured 4 p.m. checkout (topic to availability at resort and conference lodges) and a welcome present selection every time you keep.
Welcome present decisions differ by model however typically embrace a selection of factors, an amenity or breakfast. For Platinum Elites, breakfast is included or obtainable as a welcome present at most manufacturers. Breakfast is often supplied within the lounge or on-site restaurant, though some properties supply a room service credit score as a substitute.
From expertise, I like to recommend bookmarking TPG’s full information to Marriott elite breakfast advantages so you’ll be able to confer with it earlier than check-in.
Platinum Elite members can select from one Annual Reward Selection after incomes 50 nights: 5 Suite Evening Awards, the chance to present Silver Elite standing, 40% off a mattress, 5 Elite Evening Credit or a $100 charitable donation. Until you finish the 12 months with 70-74 nights or want a brand new mattress, I like to recommend selecting the Suite Evening Awards.
You will have Platinum Elite standing in case you have the Marriott Bonvoy Sensible™ American Specific® Card. Alternatively, cardholders of The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit score Card (not open to new candidates) and Marriott Bonvoy Enterprise® American Specific® Card can spend $75,000 on purchases throughout their account anniversary 12 months to get a standing improve from Gold Elite to Platinum Elite.
To lock in Lifetime Platinum Elite standing, you’ll must accumulate 600 lifetime nights and 10 or extra years as a Platinum Elite or larger.
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Titanium Elite
You’ll earn Titanium Elite standing after finishing 75 qualifying nights in a calendar 12 months.
Titanium Elite advantages are much like Platinum Elite advantages, with just a few additions: a 75% level bonus on stays, 48-hour assured availability and United MileagePlus Silver standing by Marriott’s RewardsPlus partnership with United.
Titanium Elite members are additionally eligible for a second Annual Selection Profit after finishing 75 nights in a 12 months. Along with the choices Platinum elites obtain, Titanium members can select a free night time award value as much as 40,000 factors or present Gold Elite standing. This free night time award or 5 Suite Evening Awards are my high decisions.
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Ambassador Elite
Marriott’s high printed elite standing tier is Ambassador Elite. Successfully an enhanced model of Titanium Elite, Ambassador Elite standing is earned after accumulating 100 qualifying nights in a calendar 12 months and reaching $20,000 in qualifying Marriott spending.
As with Titanium Elite, Ambassador Elite members take pleasure in complimentary United Silver Silver standing by RewardsPlus.
Ambassador Elite members get all Titanium Elite advantages, plus Ambassador service that can assist you out with reserving and managing stays. You additionally get entry to the Your24 profit that allows you to select your 24-hour check-in and checkout time. So if you happen to arrive on a late 10 p.m. flight for a one-night keep, you would try the next night time at 10 p.m.
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Cobalt program
You gained’t discover any mentions of “Cobalt” in any official Marriott Bonvoy promotional materials. However TPG acquired leaked info in Aug. 2019 about this secret invitation-only Marriott standing. This elite degree is so unique that it’s solely obtainable by an invite from Marriott Worldwide’s president and CEO.
The advantages are largely that of Marriott Ambassador Elite, however with further touches akin to a customized notice from the Normal Supervisor, a gathering with the GM and a “distinctive expertise on-property” at luxurious manufacturers.
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Assured advantages
An important side of Marriott Bonvoy is that most of the advantages are assured. For instance, the “Final Reservation Assure” guarantees elite members as much as $200 and 90,000 Marriott factors — plus lodging at a close-by lodge — for being “walked” from a Marriott lodge.
Marriott has charts itemizing your compensation if you happen to don’t obtain what you’re entitled to.
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Methods to earn Marriott factors
There are a number of methods to earn Marriott Bonvoy factors, from staying at Marriott properties to spending on bank cards. For the total scoop, try our information on the finest methods to earn Marriott factors, however right here’s a abstract.
Resort stays
Marriott Members earn 10 factors per greenback spent on qualifying fees for stays at most Marriott lodge manufacturers.
There are just a few exceptions to that common rule, although. For instance, you’ll earn 5 Marriott factors per greenback on qualifying fees at Factor, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites and Properties & Villas by Marriott. In the meantime, you’ll earn 2.5 Marriott factors per greenback spent on qualifying room charges at Marriott Govt Flats.
Elite standing and present lodge promotions can increase your incomes charges too. For instance, throughout a three-night keep as a Platinum Elite, I as soon as earned 16,375 Marriott factors — value $131 at TPG valuations — on a $270 4 Factors keep:
- 2,250 factors from base earnings ($225 qualifying spend x 10 factors per greenback spent).
- 1,125 factors as an elite bonus (50% bonus as a Platinum Elite).
- 500 factors as a welcome present.
- 12,000 factors as a bonus for finishing 5 stays by the now-expired Unlock Extra promotion.
- 500 factors for declining housekeeping for 2 days.
Nevertheless, you’ll must e-book instantly with Marriott to earn factors for a keep. Stays that don’t earn factors embrace rooms booked by on-line journey businesses (like Expedia, Resorts.com and Priceline), as a part of an occasion, by a tour operator or as a comped keep.
Associated: How a lot worth does Marriott standing present while you e-book direct?
Bank card bonuses and spending
There are a number of playing cards you should utilize to earn Marriott Bonvoy factors, however six can be found to new candidates — three from American Specific and three from Chase:
The Marriott Bonvoy Sensible American Specific Card is among the extra interesting private Marriott cobranded playing cards obtainable by Amex. This card presently presents a welcome bonus of 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after you employ your new card to make $5,000 in eligible purchases throughout the first three months of card membership.
The Marriott Bonvoy Sensible Amex has a hefty $650 annual payment (see charges and costs) however comes filled with advantages — maybe most notably an annual 85,000-point certificates. Plus, you’ll earn 6 factors per greenback spent on eligible purchases at lodges taking part within the Marriott Bonvoy program, 3 factors per greenback spent at U.S. eating places and on flights booked instantly with airways and a couple of factors per greenback spent on all different eligible purchases.
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Enterprise homeowners can apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Enterprise American Specific Card, which presently presents a welcome bonus of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after you employ your new card to make $4,000 in eligible purchases throughout the first three months of card membership. This card has a $125 annual payment (see charges and costs), however it makes up for that payment with an as much as 35,000-point certificates awarded every year after your card renewal month.
Plus, you’ll earn 6 factors per greenback spent at lodges taking part within the Marriott Bonvoy program, 4 factors per greenback spent at U.S. eating places, fuel stations, delivery suppliers and wi-fi cellphone providers bought instantly from service suppliers and a couple of factors per greenback spent on all different eligible purchases.
Associated: Marriott Bonvoy Enterprise Amex bank card assessment
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex card is the latest addition to Marriott’s suite of cobranded bank cards; nevertheless, with a $250 annual payment (see charges and costs), we’d have preferred to have seen some extra beneficiant advantages. As with the 2 beforehand talked about Amex playing cards, you may earn 6 factors per greenback on eligible purchases at lodges taking part within the Marriott Bonvoy program. You additionally earn 4 factors per greenback at eating places worldwide, together with takeout and supply within the U.S. and U.S. Supermarkets (on as much as $15,000 in mixed purchases at eating places and supermarkets, then 2 factors per greenback) and a couple of factors per greenback spent on all different purchases.
Bevy card members additionally obtain 1,000 bonus factors for every Marriott keep booked instantly with Marriott Bonvoy. Sadly, the 50,000-point annual free night time certificates solely kicks in when you spend $15,000 on the cardboard inside a calendar 12 months. The Bevy card has a welcome supply of 125,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 in purchases throughout the first three months of card membership.
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Chase’s Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit score Card is presently providing a 100,000-point sign-up bonus after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. This card comes with perks like computerized Silver Elite standing and the flexibility to earn one elite night time credit score for each $5,000 you spend.
The Bonvoy Boundless Card additionally earns 6 factors per greenback spent at lodges taking part in Marriott Bonvoy, 3 factors per greenback on the primary $6,000 spent in mixed purchases every year on fuel stations, grocery shops and eating and a couple of factors per greenback on all different purchases. You’ll additionally get one free night time award yearly after your account anniversary, legitimate for a one-night lodge keep at a property with a redemption worth of as much as 35,000 factors.
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Chase presents the Marriott Bonvoy Daring Credit score Card for these in search of a no-annual-fee bank card. Regardless of the cardboard not having an annual payment, you’ll earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $2,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. This card additionally presents 15 elite night time credit every year.
However, you’ll solely earn 3 factors per greenback spent at lodges taking part in Marriott Bonvoy (half the speed of different Bonvoy bank cards), 2 factors per greenback spent on different journey purchases and 1 level per greenback spent on the whole lot else.
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Organizing occasions
Occasion planners will earn two factors per greenback spent for any qualifying occasion held at a Marriott property, with a most base incomes of 60,000 factors per occasion. Nevertheless, Marriott elite members get a bonus on these base earnings and have the next most variety of factors they will earn per occasion.
You’ll earn a further elite night time credit score for each 20 rooms you e-book as a part of your occasion, as much as 20 elite night time credit per occasion.
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Refer associates
Marriott Bonvoy will reward you for referring associates to this system. You may refer as much as 5 new members every calendar 12 months and earn 2,000 factors for as much as 5 of their paid stays.
If all 5 of your referred associates full a minimum of 5 stays, you’ll earn 50,000 bonus factors a 12 months. The buddies you refer will earn 2,000 bonus factors for every of their first 5 paid stays for a most of 10,000 bonus factors.
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Consuming out
In Oct. 2019, Marriott launched a brand new means of incomes factors: consuming. The “Eat Round City” program presents Marriott elites 6 Marriott factors per greenback spent and nonelite Marriott members 4 Marriott factors per greenback spent. To earn, you will need to join your bank card to this system and use your card to eat at taking part eating places.
Word that factors earned by the Eat Round City program are along with the factors you’d in any other case earn from the eating buy, akin to bank card rewards or rewards from the restaurant’s loyalty program.
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Journey companions
You may earn as much as 2,000 Marriott factors per Hertz automotive rental by reserving by Marriott’s Excursions & Actions web page by the top of 2022.
And you’ll earn bonus Marriott factors while you e-book a cruise by Marriott Cruise With Factors.
Shopping for a mattress
Bonvoy members can earn 10,000 Marriott factors by shopping for a mattress from any of Marriott Worldwide’s retail shops on-line: Store EDITION, The Ritz-Carlton Retailers, The Luxurious Assortment Retailer, St. Regis Boutique, W Resorts The Retailer, Curated by JW, Store Marriott, Sheraton Retailer, Westin Retailer, Store Le Méridien, Gather Renaissance, Gaylord Resorts The Retailer, Store Courtyard, Fairfield Retailer and Store 4 Factors.
Transferring factors from different applications
You may switch Chase Final Rewards (39-hour switch time) and American Specific Membership Rewards (prompt switch) factors to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 switch ratio. Whereas it’s not the very best use of more-valuable factors, it will probably make sense to switch in factors to high off your Marriott Bonvoy account for a beneficial redemption.
Combining factors with different members
A unbelievable side of Marriott Bonvoy is combining your factors with one other Marriott Bonvoy member. Every member can switch as much as 100,000 factors to a different account per 12 months. And every member can obtain as much as 500,000 factors per 12 months.
In contrast to in different applications, these member-to-member transfers are utterly free. Word that there are restrictions on new members, and you could name Marriott to finish the switch.
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Purchase factors
You should purchase as much as 100,000 factors every year. The acquisition fee is usually $12.50 per 1,000 factors, however Marriott will periodically run promotions that decrease the worth.
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Earn miles as a substitute of factors
It’s additionally value noting you can earn airline miles with choose airline loyalty applications as a substitute of Marriott factors in your lodge stays. Typically, you’ll earn two miles per greenback spent on all qualifying fees at most Marriott manufacturers. However, you’ll earn much less at some manufacturers and will earn in a different way with choose airline loyalty applications.
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The best way to redeem Marriott factors
There are a lot of choices for utilizing your Marriott Bonvoy factors. TPG values Marriott factors at 0.8 cents every, in order that’s the minimal worth you’ll wish to get when redeeming Marriott factors.
When redeeming for lodge stays or transferring to airline loyalty applications, you’ll sometimes get probably the most worth out of your Marriott factors. Nevertheless, this part will overview numerous methods to redeem Marriott factors.
Award nights
Marriott not makes use of an award chart. Nevertheless, award nights at 97% of Marriott properties will nonetheless fall throughout the earlier off-peak to peak award costs for stays by the top of 2022. You may see Marriott’s earlier award chart under:
Now Marriott makes use of dynamic pricing, with award charges primarily based on paid lodge charges and occupancy ranges (amongst different components). As such, you gained’t know till you go to e-book precisely how a lot your award keep will price.
As I discussed above, 97% of Marriott properties are nonetheless certain by the earlier award chart’s peak and off-peak pricing charges for stays by 2022. However, your award keep might price any quantity for the opposite 3% of properties and stays in 2023 and past. And that’s why some consider it is a severe devaluation of Marriott Bonvoy factors.
You may redeem Marriott factors for upgraded rooms. This feature isn’t obtainable at each property, so that you’ll must seek for award nights at your property and see if upgraded rooms are bookable through redemption with money improve or redemption with factors improve.
You’ll obtain the lowest-priced night time without spending a dime if you happen to redeem factors for 5 or extra consecutive nights in a typical room, because of Marriott’s “Keep for five, Pay for 4” perk. Marriott additionally lets you reserve nights with Money + Factors when reserving a typical room.
You should use this system’s Factors Advance performance to order an award keep while you’re brief on factors — which is a good way to verify a room at a property earlier than you earn sufficient factors to cowl the keep.
Nevertheless, it’s vital to notice that you simply aren’t locking in a fee utilizing Factors Advance. Factors Advance merely confirms award house for you. So if the award keep turns into dearer earlier than you’ve earned the factors and paid for the room with factors, you’ll need to redeem extra factors.
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Marriott Bonvoy Moments
In case you’re in search of a unique sort of redemption, contemplate exploring the Marriott Bonvoy Moments program. This lets you money in your factors for distinctive experiences like live performance tickets, culinary occasions or seats to see your favourite sports activities crew.
Try the present choices right here. The packages change recurrently, and whereas some are dealt with as auctions, others supply fixed-price redemptions. It’s onerous to peg a worth on these, as many aren’t simply replicable utilizing money.
Prompt redemption
You should use factors towards lodge credit score towards your complete room invoice. This feature solely presents a redemption fee of 0.4 cents per level, so I like to recommend avoiding this selection.
Reward playing cards
You may also redeem Marriott factors for present playing cards. However, you’ll get 0.4 cents per level or much less, so I like to recommend avoiding this redemption choice.
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Journey redemptions and airline transfers
There are fairly just a few choices for getting free journey together with your Marriott Bonvoy factors.
You may switch your Marriott factors into airline miles with greater than 40 airways. Most of those airways have a switch ratio of three:1. The exceptions to this rule are Air New Zealand Airpoints (200:1) and United MileagePlus (3:1.1).
Marriott additionally presents 5,000 bonus miles for each 60,000 factors you switch. You’ll get 25,000 airline miles for transferring 60,000 factors to most airline companions. Remember the fact that switch occasions differ primarily based on the airline.
You may e-book air journey and rental automobiles together with your factors by Marriott’s Air and Automobile program, however you’ll get lower than 0.4 cents per level in worth towards these redemptions.
You may also redeem factors towards a free cruise with Marriott Cruise With Factors, however you’ll solely obtain about 0.4 cents per level in worth.
Award reserving course of
You can begin your award reserving course of proper on Marriott’s homepage. Simply click on the “Use Factors/Certificates” field on the primary search, and outcomes will seem with the required factors proven.
Click on the “Discover Resorts” button, and also you’ll be offered with a view of all of the lodges that match your vacation spot and their respective pricing.
Click on “View Charges” to see which room varieties can be found at these costs and your reserving choices.
Then, click on “Choose” subsequent to the room sort you wish to e-book to proceed with the reserving course of.
Associated: Verify your award bookings: Marriott’s change to dynamic pricing may allow you to reclaim factors
Leveraging Marriott Bonvoy
Listed here are some methods to get probably the most worth out of your Marriott expertise.
Greatest fee assure
Marriott’s model of the finest fee assure will match the speed discovered on one other web site if you happen to submit a declare inside 24 hours of creating your reservation on Marriott’s web site. Plus, Marriott gives you a further 25% low cost on that fee or a 5,000-point bonus.
Get a minimum of one Marriott Bonvoy card
You may snag 15 elite night time credit yearly on a private Marriott bank card and 15 elite night time credit on a enterprise card. So, you’ll be able to earn as much as 30 elite night time credit by having two Marriott Bonvoy bank cards. These elite night time credit can simply put Platinum Elite or Titanium Elite standing in attain for a lot of vacationers.
You may maximize this profit even additional in case you have a Bonvoy Sensible card. Paired with the Bonvoy Enterprise card, you’ll be able to earn 40 elite nights per 12 months by simply conserving these two playing cards open. This places you simply 35 nights away from Titanium Elite standing.
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Fifth night time free
All Marriott Bonvoy members get a free night time on five-night award stays or longer. Whereas some vacationers won’t wish to spend 5 or extra nights in a single place whereas on a visit, this profit is a good way to save lots of factors on longer stays.
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Backside line
By way of stays, companions, bank cards and promotions, it’s not too troublesome to earn Marriott factors. And now, with dynamic pricing, it’s by no means been simpler to spend these factors shortly.
There’s no denying that free nights can price loads of factors, however there’s nonetheless loads of worth available in this system.
With stable elite advantages and loads of good-valued choices for redemptions, I’m a fan of Marriott Bonvoy regardless of its devaluations. After incomes Titanium Elite standing for the primary time in 2019, I’ve continued to gather Marriott factors and get stable worth on my redemptions.
For charges and costs of the Marriott Bonvoy Sensible card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Marriott Bonvoy Enterprise card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Marriot Bonvoy Bevy card, click on right here.
Extra reporting by Katie Genter, Richard Kerr, Andrew Kunesh and Kyle Olsen.
