Marriott Bonvoy Hotel Loyalty Program – Full Review

Marriott Bonvoy Overview

Marriott has over 7,300 properties in more than 130 countries and territories. Across 33 brands, Marriott rivals IHG for worldwide coverage among hotel chains.

Familiar brands such as Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, and Renaissance have recently been joined by AC Hotels in Europe, Protea Hotels in Africa, Delta Hotels in Canada, and City Express in Latin America.

Marriott Bonvoy is Marriott’s loyalty program that allows members to earn and redeem points with Marriott’s ecosystem. You can earn points through credit cards, paid hotel stays, and much more.

Meanwhile, you can redeem points for free hotel stays, airline miles, and so on.

The truth is that there are countless different ways to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points, but the 2 best ways typically are:

• Redeeming points for free hotel stays at luxury Marriott Bonvoy properties
• Transferring points to airline partners for luxury award travel in business or first class

Joining Marriott Bonvoy

Register online for a free Marriott Bonvoy account.

How To Sign In to Your Marriott Bonvoy Account

Whenever you’re looking to redeem points, you will log into Marriott’s website.

To access your Marriott Bonvoy account, follow these instructions:

1. Visit Marriott’s homepage.
2. In the top-right corner, click the button that says Sign In or Join.
3. Click Sign In.
4. Log into your Marriott Bonvoy account using your Marriott Bonvoy number and password. Click Sign In.
5. After logging in, you can search for hotel stays or view your account activity as needed.

Viewing Your Account Activity

Your Marriott Bonvoy Account Overview page shows recent points activity, elite status progress, and special offers.

The Activity page shows detailed points activity; make sure to scroll down and see if you have any available free night certificates.

Promotion Central shows available promotions and your progress toward them.

Setting Points Earning Preferences

You can choose to earn points or airline miles for your Marriott stays. Marriott Bonvoy promotions are also based on your earning preference.

Choose points or miles on your Profile page. While there, select your stay preferences such as pillows and room accessibility.

What Are Marriott Bonvoy Points Worth?

Because there are so many ways to use your Marriott Bonvoy points, it can be challenging to assign a specific value to your points.

But to be fair, you can consistently expect to get at least 0.7 cents per point if you redeem them for free hotel nights. If you transfer your Marriott Bonvoy points to book luxury award travel, your redemption value will increase dramatically.

On the flip side, if you waste your points on gift cards, online shopping, or other miscellaneous redemptions, you’ll be lucky if you can get better than 0.4 cents per point of value.

Marriott Bonvoy Points Expiration

Marriott Bonvoy points expire after 24 months unless you have a qualifying earning or redeeming activity in your account.

It’s super easy to reset your points expiration if you have a Marriott Bonvoy credit card. Just make 1 purchase on a Marriott Bonvoy-branded credit card, and your points will reset for another 24 months.

Also, if you have multiple Marriott Bonvoy credit cards (even across all issuers), your points will combine into the same Marriott Bonvoy account, as long as the original credit card application you submitted had the same Marriott Bonvoy number.

If you close your Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, you will almost never lose your Marriott Bonvoy points, as they are safely stored in your Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program account instead of your credit card account.

Certain account activities such as gifting, transferring, and social media promotions do not count for extending your expiration date. See the full terms for what constitutes qualifying activity.

Marriott Bonvoy Program

Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status

Marriott Bonvoy members get several benefits just for registering with the program, including complimentary in-room internet when booking directly with Marriott.

*Plus $20,000 in annual qualifying spend

Those with Marriott Bonvoy member status have 9 or fewer nights and receive complimentary in-room internet access.

Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite:

All member benefits, plus:

• 10% point bonus

Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite:

All Silver benefits, plus:

• 25% points bonus
• Welcome gift at check-in
• Room upgrades (subject to availability)
• Complimentary in-room internet, even when not booking directly with Marriott
• Priority 2 p.m. late checkout

Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite:

All Gold benefits, plus:

• 50% points bonus
• Guaranteed room type
• Room upgrades (subject to availability)
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout (subject to availability at resort and convention hotels)
• Complimentary in-room internet, even when not booking directly with Marriott
• Guaranteed lounge access and continental breakfast for 2 at many brands
• Annual Choice Benefit — 5 Suite Night Upgrades or gift

Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite:

All Platinum benefits, plus:

• 75% point bonus
• Additional Annual Choice Benefits — 5 Suite Night Upgrades or gift
• United Airlines MileagePlus Silver status, via RewardsPlus

Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite (100 Nights + $20,000 spend):

All Titanium Elite benefits, plus:

• Ambassador Service
• Your24 (check in to your room at any time and have it for 24 hours)

Hot Tip: See a thorough review of the benefits of Marriott Bonvoy elite status in our detailed guide.

Value of Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status

Marriott Bonvoy is widely considered to offer fewer benefits than competitors at comparable status levels. With Marriott Bonvoy elite qualification requirements among the hardest to achieve, this is a program used by many out of necessity for the extensive participating properties rather than benefits preference.

Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite is effectively non-status, with minimal benefits. It comes complimentary with most of the Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, and the most notable perk is the ability to request late checkout (subject to availability).

Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite isn’t much better, but you do get a room upgrade (subject to availability) and a 2 p.m. late checkout (subject to availability).

Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite gives lounge access and breakfast at a range of brands. It also comes with upgrades to standard suites (subject to availability).

Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite bring in popular benefits such as upgrades to Select Suites (subject to availability), 4 p.m. late checkout (subject to availability), and hotel lounge access. With Ambassador Elite, you’ll even get access to Your24, which allows you to choose the 24 hours of your stay, whether you’re checking in at 9 p.m. and checking out a 9 p.m. or vice-versa.

Earning Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status

Marriott Bonvoy elite status takes a lot of work! You’ll need a large number of stays to earn status. Less frequent travelers may do better seeking status in other hotel programs.

Marriott Bonvoy credit cardholders are gifted 15 qualifying nights per year. While you cannot get double Elite Night Credits for holding multiple personal Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, you can if you hold 1 personal and 1 business Marriott Bonvoy card. This gives you a 30-qualifying Elite Night Credit boost each year.

Hot Tip: Curious what changes Marriott Bonvoy has made in response to COVID-19? See our detailed guide on hotel status extensions, changes, and updates.

Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Status

Marriott offers a lifetime status program:

Marriott Bonvoy and United RewardsPlus

Marriott and United have partnered with RewardsPlus.

Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite members receive United MileagePlus Premier Silver.

United MileagePlus Premier Gold, Premier Platinum, and Premier 1K receive Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite.

You need to register annually at RewardsPlus to get your new status.

How To Earn Marriott Bonvoy Points

Earning Marriott Bonvoy points starts with hotel stays. You’ll generally only earn bonus points when you book directly with Marriott. And although you can book rooms over the phone, the online website is super easy to use and will probably end up saving you time.

Earning Points on Stays

Generally, regardless of which credit card you use to book your reservation, any stays booked directly with Marriott at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels are eligible to earn points in 2 ways: base points and elite bonus points.

Base Points: Earning points is separated into 3 categories by brand:

• Earn 10 points per $1 on most Marriott brands, which also includes Marriott Vacation Club properties
• Earn 5 points per $1 at Element, Residence Inn, and TownePlace Suites
• Earn 2.5 points per $1 at Marriott Executive Apartments and ExecuStay

Elite Status Bonus: You will earn additional bonus points based on elite status — a 10%, 25%, 50%, or 75% bonus for Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, or Titanium Elite members, respectively.

Also, all eligible hotel purchases, including dining, beverages, rounds of golf, and spa services will count towards these earnings.

Because booking directly through Marriott Bonvoy almost always results in the best rates and the best points accrual structure, it almost always makes sense to book your Marriott Bonvoy stays directly through Marriott Bonvoy.

Promotions: Marriott Bonvoy typically has a promotion every quarter for bonuses such as bonus points or free night certificates that reward frequent stays. Watch your email and make sure to register before your upcoming stays.

Earn Marriott Bonvoy Points and Status for Hosting Events

If you’re in need of a place to hold a meeting, look no further. Marriott offers meeting and event services that earn you points!

Earn a maximum of 60,000 points (2 points per $1) or 20,000 airline miles (1 mile per $1) for 1 qualifying event.

Elite members get a bonus when earning points, though not for earning miles:

You have the option of splitting the points with another member.

Hot Tip: For your first meeting each year you can earn 10 Elite Night Credits. Plus, for each additional meeting, you can earn 1 Elite Night Credit per 20 room nights, up to 20 Elite Night Credits per meeting.

Share Marriott Bonvoy Points

Family members can transfer points for free.

Earn Marriott Bonvoy Points With Credit Cards

To earn Marriott Bonvoy points through credit card spending, you’ll want to hold 1 of Marriott Bonvoy’s 6 co-branded credit cards. Chase and Amex both issue Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, which increases the number of options you have to earn points through credit cards.

The number of points you’ll earn is dependent on the type of Marriott Bonvoy credit card you have. You can earn anywhere from 1x points to 6x points through credit card spending, with an additional 15x points coming from a combination of bonuses acquired through credit card elite status and base points earned as a Marriott Bonvoy member.

In absolute terms, you can therefore earn up to 21x total Marriott Bonvoy points through credit card spending, depending on the card!

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

95,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$665

Annual Fee

$650

APR

20.24%-29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.

So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy program
• 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• Steep annual fee of $650 (rates & fees)
• 6x points per $1 is the same earn rate offered with lower annual fee alternatives like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• With Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Earn 3X Marriott Bonvoy^® points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2X Marriott Bonvoy^® points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card.
• Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton^® or St. Regis^® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck^® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy^® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.
• Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• $650 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card is the ultra-premium, flagship credit card available to Marriott loyalists. Currently, this credit card offers a terrific welcome offer, as well as the ability to earn up to 6x points:

• 6x points for eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 3x points at restaurants worldwide
• 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines
• 2x points on other purchases

This card confers complimentary Platinum Elite status, which earns you an additional 50% bonus points on Marriott Bonvoy hotel purchases — that elevates your points from 10x base points to 15x total points. Adding in the 6x points from your credit card, you can earn a total of 21x points on eligible Marriott Bonvoy stays.

With Platinum Elite status, you can get access to standard suite upgrades and complimentary breakfast!

Better yet, you will receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your card renewal month (up to 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points), as well as a Priority Pass Select membership upon enrollment, a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit, up to $100 Marriott Bonvoy property credit at The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis, and up to $300 in dining credits every year (up to $25 per month) at restaurants worldwide after enrollment.

Other benefits include no foreign transaction fees, and no additional fee authorized users (rates & fees).

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

Welcome Offer

Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you spend $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

85,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$595

Annual Fee

$250

APR

20.24%-29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card, the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 4x points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, then 2x points)
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $250 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Free Night Award certificate is not an automatic benefit

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
• Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card.
• Marriott Bonvoy 1K Bonus Points Per Stay: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elites status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy^® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit, available for Qualifying Rates.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points) at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card^® you can receive 15 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy^® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Plan It^® is a payment option that lets you split up purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee. Plus, you'll still earn rewards the way you usually do.
• $250 Annual Fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card is one of the newest credit cards available; it’s focused on offering a mid-tier solution to earning lots of points on everyday purchases without an enormous price tag.

Right now, you can take advantage of the new cardmember welcome bonus, plus up to 6x points:

• 6x points for eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 4x points at U.S supermarkets and restaurants worldwide, including take-out and delivery in the U.S. (on the first $15,000 in combined purchases every year, then 2x points)
• 2x points on other purchases

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card confers automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, which gets you upgrades and a 25% bonus of points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels (up to 2.5x points); plus, you get up to 10x points because you’re a Marriott Bonvoy member, which elevates your overall points earnings to up to 18.5x points on eligible Marriott Bonvoy stays.

Every year, you can get 1 Free Night Award (up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) after spending $15,000 per calendar year.

Also, you will get 1,000 bonus points per paid eligible stay at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties when booked direct.

You’ll enjoy 15 Elite Night Credits towards elite status, no foreign transaction fees, and authorized users for no additional annual fees (rates & fees).

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Marriott Bountiful card offers automatic elite status and helps you earn more points on every purchase.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card

The Marriott Bountiful card offers automatic elite status and helps you earn more points on every purchase.

Welcome Offer

Earn 85,000 Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.

85,000 bonus points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$595

Annual Fee

$250

APR

21.49%–28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card can help enhance your Marriott stays by offering automatic elite status, bonus points on paid stays, and Elite Night Credits, and it helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your day-to-day purchases.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Up to 18.5x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 4x points per $1 on dining and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to a combined $15,000 in purchases)
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases
• Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
• 15 Elite Night Credits
• 1,000 bonus points per paid Marriott stay
• 1 Free Night Award (up to 50,000 points) when you spend $15,000 on the card in a year
• No foreign transaction fees

Cons

• $250 annual fee
• Free Night Award certificate is not an automatic benefit

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 85,000 Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.
• Earn up to 18.5X total points for every $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®
• 1,000 Bonus Points per each stay at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®
• Earn 4X points per $1 on the first $15,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores and dining
• Earn 2X points per $1 spent on other travel purchases
• Earn 2X points per $1 spent on all
  other purchases
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits per calendar year and automatic Gold Elite status each account anniversary year as a cardmember
• Enjoy a Free Night Award every calendar year, after $15,000 in spend, valid for a one-night hotel stay at a property with a redemption level up to 50,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.49%–28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

The Marriott Bountiful card, which is the first credit card option issued by Chase, earns a welcome bonus, as well as up to 18.5x total points at Marriott:

• 6x points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy (plus 10x base points and 2.5x elite bonus points for having Gold Elite status, a benefit of this card)
• 4x points on the first $15,000 in combined purchases each year on grocery stores and dining
• 2x points on other purchases

This credit card shares a lot of the same features as the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card, including:

• 1,000 bonus points per eligible stay at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 1 Free Night Award every calendar year after $15,000 in spending (up to 50,000 points)
• 15 Elite Night Credits per year
• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status

To top it all off, this credit card has baggage delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement, purchase protection, no foreign transaction fees, and no additional annual fees for authorized users.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual Free Night Award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card

Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual Free Night Award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.

Welcome Offer

Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.

125,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$875

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.99% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

If you’re a frequent traveler and a Marriott loyalist, there’s a lot to love about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card. The card comes packed with several great benefits like a free hotel night once a year, automatic Silver Elite status (with a fast-track to Gold Elite status), and multiple options for redeeming points.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Earn big when you use your card at thousands of participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• Earn big at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
• Automatic Silver Elite Status

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• Marriott Silver Elite Status is the lowest status tier

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 125,000 bonus points after qualifying purchases - our best points offer!
• Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
• Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
• 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
• Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Card.
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite status, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.99% - 27.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

Another one of Chase’s co-branded credit cards is the Marriott Boundless card, a terrific choice if you’re looking for rewards but don’t care much about elite status perks.

This card has a limited-time welcome bonus and the ability to earn a maximum of 17x total points:

• 17x total points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy (6x points from the credit card, 10x base points for being a Marriott Bonvoy member, and 1x points with Silver Elite status, a benefit of this card)
• 3x points on the first $6,000 in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
• 2x points on other purchases

Every cardmember anniversary year, you’ll get 1 Free Night Award, good for stays at a redemption level of up to 35,000 points.

You’ll also get 15 Elite Night Credits to qualify for elite status, the ability to earn 1 Elite Night Credit for every $5,000 spent, automatic Silver Elite Status, and travel insurance.

Plus, the Marriott Boundless card includes travel insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and authorized users for no additional fees.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card

A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 Bonus Points plus 1 Free Night Award after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Free Night valued at 50,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.

60,000 points + 1 Free Night Award

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$770

Annual Fee

$0

APR

20.99% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Casual travelers who like to frequent properties that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy collection of brands may want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card.

The Marriott Bold card rewards cardholders for Marriott stays and gives them a boost towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Up to 14x points per $1 on Marriott purchases
• 2x points at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone services
• 5 Elite Night Credits each year

Cons

• Lower point earn rate than other Marriott Bonvoy cards
• Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status is the lowest status tier

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.99% - 27.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

The Marriott Bold card is the last personal credit card we’ll be discussing, and it’s the only card without an annual fee.

This product has a new cardmember welcome bonus and the ability to earn up to 14x points:

• 14x total points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy (3x points from the credit card, 10x base points for being a Marriott Bonvoy member, and 1x points with Silver Elite status, a benefit of this card)
• 2x points at grocery stores
• 2x points for rideshare & select food delivery
• 2x points for select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone service purchases
• 1x point on other purchases

Although you will not get a Free Night Award every year, you will get 5 Elite Night Credits, and automatic Silver Elite Status.

You’ll also be able to utilize the basic travel protections, no foreign transaction fees, and the ability to add authorized users for no additional annual fees.

Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A great option for business owners who stay in Marriott hotels and want automatic elite status.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card

A great option for business owners who stay in Marriott hotels and want automatic elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 3 Free Night Awards, valued up to 50k points each for a total value of 150k points, after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

3 Free Night Awards

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,050

Annual Fee

$125

APR

20.24% - 29.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Business travelers who opt for Marriott as their hotel chain of choice will definitely want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card. The card offers great benefits to cardholders like a complimentary hotel night once a year, complimentary Gold Elite status, and multiple point redemption options.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6x Marriott Bonvoy points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy^® program.
• 4x points for purchases made 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 per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• Moderate annual fee of $125 (rates and fees)
• No premium perks like airport lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• WELCOME OFFER: Earn 3 Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Each Free Night Award has a redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points, for a total potential value of up to 150,000 points, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Certain hotels have resort fees. Terms apply.
• Receive a 7% discount on eligible bookings as a benefit of being both a Marriott Bonvoy^® member & a Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card Member when you book directly with Marriott through an eligible channel for a participating property under the Amex Business Card Rate.
• 6x Marriott Bonvoy points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy^® program.
• 4x points for purchases made 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.
• Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Enjoy Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with your Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card.
• Terms apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24% - 29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

The only credit card available for new applications exclusively for business owners is the Marriott Bonvoy Business card, which currently has a solid welcome offer, as well as up to 6x earnings:

• 6x points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
• 4x points at restaurants worldwide
• 4x points at U.S. gas stations
• 4x points on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers
• 4x points on U.S. shipping purchases
• 2x points on other purchases

Also, you can get a 7% Marriott Bonvoy room rate discount off standard rates when you book direct.

Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status is included, as is:

• 1 Free Night Award every year (up to 35,000 points)
• Another Free Night Award every year after you spend $60,000 in a calendar year
• 15 Elite Night Credits
• Access to Marriott Bonvoy Air+Car

The Marriott Bonvoy Business card comes with no foreign transaction fees, and employee cards at no additional cost (rates & fees).

Hot Tip: Check out our guide to the best credit cards for Marriott Bonvoy loyalists!

Chase Ultimate Rewards Credit Cards

If you earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can transfer them to the Chase hotel partners like Marriott Bonvoy. However, even with a 1:1 transfer ratio, this is rarely a good use of Ultimate Rewards because of how many Marriott Bonvoy points award stays cost.

American Express Membership Rewards Credit Cards

You can also transfer Amex points earned from some of the best Amex credit cards into Marriott Bonvoy points at a 1:1 transfer rate. But as with Chase Ultimate Rewards points, this is hardly the best use of your Membership Rewards points.

Other Ways To Earn Marriott Bonvoy Points

Marriott Bonvoy has many travel and shopping partners. See our article on how to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for ideas.

Keep in mind: the trade-off to earning Marriott Bonvoy points is that you won’t be earning other hotel or airline points, which may be more valuable to you.

How To Redeem Marriott Bonvoy Points

Redeem Marriott Bonvoy Points for Hotel Nights

Free hotel nights are the primary awards for Marriott Bonvoy points. You can also use points for room upgrades, hotel amenities, and other services.

There are no blackout dates for use of rewards points toward hotel nights, which means that using them during peak holiday travel or other busy periods can exponentially increase their value! However, hotels must have room availability.

Your rewards can be used as a standard award or a Cash + Points award.

The easiest way to use your points is to book on Marriott.com and click on the Use Points option. It will then list all the hotels in your search city that have availability during your stay.

The number of points you use depends on time, location, and brand.

You’ll usually get the most value from your points by redeeming them for stays at luxury hotels.

By doing so, you can get anywhere from 1 to 6 cents per point of value, which could be multiple times more than the established value of Marriott Bonvoy points.

Fifth Night Free

When you redeem points for 4 nights, you get a fifth night free.

Room Upgrades

Room upgrades are charged in blocks of 5,000 points. Some hotels and rooms require multiple upgrade blocks of 5,000 points. Cash upgrades are an alternative. All upgrades are subject to hotel availability.

Instant Redemptions

Use your points for statement credits for room charges on Marriott stays with Instant Redemptions.

Redeem Marriott Bonvoy Points for Award Travel

Marriott Bonvoy enjoys the express privilege of having a ton of airline transfer partners. It has more transfer partners than Amex, Chase, Citi, and Capital One!

Most transfer at a 3:1 ratio with a bonus of 5,000 extra miles when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points at once. That means when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, you will end up with 25,000 airline miles instead of 20,000 miles. Some exceptions exist, but this is more the norm than the exception.

Some of the best Marriott Bonvoy transfer partners include Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, Korean Air SKYPASS, Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, and Aegean Airlines Miles+Bonus.

To transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to airline partners, follow these steps:

1. Visit the Marriott Bonvoy Transfer Points to Miles landing page.
2. Scroll down and click the button that says Transfer Points.
3. Log into your Marriott Bonvoy account.
4. Scroll back down and click Transfer Points again.
5. Select the frequent flyer program you wish to use from the dropdown list.
6. Enter the frequent flyer number and the number of points you want to convert.
7. Click CONTINUE.
8. Complete the transfer.

Here is a list of all of Marriott Bonvoy’s airline transfer partners:

As an example, you’ll need to redeem 55,000 Alaska Airlines miles to book a one-way Qantas business class flight from the U.S. to Australia. You can earn 55,000 Alaska miles by transferring 135,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to Alaska Airlines.

Qantas business class tickets usually start at $6,000 one-way, which gets you a minimum redemption value of around 4.4 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, which is huge!

Hot Tip: See our guide to the best ways to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points for flights.

Other Redemption Options

You can also use Marriott Bonvoy points for gift cards, experiences through Marriott Bonvoy Moments, and cruises, but all of them will generally yield subpar value.

Gift Cards

Redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points for gift cards is one of the worst things you can do with your points. It’ll yield you a paltry 0.25 to 0.33 cents per point of value.

Online Shopping

When you shop with points, you can buy electronics, tools, kitchen appliances, and even Marriott bedding and bath products using points.

Your redemption value will hover around 0.3 cents per point.

Air+Car

You can also redeem Marriott Bonvoy points through a travel portal called Air+Car, which is powered by Switchfly.

In this way, you can redeem points for travel without having to worry about finding award availability.

However, your redemption value will be around 0.3 to 0.4 cents per point.

Marriott Bonvoy Moments

Marriott Bonvoy Moments is probably one of the “least bad” alternative redemptions of Marriott Bonvoy points outside of gift cards, cruises, and so on.

It’s difficult to attribute specific redemption values for Marriott Bonvoy Moments since the value of each experience varies wildly.

You can also bid for specific experiences, which will also result in variable redemption value.

Cruises

Marriott Bonvoy’s Cruise With Points program allows you to redeem points for cruises outright, though you shouldn’t expect to get good redemption value in the slightest.

By redeeming points this way, you’ll get 0.4 cents per point of value.

Other Redemptions

You can even use Marriott Bonvoy points for other goods and services like a TSA PreCheck application fee credit.

Unfortunately, your redemption value would sit at 0.34 cents per point (25,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for a $78 cost).

If you use your points for anything besides free hotel nights and luxury award travel through airline partners, you’ll only get a tiny fraction of the potential value of your points.

Comparing Marriott Bonvoy to Other Hotel Points

So how do Marriott Bonvoy points stack up against other hotel points? Let’s take a look in this section!

Marriott Bonvoy vs. World of Hyatt

We value World of Hyatt points at 1.5 cents each, while Marriott Bonvoy points are worth 0.7 cents per point.

Even though World of Hyatt points are much more valuable than Marriott Bonvoy points, they’re also a lot harder to earn.

For example, the best World of Hyatt credit card earns a maximum of 9 points per dollar, while the best Marriott Bonvoy credit card earns a maximum of 21 points per dollar.

When you take into account the ability to earn Marriott Bonvoy points much quicker than World of Hyatt points, you’ll find that your credit cards can net you up to 13.5% return on spend with World of Hyatt or 14.7% return on spend with Marriott Bonvoy.

Marriott’s portfolio is much larger than Hyatt‘s, which is yet another advantage.

Marriott Bonvoy vs. Hilton Honors

Marriott Bonvoy is often compared to Hilton Honors. And even though the best loyalty program will ultimately depend on what hotel you want to stay at, there are some similarities we can draw.

We value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents each and Hilton points at 0.5 cents each, making Hilton points less valuable.

In general, the maximum number of points you’ll redeem per night is 120,000 with Marriott Bonvoy and 150,000 with Hilton Honors.

Also, Hilton and Marriott both have similar, vertically integrated portfolios spanning basic limited-service properties to full-service luxury resorts.

Marriott Bonvoy vs. IHG One Rewards

The last major hotel currency we’ll be comparing to Marriott Bonvoy is IHG One Rewards.

These points are worth 0.5 cents each, making them less valuable than Marriott Bonvoy points.

With the IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card, you can earn up to 26x total points, which equates to a 13% return on spending.

This maximum return on spending is inferior to the top-tier Marriott Bonvoy accrual structure of 14.7% return on spending.

Additionally, Marriott Bonvoy has a much more robust luxury property collection than IHG, which has InterContinental, Six Senses, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Comparing Marriott Bonvoy to Other Transferrable Points

We actually believe that it’s unfair to compare Marriott Bonvoy points to other transferrable points like Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Miles, or Citi ThankYou Rewards.

On paper, you’ll get much better ROI from cards like the American Express^® Gold Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card on everyday purchases, but you also won’t get hotel benefits like a Free Night Award certificate or complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.

That being said, points like Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards are best leveraged for flights to get the best value, while you should earmark your Marriott Bonvoy points for free hotel stays if you’re looking to optimize for flights and hotels.

Final Thoughts

Marriott Bonvoy is a great loyalty program you can take advantage of when you’re traveling around the world, thanks to its portfolio of over 7,300 hotels and resorts in 130+ countries around the world.

When it comes to earning points, you can use co-branded credit cards issued by both Amex and Chase to earn up to 21x points per dollar spent!

To be the best redemption value from your points, you should keep your redemptions to either free hotel nights at Marriott Bonvoy properties (especially at luxury hotels and resorts) or airline partner transfers.

All in all, there’s a lot to love about the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program!