Marriott Bonvoy : How to claim a missing stay
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Request for missing stay
After a stay paid for with cash or points at a Marriott Bonvoy hotel, points and/or elite nights are generally deposited into the account after 48 business hours. However, it may take longer or never happen.
The longest I had to wait was 10 days before they showed up in my account. But, on very rare occasions, I have had to make a report for a missing stay.
The process is quick and easy. In this example, I made a claim at 8:40 AM through the form and the response from Marriott Bonvoy came at 12:20 PM the same day. Then, points and elite nights appeared in the account in the following minutes.
The short answer: as of September 2026, according to Marriott Bonvoy's official help centre, you can claim a missing stay once 10 business days have passed, and up to one year after the date of the stay, using the online Missing Stay Request form. Your hotel folio is mandatory, and a stay booked through a third-party site such as Expedia is not eligible.
How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points even faster
The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for free stays at more than 9,900 hotels worldwide is with the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card (and/or the Marriott Bonvoy™ Business American Express® Card).
In addition to the great welcome bonus on both cards, you’ll earn 2 points per dollar on all purchases and 5 points per dollar at Marriott locations. And every year, you’ll earn a certificate for one free hotel night (worth 35,000 points), plus 15 Elite nights towards your Marriott Bonvoy status.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $120 | |||
| $150 |
How to claim your stay and your missing points
Conditions
The claim can be made if at least 10 working days have passed since the departure from the hotel. Then, you can go back up to a year to claim a missing stay.
For new Marriott Bonvoy members, they can retroactively request a completed stay 30 days prior to enrolling in the program.
To apply, it is mandatory to have a copy of the invoice in electronic format received by email or paper. If you don’t have it, you should ask Marriott or directly to the hotel you stayed at.
Finally, make sure that the reservation for the missing stay must have been made directly on the Marriott Bonvoy website. A reservation made via another platform (Booking, Expedia, etc), does not work.
Steps
On the Marriott Bonvoy website, enter your member profile at the top right. Select Activity.
On this page, go directly to the bottom and click on Report a Missing Stay.
Then, fill in all the required fields. If you have a hard copy only, the system will ask you to take a picture.
Finally, simply click on Submit.
A confirmation page will open. Moreover, this will be the only validation as there will be no email sent.
Now all we have to do is wait!
A customer service representative will process the request and send a decision.
If all the necessary elements for the application have been transmitted, the application will be accepted. If not, the agent will want more information.
Everything will then be deposited into the Marriott Bonvoy account. Waiting times for elite nights and points can take up to 10 business days. Usually, it is much faster.
Bottom Line
Every elite night and every point claimed is invaluable in earning even more benefits and free nights at Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
The request for a missing stay is quite basic. Certainly, it is better that this does not happen. But, at least when it happens, the response is quick and effective.
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$600Total$600Plus $100 of bonus paid after the first year, not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $600
- Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months
- Up to 70,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Where is the Marriott Bonvoy missing stay request form?
Log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account on marriott.com, open the Account Activity page, then click the Missing Stay Request link at the bottom of the page. According to Marriott, you can upload a digital copy of your hotel folio there (5 MB maximum, in PDF, JPG, GIF or TIF format) before you submit the request.
How long should you wait before claiming a missing Marriott stay?
Marriott asks you to wait more than 10 business days after your stay, since a stay can take up to 10 business days to post to your account on its own. You then have up to one year from the date of the stay to submit your request. A new member can also claim a stay paid in the 30 days before enrolling.
How long does Marriott take to process a missing stay request?
Marriott says to allow up to 10 business days for the points and Elite Night Credits to be credited to your account. If more than 10 business days have passed since you submitted your request, Marriott recommends calling customer service.
Which stays do not earn Marriott Bonvoy points?
According to Marriott, stays booked through third-party websites such as Expedia or Priceline do not earn points, nor do rooms at a group rate the member does not pay directly to the hotel, tour operator or wholesaler rates, and rooms paid with a voucher or a third-party award. A stay that does not earn points does not earn Elite Night Credits either, except stays paid with points or Cash + Points.
Can you transfer the recovered points to another member?
Yes. Once they post, Marriott Bonvoy points can be transferred to another member for free, up to 100,000 points per calendar year and in 1,000-point increments. Elite Night Credits cannot be transferred. All the rules are in our guide on how to [transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to another account](/en/guide/tutorials/transfer-points-marriott-bonvoy-other-account/).
Which credit card should you choose for travel?
If you travel regularly, the credit card you carry makes a real difference – travel insurance, points earning, airport lounge access and no foreign exchange fees. Use our credit card comparator to filter through 200+ Canadian cards based on your needs, or browse the best credit cards in Canada, ranked monthly by the Milesopedia team. To earn Marriott Bonvoy points via MR transfers, the American Express Cobalt Card is an excellent choice with its 5x on dining and groceries.
- Annual fee
- $191.88
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $255
- Welcome offerGet 1,250 points after $750 in purchases per month for 12 months
- Up to 15,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Go further with Marriott Bonvoy
To maximize your stays and points earning, check our complete Marriott Bonvoy program guide and our best Marriott Bonvoy credit cards ranking. For personal use, see the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. For business expenses, the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card earns points on every business purchase. And if a points purchase promotion is running, take advantage via our Marriott Bonvoy points purchase guide.