Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy: The ultimate guide to Marriott Bonvoy

To the point Marriott Bonvoy is the most famous hotel loyalty program! Find out how to earn points and save on travel!

Marriott Bonvoy is the loyalty program of more than 8,500 hotels worldwide, a program you absolutely must know to save lots of money on your travels!

With this ultimate guide, you’ll discover how to earn and use Marriott Bonvoy points.

If you prefer the video version, here it is! Otherwise, keep on reading.

amex bonvoy

Open a Marriott Bonvoy account

To open an account in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, go to this page.

Once a member, you will have access to:

  • free Wi-Fi,
  • check in with your phone,
  • the lowest member rate.

Thanks to this registration, you will be able to give your Marriott Bonvoy membership number when applying for the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card. By doing this, American Express will not create another account for you.

If you are in a relationship, EACH person should open an individual Marriott Bonvoy account.

Indicate your membership number when applying for the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card or the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card. It will then be possible to transfer points from one account to another.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points

Before you get free nights in the Marriott Bonvoy program, you’ll need to earn points!

Let’s discover together all the possibilities of accumulation with the :

With credit cards

In Canada, Marriott Bonvoy has chosen American Express to issue 2 credit cards:

These two credit cards allow you to earn DIRECTLY Marriott Bonvoy points.

Each of these credit cards offers:

  • a very attractive welcome bonus,
  • An annual free night certificate (upon renewal) worth up to 35,000 points,
  • 15 elite nights (Silver Elite status),
  • travel insurance,
  • The ability to earn points on all purchases.
Small Business Card

If you are self-employed / professional / small business owner, you may wish to apply for the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card. The points earned will accumulate the same way they do from your personal in your Marriott Bonvoy account.

With American Express membership rewards

Another way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points is through a partnership with American Express Membership Rewards.

It is possible to transfer 1,000 membership rewards into 1,200 Marriott Bonvoy points. Thus, 10,000 Membership Rewards = 12,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

In other words, 5 membership rewards = 6 Marriott Bonvoy points.

With the 7 Membership Rewards Cards, you can INDIRECTLY earn Marriott Bonvoy points.

6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar

With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you can earn up to 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar on specific purchase categories. That means you indirectly earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar!

cards points cards membership rewards audrey buildings
My American Express membership rewards cards

With stays and purchases at Marriott Bonvoy hotels

The primary purpose of a rewards program is to reward your loyalty.

Thus, the more you stay or eat at Marriott Bonvoy establishments,the more points and benefits you will earn (with the statutes).

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Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai - Suite Bédouin

Thus, whenever :

  • you stay at a Marriott Bonvoy hotel,
  • you eat in a restaurant of the hotel,
  • you do an activity organized by the hotel.

Give your Marriott Bonvoy membership number! You will earn 10 Marriott Bonvoy points per US dollar spent in the property.

Depending on your status, you will earn more Marriott Bonvoy points for all of these expenses.

5 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar

Plus, if you use the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card or Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card for these expenses, you’ ll earn 5 points/dollar on your card!

The guarantee of the best price

Marriott Bonvoy’s Best Price Guarantee gets you:

  • a 25% discount from the lowest rate found elsewhere,
  • OR 5,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.
Price matching

It’s up to you to calculate whether it’s best to get 5,000 points or a discount on the room price!

Complaints

Your room didn’t meet your expectations? Did a problem take place during your stay?

Feel free to make a claim on the Marriott Bonvoy website.

With cruises

This is a unknown accumulation technique.

Marriott Bonvoy has a cruise booking portal that allows you to earn 3 points for every dollar spent (up to 30,000 points).

After doing several tests, we found that the prices offered by Marriott Bonvoy are very competitive with several advantages:

  • No deposit fee for some cruises,
  • significant discounts (up to 75%),
  • best price guarantee with 110% refund of the difference.
Cruises

Don’t hesitate to use this service… to earn Marriott Bonvoy bonus points when you book your next cruise!

With car rentals

It is also possible to earn Marriott Bonvoy points via car rental on the dedicated portal.

Marriott Bonvoy has partnered with Hertz to offer:

  • discounts
  • up to 2,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per 2-day rental or more
Compare!

We recommend, as usual, you compare rates with other suppliers like Auto Europe or Holiday Autos!

With activities booking

Marriott Bonvoy has a booking portal for activites:

  • Guided tours
  • Culinary tours
  • Tickets for points of interest (museums…)
  • Tickets for amusement parks
  • Tickets for shows / theaters / sporting events…
  • Classes
  • And more!

You earn 10 points for every US dollar spent on business.

Activities

Prices on Marriott Moments are often the same as those found directly from service providers. It is therefore particularly advantageous to use this service!

With promotions

Marriott Bonvoy offers promotions throughout the year to earn more points.

For example, you can earn up to 4,000 points per stay.

gains illimites marriott bonvoy
Newsletter

By regularly reading milesopedia – or by subscribing to our newsletter – you will be aware of these promotions!

With the organization of events

Event or meeting organizers can earn 2 points per dollar for any event held at most Marriott Bonvoy establishments.

The maximum per event is 60,000 points (105,000 points maximum for Elite Titanium members).

These brands do not participate in this: Marriott Executive Apartments, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Design Hotels, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, Ritz-Carlton Hidden Boutique Resort, Vistana Hotel and Homes & Villas by Marriott International.

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Renaissance Downtown Hotel, Dubai

It is also possible to get 1 Elite Night for each block of 20 rooms reserved during your event.

With points purchase

Finally, when all the accumulation techniques have been used and you are missing only a few points to get a free night, it is possible to buy Marriott Bonvoy points.

Some rules about buying points:

  • Up to 100,000 points can be purchased per calendar year.
  • Per 1,000 points.
  • The cost is US$12.50 per 1,000 points.
  • The transaction takes 24 to 48 hours.

With MGM

Starting in 2024, Marriott Bonvoy members will be able to earn and redeem their points at MGM Resorts.

Several details have yet to be confirmed. Eventually, Marriott Bonvoy members will be able to link their account to MGM Rewards to obtain certain benefits.

In addition, MGM also owns BetMGM, an online sports betting and gaming platform, so it will be possible to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on certain transactions.

journey dubai 03
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai, Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve

How to use Marriott Bonvoy points

Now that we know how to earn many Marriott Bonvoy points, let’s redeem them!

Let’s discover together all the possibilities of use:

For free hotel nights

This is the main purpose of the program: to get free hotel nights.

Marriott Bonvoy's Rewards Chart

Marriott Bonvoy had divided its 8,500+ hotels into eight categories.

As of March 29, 2022, the Marriott Bonvoy program has no longer categories. But we’ll leave this table for the archives.

Within each of these categories, there were 3 levels:

  • off peak,
  • standard,
  • peak season.
Category Off peak Standard Peak
1 5 000 7 500 10 000
2 10 000 12 500 15 000
3 15 000 17 500 20 000
4 20 000 25 000 30 000
5 30 000 35 000 40 000
6 40 000 50 000 60 000
7 50 000 60 000 70 000
8 70 000 85 000 100 000

For example, a free night at a Marriott Bonvoy hotel can cost between :

  • 5,000 points (category 1 – low season)
  • and 100,000 points (category 8 – high season)

Low-season and high-season

The low or high season is NOT set according to:

  • a geographical region
  • a specific time of year

In fact, this will be related to the hotel directly.

In the same city, it will be possible to see hotels classified in different seasons (low-standard-high).

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Alexandra au J

Stay for 5, Pay for 4 Policy

When you use Marriott Bonvoy points, for a 5-night stay, you’ll only pay 4!

The cheapest of the 5 nights (in case of a difference in low/high season fare) will be offered!

20% savings

This represents a saving of almost 20% in points over the entire 5-night stay!

The combined payment Cash + Points

This option allows you to split the payment between :

  • points,
  • money.
cash points marriott en 1

*This table is for information purposes only, as the hotel categories no longer exist in the Marriott Bonvoy program.

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JW Marriott Hanoi - Chambre

The PointSavers option

The PointSavers option is a promotion that is offered on select hotels during predefined weeks. The list of Marriott Bonvoy hotels is posted here.

This option allows a saving of up to 33% compared to the normal rate.

marriott pointsavers
The PointSavers option

To learn about the changes brought about by the abolition of categories and the new dynamic pricing in place since March 29, 2022, read this article.

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The St Regis Bahia Beach Resort Puerto Rico

How to book with points

To book free nights with your points, it’s easy!

Log in with your Marriott Bonvoy account on Marriott’s website and Check “Use Points”in the hotel search box. Then select “Find”.

burn points marriott
Séjournez 5 nuits au prix de 4

Hotels available with points will then be displayed in your search. You will be able to sort by number of points required, distance…

burn points marriott selection
Séjournez 5 nuits au prix de 4
Information

If you have enough points in your account, the number of points will be immediately debited at the booking. If you don’t have enough points AND your stay is in more than 14 days, you can use the“Advance Points”option.

Canceling a reservation with points

For most hotels, it is possible to cancel your reservation up to 48 hours before arrival. Your points will then be credited directly into your account instantly.

Conditions

Be sure to check the conditions of your reservation: in some hotels, cancellation must be made 14 days or even 30 days before arrival.

The best destinations

There are sweet spots in the Marriott Bonvoy program, i.e. geographic areas where it is particularly interesting to use your points.

As for example in South Africa with many hotels qualified as category 1 and 2 in the past.

renaissance downtown hotel dubai chambre 14
Renaissance Downtown Hotel Dubai - Chambre

The hotels map around the world

We’ve listed over 8,500 hotels worldwide in this exclusive map!

Although Marriott Bonvoy categories are a thing of the past, we have kept the hotel categorization on the map as a reference, to help you get an idea of the price range of hotels in points.

To get airline programs miles

Marriott Bonvoy is a partner with dozens of airline loyalty programs.

Thus, it will be possible to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points into miles of airline loyalty programs. For most programs, the rate is the same: 3 Marriott Bonvoy points = 1 mile.

Marriott Aeroplan Transfer Bonus
Marriott Aeroplan Transfer Bonus

For every 60,000 points transferred in miles, Marriott Bonvoy offers a 5,000 miles bonus.

So 60,000 points = 20,000 miles + 5,000 bonus miles = 25,000 miles

Here is the partner table and different rates / bonuses and transfer time.

Partner Ratio Bonus in miles per
60,000 points transferred
Time in days
Aegean Airlines Miles 3:1 5 000 10
Aeroflot Bonus 3:1 5 000 14
AeroMexico Club Premier 3:1 5 000 2
Air Canada Aeroplan 3:1 5 000 5
Air China Phoenix Miles 3:1 5 000 5
Air France/KLM Flying Blue 3:1 5 000 1
Air New Zealand Airpoints 200:1 25 2
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™ 3:1 5 000 2
Alitalia MilleMiglia 3:1 5 000 7
ANA Mileage Club 3:1 5 000 7
Asiana Airlines Asiana Club 3:1 5 000 10
British Airways Executive Club 3:1 5 000 1
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles 3:1 5 000 10
China Eastern Airlines Eastern Miles 3:1 5 000 14
China Southern Airlines 3:1 5 000 3
Copa Airlines ConnectMiles 3:1 5 000 14
Emirates Skywards 3:1 5 000 6
Etihad Guest 3:1 5 000 5
Frontier Airlines MyFrontier 3:1 5 000 14
Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings 3:1 5 000 14
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles 3:1 5 000 2
Iberia Plus 3:1 5 000 6
Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank 3:1 5 000 7
JetBlue TrueBlue 6:1 2 500 1
Korean Air SKYPASS 3:1 5 000 7
Latam Airlines Latam Pass 3:1 5 000 2
Lufthansa Miles and More 3:1 5 000 6
Qantas Frequent Flyer 3:1 5 000 6
Qatar Airways Privilege Club 3:1 5 000 6
Saudi Arabian Airlines Alfursan 3:1 5 000 14
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer 3:1 5 000 6
South African Airways Voyager 3:1 5 000 14
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards 3:1 5 000 2
TAP Air Portugal 3:1 5 000 14
Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus 3:1 5 000 10
Turkish Airlines Miles 3:1 5 000 14
United MileagePlus 3:1.1 5 500 2
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club 3:1 5 000 1
Virgin Australia Velocity 3:1 5 000 2
Promotions

Some airline programs often carry out promotions to convert hotel points into miles (such as Aeroplan or British Airways Executive Club).

For Marriott Bonvoy Moments activities

Finally, Marriott Bonvoy points can be used to book unique activities with Marriott Bonvoy Moments :

  • Sports events,
  • Concerts,
  • Festivals,
  • And more!

And share your beautiful memories on Instagram using #marriottbonvoymoments or #mercimilesopedia!

marriott moments 2
VIP

For sports fans, it’s an opportunity to participate in events in Marriott Bonvoy’s VIP boxes. There are often good deals!

How to manage your Marriott Bonvoy points

Do you know how earn and redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points?

Now let’s see how to manage them… every day!

The value of Marriott Bonvoy points

The value of 1 Marriott Bonvoy point is estimated between 0.5 and 1.5 cents per point depending on the use. So we decided to rate the point at 0.9 cents per dollar.

This means that the welcome bonus for the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card or the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card is worth around $500.

The expiracy of points

Marriott Bonvoy points expire after 24 months if your account is inactive.

To keep your account active, you just need to:

  • Earn points (via affiliated credit card purchases, hotel stays, etc.),
  • Use points.
Transfer

A transfer of American Express membership rewards to Marriott Bonvoy Points counts as an activity! All you need to do is transfer 1,000 membership rewards into 1,200 Marriott Bonvoy points to delay the expiry by 24 months.

The transfer of points between accounts

Each calendar year, you can transfer 100,000 points to another member. You can transfer your points online.

Transfer Marriott Bonvoy points

It’s an excellent opportunity for spouses or friends to combine the points earned on each of their credit cards into one account, including the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card welcome bonus or the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card welcome bonus.

Points earned with credit cards

All points earned with your purchases on the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card or the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card are transferred automatically, into your Marriott Bonvoy account, 48-72 hours after your monthly statement is issued.

depenses cartes credit marriott bonvoy
Points from a Marriott Bonvoy credit card

In the above case, I have accumulated :

  • 9,537 points for spending at 2 points per dollar,
  • 1,859 points for spending at 5 points per dollar (Marriott Bonvoy Hotel),
  • 2,674 points for expenses at 3 points per dollar (exclusive to the self-employed / professional / small business card).

With the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card, you can earn 3 points per dollar for:

  • gasoline.
  • meals (restaurants, bars, etc.),
  • travel (airfare, hotels, car rentals, etc.).
pqcjw deluxe 0009 hor wide
jw-marriott-phu-quoc-chambre-19

Marriott Bonvoy Statutes

There are 6 status levels in the Marriott Bonvoy program:

STATUS NIGHTS/YEAR
Member 0-9
Silver Elite 10-24
Gold Elite 25-49
Platinum Elite 50-74
Titanium Elite 75-99
Ambassador Elite 100+
& US$23,000 in expenses

There are two ways to reach a higher status:

  • Through stays at Marriott Bonvoy hotels: whether paid nights or with points, these are counted towards a higher status.
  • Through credit cards.
Marriott Bonvoy Domes Noruz Chania Autograph Collection 19
Marriott Bonvoy - Surclassement

The validity of the status

As soon as you earn a status level, it is valid until February, 2 years later.

For example, if you qualified for Gold Elite status in August 2023, that status will be valid until February 2025.

In summary, once you have obtained the status, you will be able to enjoy it:

  • for the remainder of the current year,
  • for the entire following calendar year,
  • for the first 2 months of the following calendar year.

The benefits of different status

Each Marriott Bonvoy status has distinct advantages:

marriott gold platinum statuses

To move to a higher status, it is necessary to have obtained a certain number of “Elite Nights” in the calendar year.

It is possible to have 15 elite nights easily by getting the :

Each of these cards offers 15 Elite Nights per year.

(If you have both card unfortunately it’s NOT cumulative).

Get Silver Elite Status

This status is awarded to those who have spent between 10 and 25 nights per year.

The holder of these cards immediately obtains Silver Elite status:

This adds to the member level:

  • Ultimate reservation guarantee,
  • 10% bonus points on stays,
  • Late Checkout priority,
  • Welcome gift.
Silver Elite Status

Getting Silver Elite status is easily attainable for anyone, without even staying a single night at a Marriott hotel. Just sign up for the Marriott BonvoyTM American ExpressMD Card or the Marriott Bonvoyᵐᶜ Corporate American ExpressMD Card.

Marriott Bonvoy Domes Noruz Chania Autograph Collection 37
Cadeau de bienvenue - Domes Noruz Chania, Autograph Collection

Get Gold Elite Status

This status is granted to those who have spent between 25 and 49 nights per year.

The holder of these cards immediately gets 15 Elite-nights:

That means only 10 Elite Nights are missing to get Gold Elite status.

There are two cards that directly earn Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status:

This status is part of their advantages.

It is also possible to earn Gold Elite status by charging $30,000 in purchases per year on one of two credit cards, including the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card.

This status adds to the Elite Silver level:

  • 25% bonus points on stays,
  • 2 PM late checkout priority,
  • Special Elite reservation line,
  • Upgrade to a superior room.
the st regis bahia beach resort puerto rico 94
The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico - petit-déjeuner

Get Platinum Elite Status

This status is the most coveted by Marriott Bonvoy members. It is awarded to those who have spent between 50 and 74 nights a year.

But the holder of these cards gets 15 Elite-nights immediately:

This means that 35 Elite Nights are needed to obtain Platinum Elite status.

These benefits are added on top of the Gold Elite benefits:

  • 50% bonus points on stays,
  • 4PM late checkout priority,
  • Welcome gift including breakfast,
  • Upgrade to a superior room including some suites,
  • Access to the hotel lounge,
  • Type of room guaranteed,
  • 5 free suite upgrades.

Earn a Marriott Bonvoy Elite status through a challenge

It is also possible, once in a lifetime, to participate in achallenge in order to obtain the Gold Elite or Platinum Elite status. ***This option has been suspended since the Covid-19 period.

This challenge requires you to complete, within a period of 90 days :

  • 8 nights (Gold Elite status),
  • 16 nights (Platinum Elite status).

These must be paid nights (i.e. without using points).

You’ll need to ask by phone at 1-801-468-4000.

Challenge Marriott Bonvoy

The 90 days start the following month of your application, which allows you to get more time! Ask the agent over the phone for the deadline to complete your challenge.

Bottom Line

Marriott Bonvoy is a particularly interesting program thanks to :

  • the multiple possibilities of accumulation of points,
  • to over 8,500+ hotels worldwide,
  • credit cards that directly OR indirectly earn points.

Enough to stay for free (or almost …) almost anywhere in the world!

Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
4.7 Milesopedia Rating
Jean-Maximilien Voisine
Jean-Maximilien is an expert in Canada and France about Loyalty programs, Credit cards and Travel. He is the Founding President of Milesopedia.

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