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You may have heard of Marriott, but have you ever heard of Marriott Bonvoy? If not, you’re missing out! I’ve stayed at many Marriott hotels and resorts over the years, and I have to say that Marriott Bonvoy has been one of my favorite rewards programs. If you don’t think that signing up for a hotel rewards program is worth it, think again! How much are Marriott points worth, you ask? Well, I’ll break that down in the content below. Keep on reading!
The Bottom Line Upfront
The bottom line is, you can’t go wrong with getting a Marriott Bonvoy account. It’s free to join and offers so many rewards. I’ve used my Bonvoy points to stay at some of the most luxurious Marriott properties around the world, and I’m always impressed with the service and amenities.
I like to plan my birthday trips a year in advance, and I’ll use all of the Bonvoy earning strategies throughout the year. So, once my birthday comes around, I’ll have a couple of free nights at a Marriott hotel!
How Much Are Marriott Points Worth?
As a Marriott Bonvoy member, you’ll receive 10 points per $1 spent at most of Marriott’s brands like the Westin, Springhill Suites, JW Marriott, Ritz Carlton, and more. If you stay at a hotel like the Residence Inn, Town Place Suites, or Element, you’ll get 5 points per $1 spent. Lastly, guests who stay at Marriott Executive Apartments earn 2.5 points per $1 spent.
Marriott Bonvoy is split into several tiers. As you advance through the tiers, the more perks you’ll receive. Here’s a breakdown of each one:
Member
Just for signing up with Marriott Bonvoy, you’ll receive complimentary Wi-Fi, mobile check-in, and member-only room rates. Even before you move up to the next status, your Bonvoy membership will allow you to book hotels using a combination of cash and points. Plus, you can redeem points when staying at participating Marriott hotels by purchasing meals, cocktails, spa packages, and more.
Silver Elite
The next tier up is Silver Elite. Once you make it to Silver status, you’ll enjoy 10% more points on your hotel stays for all eligible hotel purchases. This also includes purchases that you make for meals, the spa, and more. Silver Elite comes with free Wi-Fi, and priority late check-out.
Furthermore, you’ll have the option to get a mobile key with mobile check-in, as well as an Ultimate Reservation Guarantee. With this guarantee, Marriott will honor your reservation and pay for you to stay at a nearby hotel to make up for any inconveniences.
Gold Elite
With Gold Elite Status, you’ll enjoy 25% more points for eligible room stays and enhanced room upgrades. Plus, you’ll receive priority late checkout, as late as 2 pm. As a Gold status member, you can expect 250 or 500 bonus points when you show up for your hotel stay. And of course, it comes with access to the other standard perks like free Wi-Fi, and mobile check-in.
Platinum Elite
The perks start to get even better at the Platinum Elite tier. You’ll earn 50% more points on your hotel purchases and receive a welcome gift upon arriving at the hotel. For your gift, you can choose complimentary breakfast, extra points, or an extra hotel amenity.
Furthermore, as a Platinum member, you’ll have access to enhanced room upgrades, which include suites. The great thing about reaching Platinum status is that you get late check out up to 4 pm, dedicated elite support, and lounge access.
Titanium
Once you reach Titanium status, you’ll earn a 75% bonus for all the points earned for every eligible hotel purchase. Plus, you’ll enjoy dedicated 24/7 personal support. You’ll also get special privileges through the 48-hour guarantee. This guarantee promises that if you book your hotel by 3 pm, 48 hours before your arrival, there will always be a room available for you.
Additionally, Titanium members get complimentary status upgrades for airlines and an annual choice benefit. Titanium members receive lounge access, enhanced room upgrades, and welcome gifts as well.
Ambassador Elite
Ambassador elite is top-of-the-line. At this level, you’ll earn a 75% bonus on all hotel purchases, dedicated Ambassador service, and the option to choose the times that you want to check-in and check-out of the hotel. And of course, this status comes with all of the other perks, like late checkout, lounge access, a welcome gift, and more.
Ways to Earn Marriott Bonvoy Points
Hotel Stays
Of course, one of the best ways to earn Bonvoy points is to stay at a Marriott hotel. There are over 7,000 hotels where you can earn points at. Plus, you’ll get more points for any additional hotel purchases, like food and drinks. Furthermore, as a Marriott Bonvoy member, you can earn 10 points for every $1 spent at a Marriott Golf Resort or spa.
Marriott Partnerships
Marriott is partnered with several brands. So, by using those brands, you can get extra Marriott points. Bonvoy members earn points for Uber Eats orders and Uber rides.
You can also transfer your American Express and Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy to get complimentary room nights.
Rental Cars
Marriott’s affiliate rental car service is Hertz. By being a Marriott Bonvoy member, you’ll save on the base rate for rental cars and more.
Cruise Vacations
Believe it or not, you can even accumulate points when you book a cruise through Bonvoy. You’ll earn up to 3Xthe points for $1 that you spend on a qualifying cruise.
Buying Points
Buying Marriott points may seem like a bad idea, but it’s really not. It actually makes a lot of sense. I’ve bought Bonvoy points before, and it helped out so much. In most cases, the price that you pay for points is way less than the amount that you would spend to book a hotel stay.
Not only that, but Marriott runs promotions where they offer 2-3X the point amounts for buying them. That in itself makes it worth it. And I can’t forget to mention that buying points helps you get to a higher status. For example, if you are at Gold Elite, and you want to get to Platinum, buying Bonvoy points can help you get there. Once your status increases, your next hotel stay will be even better.
One time, I bought points after being disqualified by Marriott, since I booked through a third-party vendor. Well, Marriott was running a promotion that offered points for $25. Ultimately, the number of paid points that I got was the same number that I would’ve received for my hotel stay. Plus, I got extra points because of the promotion they were running.
Credit Cards
Getting a Marriott credit is a fantastic way to earn points and reach higher tiers. Take a look at the details of each card:
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card from Chase
With this card, you’ll earn 6X the Bonvoy points for every $1 spent at Marriott locations, 3X the points on gas and groceries, and 2X on other eligible purchases. You’ll also get a free night each year after your account anniversary and 15 Elite Night credits. You’ll automatically achieve Silver status with this card. When you sign up, you’ll receive 100,000 bonus points if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. There is a $95 annual fee for this card.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card from Chase
This card offers 3X the Bonvoy points for every $1 spent at Marriott locations, 2X on travel purchases, and 1X on all other eligible purchases. You’ll also receive a free night each year after your account anniversary and 15 Elite Night credits. When you sign up, you’ll receive 60,000 bonus points if you spend $2,000 in the first 3 months. There is a $0 annual fee for this card.
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card
This credit card offers 6X the Bonvoy points for every $1 spent at Marriott locations, 4X the points at supermarkets, and 2X on other eligible purchases. This card automatically puts you at Gold status, and you’ll receive a free night each year after your account anniversary. Plus, you’ll get 1,000 bonus points per eligible stay. There is a $250 annual fee for this card.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
With this card, you’ll receive 6X the Bonvoy points for every $1 spent at Marriott locations, 3X on airline tickets and at restaurants, and 2X on other eligible purchases. You’ll automatically achieve Platinum status with this card, along with a $100 luxury credit. Additionally, this card comes with 25 Elite Night credits, and a $300 dining statement credit. You’ll receive 150,000 bonus points if you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months. There is a $650 annual fee for this card.
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card
This card provides you with 6X the Bonvoy points for every $1 spent at Marriott locations, 4X on gas and restaurants, and 2X on other eligible purchases. You’ll receive a 7% room discount rate and automatic Gold status. This card comes with 2 free night rewards and 15 Elite night credits. You’ll get 100,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months. There is a $125 annual fee for this card.
Ways to Redeem Marriott Points
Hotel Stays
One of the most common ways to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points is by using them to cover hotel stays. You can use your points to book rooms at any of Marriott’s 6,700+ properties around the world. If you don’t have enough points, you can book a room using a combination of points and cash.
Travel Expenses
Marriott Bonvoy points can also be used to cover travel expenses like airfare, cruises, rental cars, and more. You can book travel directly through the Marriott Bonvoy website or use your points to book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal (if you have the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card).
Shopping
Another way to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points is by shopping with Marriott partners. You can shop for a variety of items, including luggage, jewelry, and home goods. Plus, you can use your points to shop at Marriott’s store, where you’ll find a wide selection of gift cards.
Marriott Bonvoy Moments
Marriott Bonvoy Moments is a program that lets you use your points to book experiences, like concerts, golf outings, and culinary tours. You can use your points to bid on unique experiences, like a private dinner with a celebrity chef or a behind-the-scenes tour of your favorite sports stadium.
FAQs
Question: How Can I learn more about Marriott Bonvoy?
Answer: Marriott has a Facebook group called Marriott Bonvoy Insiders. This is a great place to ask questions and get tips from other Marriott members. You can also find more information about Marriott Bonvoy on Marriott’s website.
Question: How many points do I need to redeem a free night?
Answer: You will need 7,500 points for a free night at a Category 1 hotel, 10,000 points for a Category 2 hotel, 20,000 points for Category 3, and 30,000 points for a Category 4 hotel. Depending on where you want to stay, you may need even more than 30,000 points.
Question: Can I transfer my Marriott Bonvoy points to another person?
Answer: Yes, you can. The other person has to be a Bonvoy member, and you’ll need their Marriott account number. Also, the transfer can only be done by calling Marriott directly.
How Much are Marriott Points Worth: Final Thoughts
Who says you can’t travel for cheap? With Marriott Bonvoy, earning points is easy, and redeeming them greatly cuts the cost of vacation expenses. Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway or an international vacation, Marriott has you covered. I make sure to take full advantage of my membership, especially since I can earn points without booking rooms. It’s fantastic!
If you haven’t signed up for a Marriott Bonvoy account, I highly recommend doing so. You won’t regret it!