The Ultimate Marriott Bonvoy Guide

The Marriott Bonvoy program is regarded as one of the most exceptional hotel rewards programs available today and prides itself on offering elite-level benefits and excellent redemption value. The Bonvoy family of credit cards is especially well-regarded for its attractive signup bonuses, with the Marriott Bonvoy™ Boundless Card from Chase being a prime example.

What Hotels Are in the Marriott Portfolio?

The following hotels and resorts make up the Marriott International portfolio, and participate in the Bonvoy program:

How to Earn Points with Marriott Bonvoy

The simplest way to earn points through the Bonvoy program is by booking a stay with a Marriott International hotel or resort.

Points from hotel stays vary depending upon the membership status of the individual, as well as the type of property the stay is booked in. Long-stay brands like Residence Inn, Element, or TownePlace Suites, for example, earn half the points of typical visits with other Marriott brands.

The points breakdown for hotel stays is as follows:

• Member: 10X points
• Silver: 11X points
• Gold: 12.5X points
• Platinum: 15X points
• Titanium & Ambassador: 17.5X points

Earn with Travel Partners

Another great way to earn Bonvoy points is through travel bookings with select Marriott partners. Currently, Marriott only has two ways where members can earn points through partner bookings:

• Hertz: Members earn up to 2,000 points for each car rental made through Hertz.
• Cruises: Members can also earn up to 6 points per dollar by booking cruises through select partners, including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, Carnival, and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Other Ways to Earn Points

• Buy Points: Marriott allows members to buy points through their dedicated Buy Points portal. The site typically offers deals on points purchases, usually around 25-35% in points bonuses for each purchase over a set amount. The maximum number of points that can be purchased in one transaction is 50,000 – though this level is frequently raised to 100,000 on special events.
• Gift Points: Marriott also allows members to share their points with a loved one through gifting.
• Special Events: Marriott offers far more than just hotel rooms, as it also plays host to thousands of events each year. Marriott Bonvoy also rewards event planners by allowing them to earn points on money spent on events hosted by Marriott.

What Are Marriott Bonvoy Rewards Points Worth?

How to Redeem Points with Marriott Bonvoy

Perhaps the most obvious way to redeem Bonvoy points is through booking free night stays with Marriott properties. Points are redeemable for stays in three different ways: PointSavers, Points, or Cash + Points.

• PointSaver: PointSaver is a revolving list of Marriott properties and offers the best value for money, with increased discount rates. Redemptions with PointSaver start as low as 4,000 points for off-peak stays, 6,000 for regular stays, and 8,500 points for peak-season stays.
• Points: Points are the primary method of redemption with the Bonvoy program, with free nights starting at 5,000 points for off-peak stays at Category 1 properties, 7,500 for typical stays, and 10,000 for peak-season stays.
• Cash + Points: Cash + Points allows Bonvoy members to pay for part of their stay with points – paying the rest with cash. Redemptions using Cash + Points start as low as 1,500 points and $55.

Transfer to Travel Partners

Marriott Bonvoy points also transfer to the frequent flyer rewards programs of over 40 different airlines. All a Bonvoy member must do is log in to their Bonvoy account, click on “Redeem Points,” choose “Travel,” and click on the box titled “Transfer Points to Miles.”

The following airlines are partners with Marriott:

Transfer rates of Bonvoy points to frequent flyer miles are uniform, with a few exceptions. Most airlines offer frequent flyer miles for Bonvoy points at a rate of three points for every mile (3:1). The following, however, are exceptions:

• Air New Zealand: 200 Bonvoy points for every mile.
• JetBlue: Six Bonvoy points for every mile.
• United: Three Bonvoy points for every 1.1 miles. This rate is unique, as United offers a 10% bonus on every point transfer.

Other Ways to Redeem

• Shopping: Bonvoy points are redeemable towards merchandise through the dedicated Shop with Points portal. While shopping with points never offers the best value for money when it comes to redemptions, the Shop with Points portal does provide a wide selection of goods and gift cards from some of the biggest retail names, including Yeti, HP, Garmin, and more.
• Share or Pool Points: Marriott also allows members to either share their points with loved ones through gifting or pooling points with friends or family to help reach expensive redemption goals.

Marriott Bonvoy Membership Tiers

The Bonvoy loyalty program provides a variety of perks and amenities for members. These perks vary depending upon your tier status, with the following tiers enjoying the following benefits:

And here’s a breakdown of those benefits:

Silver Elite

Silver Elite is the first elite tier in the Bonvoy program that offers perks beyond what regular members can expect.

Silver Elite Benefits

Silver Elite members can expect the following perks:

• 10% bonus points on stays
• Priority late check-out
• Access to the dedicated reservations line

Gold Elite

Gold is the next tier in the Bonvoy program. Gold Elite requires at least 25 nights’ worth of reservations per year. Seven years of Elite status and 400 stays earns the recipient lifetime Gold Elite status.

Gold Elite Benefits

Gold Elite members can expect the following perks:

• 25% bonus points on stays
• Priority 2 pm late check-out
• Enhanced room upgrades
• Free improved in-room Wi-Fi
• Access to the dedicated reservations line
• Welcome gift with points redemptions

Platinum Elite

Platinum is the next tier in the Bonvoy program. Platinum Elite requires at least 50 nights of reservations per year. Ten years of Elite status and 500 stays earns the recipient lifetime Platinum Elite status.

Platinum Elite Benefits

Platinum Elite members can expect the following perks:

• 50% bonus points on stays
• Priority 4 pm late check-out
• Room upgrade, including with Select Suites
• Free enhanced in-room Wi-Fi
• Access to hotel lounges (where available)
• Access to the dedicated reservations line
• Choice of a free welcome gift of points, breakfast, or amenities

Titanium Elite

Titanium Elite is the second-highest level in the Bonvoy hotel rewards program, requiring 75 nights per year (including redemption nights).

Titanium Elite Benefits

Titanium Elite members can expect the following perks:

• 75% bonus points on stays
• Priority 4 pm late check-out
• Room upgrade, including with Select Suites
• Free enhanced in-room Wi-Fi
• Access to hotel lounges (where available)
• Access to the dedicated reservations line
• Choice of a free welcome gift of points, breakfast, or amenities
• Annual gift choice of one of the following:
• 5 Suite Night Awards
• 1 Free Night Award
• Gold Elite status for a friend or family member
• 40% favorite mattress
• 5 Elite Night Credits
• $100 charity donation

Ambassador Elite

Ambassador Elite status is the pinnacle tier within the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, offering the highest level of perks to members. This tier requires at least 100 stays per year.

Ambassador Elite Benefits

Ambassador Elite members can expect the following perks:

• 75% bonus points on stays
• Your24 – choose the 24 hours of your visit and check–in and out when it suits you
• 48–hour booking guarantee
• Personalized assistance with all stays
• Room upgrade, including with Select Suites
• Free enhanced in-room Wi-Fi
• Access to hotel lounges (where available)
• Choice of a free welcome gift of points, breakfast, or amenities

Current Marriott Credit Cards