Marriott Bonvoy: Unlock Extraordinary Free Nights and Elite Benefits

Marriott Bonvoy – The Power of Choice

Marriott Bonvoy is one of the most renowned hotel rewards programs globally, boasting an extensive portfolio of hotel brands and properties across various price points and destinations. With Marriott Bonvoy, you have the power of choice, ensuring that you can find the perfect accommodation for your travels while earning points towards free nights and other valuable rewards. Looking for other hotel programs, read our post, The Best Hotel Reward Programs.

How to sign up for Marriott Bonvoy and start earning points:

Joining Marriott Bonvoy is a simple and straightforward process. You can sign up for free on the Marriott Bonvoy website or through their mobile app. To create your account, provide the required information, such as your name, contact details, and preferences. Once registered, you’ll receive a membership number to use for future bookings and start earning points.

To earn points, make sure to include your membership number when making reservations directly with Marriott hotels or through authorized booking channels. You’ll earn points based on the eligible expenses you incur during your stay, including room rates, dining, and additional services charged to your room.

Strategies to accelerate point accumulation:

Maximize your earning potential with Marriott Bonvoy by employing these strategies:

Stay at Marriott Properties: Marriott Bonvoy offers an extensive selection of hotel brands, ranging from budget-friendly options like Courtyard and Moxy to luxury brands like Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis. By choosing to stay at Marriott properties, you’ll earn points for each eligible dollar spent on your stay.
Utilize Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards: Marriott partners with various financial institutions to offer co-branded credit cards. These cards typically provide sign-up bonuses, accelerated points earning rates, and additional benefits like elite status or annual free nights. Using these cards for your everyday purchases can significantly boost your points balance.
Take Advantage of Promotions: Marriott Bonvoy frequently runs promotions that allow you to earn bonus points for specific activities or targeted stays. Keep an eye out for these promotions and register to earn extra points faster.
Explore Marriott’s Travel Partners: Marriott Bonvoy has an extensive network of travel partners, including airlines, car rental companies, and travel booking platforms. By linking your accounts and choosing these partners, you can earn additional Marriott Bonvoy points when you fly, rent a car, or book activities.

Marriott-branded credit cards

Annual Fee: $95
Generous Welcome Bonus: The card typically offers a substantial welcome bonus, allowing you to earn many Marriott Bonvoy points when you meet the spending requirements within a specified time frame.
- Current offer 75,000pts after spending $3,000 in 6 months. Plus 50,000pts after completing six paid nights.
Marriott Bonvoy Points Earning: You can earn Marriott Bonvoy points on every purchase you make with the card. These points can be redeemed for free nights at Marriott properties worldwide, room upgrades, airline transfers, and more.
- 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Limitations apply
- 3X Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on gas stations, grocery stores, and dining.
- 2X Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
Automatic Silver Elite Status: Cardholders receive automatic Silver Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. This status provides benefits such as priority late checkout, a dedicated reservation line, and access to exclusive member rates.
Annual Free Night Award: Each year, on your account anniversary, you receive a free night award that can be used at eligible Marriott Bonvoy hotels with redemption levels up to a specified point threshold. This benefit alone can offset the annual fee of the card.
Elite Night Credits: You can receive 15 Elite Night Credits towards the next Marriott Bonvoy Elite status level each calendar year. Limitations apply. Earn 1 credit toward Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend with no cap. Terms apply.
Additional Free Night Awards: You can earn additional free night awards by spending a certain amount on the card within a calendar year. These awards can be used at eligible Marriott Bonvoy hotels, providing even more value for cardholders.
No Foreign Transaction Fees: The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card does not charge foreign transaction fees. This makes it a great choice for international travelers, as you won’t incur additional fees when using the card abroad.
Visa Signature Benefits: As a Visa Signature card, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card offers additional perks such as travel and purchase protections, concierge services, and access to special events and experiences.

No Annual Fee: The Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card does not charge an annual fee, making it a cost-effective option for those looking to earn Marriott Bonvoy points without the expense of an annual fee.
Welcome Bonus: The card typically offers a welcome bonus, allowing you to earn a certain number of Marriott Bonvoy points when you meet the spending requirements within a specified time frame.
- Current offer 50,000pts after spending $1,000 in 6 months. Plus 50,000pts after completing six paid nights.
Marriott Bonvoy Points Earning: You can earn Marriott Bonvoy points on every purchase you make with the card. These points can be redeemed for free nights at Marriott properties worldwide, room upgrades, airline transfers, and more.
- 3x Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Limitations apply
- 2x Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 spent on other travel purchases.
- 1x Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 spent on purchases anywhere else.
Automatic Silver Elite Status: Cardholders receive automatic Silver Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. This status provides benefits such as priority late checkout, a dedicated reservation line, and access to exclusive member rates.
Elite Night Credits: You can receive 15 Elite Night Credits towards the next Marriott Bonvoy Elite status level each calendar year. Limitations apply
No Foreign Transaction Fees: The card does not charge foreign transaction fees, which makes it a suitable choice for international travelers as you won’t incur additional fees when using the card abroad.
Visa Signature Benefits: As a Visa Signature card, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card offers additional perks such as travel and purchase protections, concierge services, and access to special events and experiences.

Annual Fee: $650
Generous Welcome Bonus: The card typically offers a substantial welcome bonus, allowing you to earn many Marriott Bonvoy points when you meet the spending requirements within a specified time frame.
- Current offer 150,000pts after spending $6,000 in 6 months. Plus 50,000pts after completing six paid nights.
Marriott Bonvoy Points Earning: You can earn Marriott Bonvoy points on every purchase you make with the card. These points can be redeemed for free nights at Marriott properties worldwide, room upgrades, airline transfers, and more.
- 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®.
- 3X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines.
- 2X Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Status: A Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite member will earn 50% more points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy for each U.S. dollar or the currency equivalent that is incurred and paid for by the member
$100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: 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.
$300 Marriott Bonvoy Statement Credit: Each year, you receive up to $300 in statement credits for eligible purchases made directly with Marriott Bonvoy hotels. This credit can be used toward room charges, dining, spa services, and more.
Annual Free Night Award: The award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, such as Le Metropolitan, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Paris. Certain hotels have resort fees.
Elite Night Credits: You can receive 25 Elite Night Credits towards the next Marriott Bonvoy Elite status level each calendar year. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Terms apply.

Welcome Bonus: The card typically offers a generous welcome bonus, allowing you to earn a substantial number of Marriott Bonvoy points when you meet the spending requirements within a specified time frame.
- - Current offer 125,000pts after spending $5,000 in 6 months. Plus 50,000pts after completing six paid nights.
Marriott Bonvoy Points Earning: Cardholders earn Marriott Bonvoy points on all eligible purchases. This includes purchases at Marriott properties as well as everyday spending, helping you accumulate points quickly for future redemptions.
- 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
- 4X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide and U.S. Supermarkets (up to $15,000). Terms apply
- 2X Marriott Bonvoy® points on all other eligible purchases.
Automatic Gold Elite Status: Cardholders receive automatic Gold Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. This status provides benefits such as enhanced room upgrades, late checkout, welcome gifts, and access to exclusive member rates.
Annual Free Night Award: Each year, on your account anniversary, you receive an annual free night award. This award can be redeemed at eligible Marriott Bonvoy hotels with redemption levels up to a specified point threshold, providing excellent value and potentially offsetting the annual fee.
1000 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. Terms apply.

The Best Travel Reward Credit Cards

Our post linked above has more information on the best travel rewards!

Insider tips to maximize your redemption value for free nights:

When it comes to redeeming your hard-earned points for free nights with Marriott Bonvoy, consider the following tips:

Utilize the Fifth Night Free Benefit: As a Marriott Bonvoy member, the fifth night is free when you redeem points for a consecutive five-night stay. This benefit allows you to stretch your points further and enjoy a more extended getaway for the same number of points. Full details are found on the Marriott website.
Research Redemption Categories: Marriott Bonvoy offers a tiered redemption system, with hotels categorized into different point levels. Higher-end properties typically require more points for redemption. Research and compare the redemption rates of properties in your desired destination to find the best value for your points.
Upgrade with Points: In addition to free nights, Marriott Bonvoy allows you to use your points to upgrade your room or access enhanced experiences, such as club lounge access or suite upgrades. If you value these perks, consider using your points for upgrades to elevate your stay.
Cash + Points Option: Marriott Bonvoy offers a Cash + Points option, allowing you to pay a combination of cash and points for your stay. This flexibility can be advantageous when you don’t have enough points for a full redemption but still want to reduce the cash cost of your stay.

Conclusion

With Marriott Bonvoy’s diverse portfolio of hotels, strategic earning methods, and smart redemption tactics, you can earn and maximize the value of your points, unlocking memorable and cost-effective free nights across the globe.