The pursuit of travel dreams often involves maximizing loyalty programs, and for many, Marriott Bonvoy stands as a premier choice. Imagine yourself unwinding on a pristine beach in the Maldives, enjoying a luxurious city escape in Paris, or embarking on an adventurous trek in the mountains – all made possible by leveraging the power of Marriott Bonvoy points. This comprehensive guide will illuminate the diverse avenues available to you for accumulating these valuable points, allowing you to unlock incredible experiences.
Ready to transform your everyday spending and travel habits into unforgettable adventures? Let's dive in!
A Comprehensive Guide to Earning Marriott Bonvoy Points
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| How To Get Points For Marriott |
Step 1: Join the Marriott Bonvoy Program – Your First Essential Move!
Are you ready to unlock a world of travel rewards? The very first and most crucial step is to enroll in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. It's completely free to join, and becoming a member immediately grants you access to exclusive benefits, including member-only rates on hotel stays and the ability to start earning points from day one.
To join:
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Go to the official Marriott Bonvoy website.
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Look for the "Join Now" or "Sign Up" button.
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Follow the simple prompts to create your account. You'll need to provide some basic information like your name, email, and address.
Congratulations! You're now a Marriott Bonvoy member, and your journey to earning points has officially begun.
Step 2: Maximize Your Stays at Marriott Properties
This is perhaps the most straightforward way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. Every eligible dollar you spend at Marriott hotels and resorts around the globe contributes to your points balance.
Sub-heading 2.1: Understanding Base Earning Rates
Generally, as a basic Marriott Bonvoy member, you'll earn 10 points per US dollar spent on qualifying charges at most Marriott Bonvoy properties. This includes not just your room rate, but also eligible expenses like dining at hotel restaurants, spa services, and even golf fees if charged to your room.
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Exceptions to the Rule: Be aware that some brands have different earning rates:
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5 points per dollar: Element, Protea Hotels, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, and Homes & Villas by Marriott.
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4 points per dollar: StudioRes properties.
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2.5 points per dollar: Marriott Executive Apartments.
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Sub-heading 2.2: Elevate Your Earning with Elite Status
This is where things get really interesting! Marriott Bonvoy rewards its most loyal members with elite status tiers, each offering a bonus on the points you earn from stays. The more nights you stay, the higher your status, and the faster your points accumulate.
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Silver Elite: Achieved after 10-24 qualifying nights per year. You'll receive a 10% bonus on points earned from stays.
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Gold Elite: Achieved after 25-49 qualifying nights per year. Enjoy a 25% bonus on points earned, along with other perks like 2 PM late checkout (subject to availability) and a welcome gift of points.
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Platinum Elite: Achieved after 50-74 qualifying nights per year. This is a highly sought-after tier, offering a 50% bonus on points, guaranteed 4 PM late checkout (subject to availability at resort/convention hotels), complimentary lounge access at brands with lounges, and space-available room upgrades (including select suites).
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Titanium Elite: Achieved after 75-99 qualifying nights per year. You'll earn a generous 75% bonus on points, a 48-hour room availability guarantee, and complimentary Hertz Five Star status.
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Ambassador Elite: The pinnacle of Marriott Bonvoy status, requiring 100 nights per year and $20,000 in qualifying annual spending. Ambassador Elites also receive a 75% bonus on points, along with personalized Ambassador service and the unique "Your24" benefit, allowing you to choose your check-in and checkout times.
Pro-tip: Always book directly with Marriott (via their website, app, or phone) to ensure you earn points and receive your elite benefits. Bookings through third-party sites are generally not eligible.
Step 3: Supercharge Your Earnings with Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards
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One of the fastest and most effective ways to accumulate a large sum of Marriott Bonvoy points, often without even stepping foot in a hotel, is by leveraging co-branded Marriott Bonvoy credit cards. These cards come with attractive welcome bonuses and excellent earning rates on everyday spending.
Sub-heading 3.1: Welcome Bonuses – Your Initial Boost
Many Marriott Bonvoy credit cards offer substantial welcome bonuses when you meet a specified spending threshold within the first few months of card membership. These bonuses can range from tens of thousands to over 100,000 points, providing an immediate and significant boost to your points balance.
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Example: A card might offer 75,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months.
Sub-heading 3.2: Earning on Everyday Purchases
Beyond the welcome bonus, Marriott Bonvoy credit cards offer accelerated earning rates on various categories of spending:
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Marriott Stays: You'll typically earn the highest multiplier when using your Marriott co-branded card for purchases at Marriott properties. This is in addition to the base points and elite bonus points you earn as a Bonvoy member. For example, a card might offer 6 points per dollar on Marriott purchases, leading to a combined earning of up to 10X (base) + 6X (card) + elite bonus!
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Dining and Groceries: Many cards offer bonus points on dining at restaurants (including takeout and delivery) and at US supermarkets.
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Travel and Other Categories: Look for cards that offer bonus points on general travel, gas stations, or even on all other eligible purchases.
Sub-heading 3.3: Complimentary Elite Status and Free Night Awards
A significant perk of many Marriott Bonvoy credit cards is the complimentary elite status they offer. For instance, some cards grant you automatic Gold Elite status, while others may offer Platinum Elite status. This immediately unlocks bonus points on your stays and other valuable benefits.
Additionally, many Marriott Bonvoy credit cards come with Free Night Awards either as an annual benefit or after meeting certain spending requirements. These awards can be incredibly valuable, allowing you to redeem them for a free night at participating hotels up to a certain point value.
Step 4: Explore Partner Programs and Strategic Transfers
Marriott Bonvoy has a robust network of partners that offer additional opportunities to earn points, even when you're not staying at a Marriott hotel.
Sub-heading 4.1: Transferring Points from Flexible Rewards Programs
This is a game-changer for many points enthusiasts. Marriott Bonvoy is a transfer partner with some of the most popular flexible rewards programs:
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American Express Membership Rewards: You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy, typically at a 1:1 ratio.
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Chase Ultimate Rewards: Similarly, Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio.
This means if you already earn points with these programs, you have a direct pipeline to accumulating Marriott Bonvoy points!
Sub-heading 4.2: Dining Programs (Eat Around Town)
QuickTip: Every section builds on the last.
Enroll in Eat Around Town by Marriott Bonvoy, a dining program that allows you to earn points when you dine at thousands of participating restaurants across the U.S. Simply link your credit cards to your Bonvoy account, and you'll automatically earn points when you use those cards at eligible restaurants.
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Marriott Bonvoy members typically earn 4 points per dollar spent.
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Elite members can earn even more, often 6 points per dollar spent.
Sub-heading 4.3: Car Rentals with Hertz
Marriott Bonvoy members can earn points on car rentals with Hertz. Provide your Marriott Bonvoy loyalty number when reserving a car, and you can typically earn 500 Bonvoy points per rental.
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Sub-heading 4.4: Uber and Uber Eats Partnership
For US-based Marriott Bonvoy members, linking your Marriott and Uber accounts can lead to easy points:
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6 points per dollar spent on Uber Eats deliveries to any hotel within the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio.
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3 points per dollar spent on Uber rides in the U.S. (including Uber XL, Uber Black, Uber SUV, and Uber Comfort).
Sub-heading 4.5: Hosting Events and Meetings
If you're planning a business meeting, conference, wedding, or family reunion, consider hosting it at a Marriott property. You can earn 2 points per US dollar spent on eligible charges, including room rentals, food, beverages, and audio/visual services, up to a maximum of 60,000 points for general members. Elite status bonuses apply here too, allowing higher earners to accumulate even more.
Sub-heading 4.6: Referring Friends
Marriott Bonvoy often offers a refer-a-friend program. If you're a Marriott Bonvoy credit cardholder, you can earn bonus points when friends or family members apply for and are approved for a Marriott Bonvoy credit card using your referral link. The bonus values vary but can be quite significant, often up to 40,000 points per referral, with annual limits.
Step 5: Special Promotions and Unique Opportunities
Keep an eye out for ongoing and limited-time promotions from Marriott Bonvoy. These can significantly accelerate your points earning.
Sub-heading 5.1: Global and Targeted Promotions
Marriott frequently runs promotions such as:
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Bonus points per stay: Earn an extra few thousand points per stay during specific promotional periods.
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Double points: Earn double the base points on your eligible stays.
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Bonus points after a certain number of nights: Stay a set number of nights and receive a lump sum of bonus points.
Always register for these promotions as soon as they are announced to ensure you qualify for the bonus points.
QuickTip: Compare this post with what you already know.
Sub-heading 5.2: Marriott Bonvoy Tours & Activities
Explore local experiences offered through Marriott Bonvoy Tours & Activities. You can often earn points by booking various tours, excursions, and activities directly through the Marriott platform.
Sub-heading 5.3: Marriott Vacation Packages and Cruises
Booking vacation packages through Vacations by Marriott Bonvoy or cruises through their Cruise with Points program can also yield bonus points. Members typically earn 3 points per dollar spent on cruises, and co-branded credit cardholders can earn an additional 2 points.
Sub-heading 5.4: Buying Points (Strategic Use Only)
While generally not the most economical way to acquire points, you can purchase Marriott Bonvoy points directly from Marriott. This can be useful if you're just short of a redemption goal or if there's a promotion offering a discount or bonus on purchased points. Members can typically purchase up to 150,000 points per calendar year.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are 10 common questions about earning Marriott Bonvoy points, with quick answers:
How to join Marriott Bonvoy?
You can join the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program for free by visiting the official Marriott Bonvoy website and completing the online registration form.
How to earn points on hotel stays?
Earn 10 points per US dollar spent on eligible charges at most Marriott Bonvoy properties, plus bonus points based on your elite status level. Always book directly with Marriott.
How to get Marriott Bonvoy credit cards?
QuickTip: Don’t skim too fast — depth matters.
Apply for co-branded Marriott Bonvoy credit cards offered by issuing banks like American Express and Chase (in the U.S.). These cards offer welcome bonuses and accelerated earning rates.
How to transfer points from other loyalty programs?
You can transfer points from flexible rewards programs like American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy, typically at a 1:1 ratio.
How to earn points without staying at a Marriott hotel?
Earn points by using Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit cards for everyday spending, dining with Eat Around Town, linking your Uber account, renting cars with Hertz, or hosting events at Marriott properties.
How to earn bonus points through promotions?
Register for global and targeted Marriott Bonvoy promotions, which often offer double points or fixed bonus points for eligible stays. Check the Marriott website's "Offers" section regularly.
How to earn points by referring friends?
If you have a Marriott Bonvoy credit card, look for a refer-a-friend program where you can earn bonus points when your friends sign up for a card using your unique referral link.
How to earn points on dining?
Enroll in the Eat Around Town by Marriott Bonvoy program, link your credit cards, and earn points automatically when you dine at participating restaurants.
How to purchase Marriott Bonvoy points?
You can purchase Marriott Bonvoy points directly from the Marriott website. This is generally recommended only if you need a small top-up for a specific redemption or if there's a strong promotional bonus on purchases.
How to earn points on car rentals and rideshares?
Earn points on car rentals with Hertz by providing your Bonvoy number. For US members, link your Marriott and Uber accounts to earn points on eligible Uber rides and Uber Eats deliveries.
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