You're eager to unlock the world of Marriott Bonvoy points and elevate your travel experiences, aren't you? Excellent! You've come to the right place. Racking up Marriott Bonvoy points is a fantastic way to enjoy luxurious stays, unique experiences, and even flights, all without draining your wallet. It's a journey, not a sprint, and with a strategic approach, you'll be well on your way to incredible rewards.
Let's dive into the ultimate guide on how to rack up Marriott points, step by step!
Step 1: Embark on Your Bonvoy Journey – Sign Up & Get Started!
First things first, if you haven't already, you need to become a Marriott Bonvoy member. It's absolutely free and takes just a few minutes. This is your gateway to earning and redeeming points, unlocking exclusive member rates, and gaining access to a world of benefits.
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| How To Rack Up Marriott Points |
Sub-heading: Why Bother Signing Up?
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Exclusive Member Rates: As a Bonvoy member, you gain access to special discounted rates on Marriott stays that aren't available to the general public. This alone can save you money and indirectly help you earn more points by making stays more affordable.
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Earn Points on Stays: This is the bread and butter of earning. Without a membership, you're leaving valuable points on the table with every Marriott stay.
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Track Your Progress: Your Bonvoy account is where you'll see your point balance, elite status progress, and redemption options. It's your personal dashboard for all things Marriott rewards.
So, what are you waiting for? Head over to the Marriott Bonvoy website and create your free account right now!
Step 2: The Power of the Plastic – Leveraging Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards
This is, by far, one of the fastest and most lucrative ways to accumulate a significant number of Marriott Bonvoy points. Co-branded credit cards offer massive welcome bonuses and accelerated earning rates on everyday spending.
Sub-heading: The Welcome Bonus Bonanza
Many Marriott Bonvoy credit cards offer substantial welcome bonuses after you meet a certain spending requirement within the first few months of opening the account. These bonuses can range from tens of thousands to even hundreds of thousands of points, instantly giving your balance a huge boost.
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Pro Tip: Always check the current sign-up offers! These can vary, and sometimes you'll find limited-time enhanced bonuses that are exceptionally good.
Sub-heading: Everyday Spending, Extraordinary Rewards
Beyond the initial bonus, Marriott Bonvoy credit cards are designed to reward your spending, especially at Marriott properties and in specific spending categories.
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Marriott Stays: You'll typically earn the highest multiplier on spending at Marriott hotels worldwide. This could be anywhere from 6x to 14x points per dollar, depending on the card and your elite status. This is where your loyalty truly pays off!
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Bonus Categories: Many cards offer accelerated earning on categories like dining, groceries, gas stations, or travel, allowing you to rack up points even when you're not staying at a Marriott.
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General Spending: For all other purchases, you'll still earn a respectable base rate of points, ensuring every dollar spent contributes to your Marriott Bonvoy balance.
Remember to choose a card that aligns with your spending habits and travel goals.
Step 3: Sleeping Your Way to Stardom – Hotel Stays are Key
QuickTip: Repetition signals what matters most.
The most direct way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points is, of course, by staying at Marriott properties. This is foundational to building your points balance and achieving elite status.
Sub-heading: Base Points for Every Stay
For most Marriott brands, you'll earn 10 base points per US dollar spent on qualifying charges, which include your room rate and other incidentals like dining and spa services (excluding taxes and fees). Some extended-stay brands like Element, Residence Inn, and TownePlace Suites earn 5 points per US dollar.
Sub-heading: Elite Status – The Multiplier Effect
As you ascend the Marriott Bonvoy elite status ladder, your point-earning potential significantly increases.
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Silver Elite (10 nights/year): Earn a 10% bonus on base points.
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Gold Elite (25 nights/year): Earn a 25% bonus on base points.
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Platinum Elite (50 nights/year): Earn a 50% bonus on base points. This is a fantastic sweet spot for many travelers!
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Titanium Elite (75 nights/year): Earn a 75% bonus on base points.
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Ambassador Elite (100 nights/year + $23,000 USD annual spend): Also earn a 75% bonus on base points.
Focus on consistent stays within the Marriott portfolio to climb these tiers and boost your earning rate.
Step 4: Beyond the Bed – Diversifying Your Earning Strategies
While credit cards and hotel stays are the big hitters, Marriott Bonvoy offers numerous other avenues to accumulate points. Don't overlook these valuable opportunities!
Sub-heading: Transferring Points from Flexible Rewards Programs
If you have points with other popular rewards programs, you might be able to transfer them to Marriott Bonvoy.
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American Express Membership Rewards: Generally transfers at a 1:1 ratio to Marriott Bonvoy. While Amex points are often valued higher, this can be useful for topping up your Marriott balance for a specific redemption. Keep an eye out for transfer bonuses, where Amex sometimes offers more than 1:1, making it a much more attractive option!
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Chase Ultimate Rewards: Also transfers at a 1:1 ratio. Similar to Amex, Chase points often hold higher value for other redemptions, so evaluate if it's the best use of your points.
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Bilt Rewards: A relatively newer program, Bilt Rewards points can also be transferred to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio.
Sub-heading: Dining Your Way to Rewards with "Eat Around Town"
Marriott's "Eat Around Town" program allows you to earn Bonvoy points simply by dining at participating restaurants.
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How it Works: Link your credit cards to your Eat Around Town account. When you use a linked card at an eligible restaurant, you automatically earn points.
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Earning Rates: You typically earn 2 points per dollar spent. If you have elite status, you can earn even more.
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Easy Points: This is a passive way to earn points on something you're likely doing anyway!
Sub-heading: Renting Cars and Booking Cruises
QuickTip: Every section builds on the last.
Marriott has partnerships that extend your earning opportunities beyond hotels.
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Hertz Car Rentals: Earn Bonvoy points on eligible Hertz car rentals. Provide your Marriott Bonvoy number when booking.
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Cruise with Points: Book cruises through Marriott's dedicated cruise portal and earn points on your booking. This can be a significant way to earn, especially on longer or more luxurious cruises.
Sub-heading: Hosting Events and Meetings
If you're a business traveler or event planner, this is a goldmine.
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Marriott Bonvoy Events: Earn 2 points per US dollar spent on eligible event charges, including room rentals, food and beverage, and audiovisual, up to a maximum of 60,000 points per event for general members. Elite members can earn even more (up to 105,000 points for Titanium and Ambassador Elites)!
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Elite Night Credits: You also earn Elite Night Credits for events, helping you achieve or maintain status.
Sub-heading: Engaging with Marriott Bonvoy Moments
Marriott Bonvoy Moments allows you to bid on or redeem points for once-in-a-lifetime experiences, such as exclusive concerts, culinary events, or sporting events. While primarily a redemption option, some Moments might have associated earning opportunities or tie into promotions.
Sub-heading: Uber Rides and Uber Eats
In some regions (including the U.S.), you can link your Marriott Bonvoy account with your Uber account to earn points on eligible rides and Uber Eats orders. This is a fantastic way to earn points on everyday essentials.
Sub-heading: Referring Friends
If you're a current Marriott Bonvoy credit card holder, you might be eligible for referral bonuses. Refer a friend or family member for a Marriott Bonvoy credit card, and if they're approved, you could earn a significant number of bonus points. It's a win-win!
Step 5: Strategic Point Accumulation – Being Smart with Your Earnings
Racking up points isn't just about maximizing every opportunity; it's also about being strategic and consistent.
Sub-heading: Stay Vigilant for Promotions
Marriott Bonvoy regularly runs global promotions that offer bonus points on stays, often requiring registration.
QuickTip: Read again with fresh eyes.
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Always Register: Even if you don't have immediate travel plans, register for all promotions. You never know when a last-minute trip might come up, and you don't want to miss out on easy bonus points.
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Targeted Offers: Keep an eye on your email and your Marriott Bonvoy account for personalized or targeted offers that can further boost your earnings.
Sub-heading: Consider Buying Points (with caution!)
While generally not the best value, buying Marriott Bonvoy points can sometimes make sense if you need to top off your account for a specific high-value redemption, especially during a sale.
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Evaluate the Cost: Compare the cost of buying points to the value you'd get from the redemption. Marriott frequently offers discounts or bonuses on purchased points, so only consider it during these promotional periods.
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Annual Limits: There are annual limits on how many points you can purchase.
Step 6: Maintaining Your Momentum – Don't Let Points Expire!
Marriott Bonvoy points do expire if there's no activity on your account for 24 consecutive months. Don't let your hard-earned points vanish!
Sub-heading: Easy Ways to Keep Your Account Active
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Any Earning Activity: Earning points from a hotel stay, a credit card purchase, or even a dining program transaction will reset the 24-month clock.
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Any Redemption Activity: Redeeming points for a free night, a Marriott Bonvoy Moment, or even a small merchandise item will also keep your account active.
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Transfer Points: Transferring points into your Marriott Bonvoy account from a partner program will count as activity.
Set a reminder if you need to, but make sure you have some activity at least once every two years!
10 Related FAQ Questions:
How to Maximize Marriott Bonvoy Point Earnings on Hotel Stays?
To maximize earnings, always book directly with Marriott, be a Marriott Bonvoy member, and strive for elite status (especially Platinum Elite or higher) to earn significant bonus points on every eligible dollar spent.
How to Get a Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card with a High Welcome Bonus?
Research current offers from issuing banks (like American Express or Chase) as welcome bonuses vary. Look for limited-time enhanced offers and ensure you can meet the minimum spending requirement to earn the bonus.
How to Transfer Credit Card Points to Marriott Bonvoy?
QuickTip: Reread for hidden meaning.
Log in to your Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Bilt Rewards account, navigate to the transfer partners section, select Marriott Bonvoy, and follow the instructions to transfer your points.
How to Earn Marriott Bonvoy Points without Staying at Hotels?
You can earn points through co-branded credit card spending, dining via the Eat Around Town program, renting cars with Hertz, booking cruises, hosting eligible events, and by linking your Uber account for rides and food deliveries.
How to Check My Marriott Bonvoy Point Balance and Activity?
Log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account on the official website or through the Marriott Bonvoy mobile app. Your point balance will be prominently displayed, and you can access your activity statement to see all earnings and redemptions.
How to Ensure My Marriott Bonvoy Points Don't Expire?
To prevent point expiry, ensure there's eligible earning or redemption activity in your Marriott Bonvoy account at least once every 24 months. Even a small credit card purchase on a co-branded card or a modest points redemption will suffice.
How to Earn Elite Night Credits Faster with Marriott Bonvoy?
Besides hotel stays, many Marriott Bonvoy credit cards offer annual Elite Night Credits as a benefit, and you can also earn them by hosting qualifying events through Marriott Bonvoy Events.
How to Find Current Marriott Bonvoy Promotions for Bonus Points?
Visit the "Promotions" section on the Marriott Bonvoy website and always register for any available offers. You'll also receive emails about new promotions if you're opted in for marketing communications.
How to Use Marriott Bonvoy Points for Experiences (Moments)?
Go to the Marriott Bonvoy Moments website. You can either bid on unique experiences in an auction format or instantly redeem points for fixed-price events, ranging from concerts to culinary workshops.
How to Determine if Buying Marriott Bonvoy Points is Worth It?
Compare the cost of purchasing points (especially during a sale) to the cash value of the redemption you have in mind. If the value you get from the redemption significantly outweighs the cost of buying the points, it might be worth it. Otherwise, focus on other earning methods.
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