Have you ever dreamed of turning your everyday spending into luxurious getaways, experiencing world-class hospitality without breaking the bank? If you're a traveler, or aspire to be one, then mastering the art of using Marriott Bonvoy points is your key to unlocking incredible experiences. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step, ensuring you get the absolute most out of your hard-earned points. Let's dive in!
The Power of Marriott Bonvoy Points: Your Gateway to Global Travel
Marriott Bonvoy isn't just a loyalty program; it's a universe of travel possibilities. With over 30 distinct brands and more than 9,000 properties worldwide, from budget-friendly Courtyards to opulent St. Regis resorts, your points can take you virtually anywhere. Understanding how to effectively earn and redeem these points is crucial to maximizing your travel budget and enjoying unforgettable stays.
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| How To Use Points With Marriott Bonvoy |
Step 1: Getting Started – Are You a Marriott Bonvoy Member?
Before you can unlock the world with Marriott Bonvoy, you need to be a member!
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Sub-heading: Sign Up – It's Free and Easy!
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If you're not already a member, don't worry, it takes just a few minutes. Head over to the official Marriott Bonvoy website or download the Marriott Bonvoy app. Look for the "Join Now" or "Enroll" button. You'll simply need to provide some basic information like your name, email address, and a password.
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Pro Tip: Even if you don't travel frequently, signing up is a no-brainer. You'll instantly gain access to member-only rates and potentially earn points on future stays, even if they're not fully paid for with cash.
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Sub-heading: Understanding Your Member Profile
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Once you're signed up, take a moment to explore your member profile. This is where you'll see your points balance, your elite status level (if any), and your activity history. Familiarize yourself with this section as it will be your hub for all things Bonvoy.
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Step 2: Accumulating Points – The Art of Earning
The more points you have, the more you can do! Marriott Bonvoy offers numerous ways to build up your points stash.
Tip: Reread the opening if you feel lost.
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Sub-heading: Hotel Stays – The Most Obvious Way
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Earning points when staying at Marriott properties is the cornerstone of the program. Generally, you'll earn 10 points per dollar spent on eligible charges at most Marriott brands. However, some brands like Element, Residence Inn, and TownePlace Suites earn 5 points per dollar, while Marriott Executive Apartments earn 2.5 points per dollar.
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Maximizing Hotel Stays:
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Book Direct: Always book your stays directly through Marriott's official website, app, or customer service. Booking through third-party sites often forfeits your ability to earn points and receive elite benefits.
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Charge Everything to Your Room: From dining at hotel restaurants to spa treatments and gift shop purchases, charge eligible expenses to your room to earn points on them.
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Promotions: Keep an eye out for Marriott's frequent bonus points promotions. These can significantly accelerate your earning, sometimes offering double or even triple points on stays.
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Sub-heading: Co-Branded Credit Cards – Your Fastest Path to Points
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This is arguably the most powerful way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points, especially for non-frequent travelers. Marriott partners with credit card issuers like Chase and American Express to offer a variety of co-branded credit cards.
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Key Benefits of Credit Cards:
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Welcome Bonuses: These cards often come with generous welcome bonuses after meeting a minimum spending requirement, providing a massive influx of points.
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Accelerated Earning: Earn bonus points on Marriott purchases and often on everyday spending categories like dining, groceries, and gas.
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Annual Free Night Awards: Many cards offer an annual free night award, which can be incredibly valuable, especially for higher-category hotels.
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Elite Night Credits: Most co-branded cards provide a set number of elite night credits annually, helping you achieve or maintain elite status faster.
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Sub-heading: Transferring Points from Other Programs
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Marriott Bonvoy has valuable transfer partnerships. You can convert points from popular flexible rewards programs like American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio. This is a fantastic way to top off your account for a specific redemption.
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Sub-heading: Other Earning Opportunities
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Marriott Bonvoy Tours & Activities: Earn points by booking experiences and tours through Marriott's dedicated platform.
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Eat Around Town: Link your credit card to this dining program and earn points when you dine at participating restaurants in the U.S.
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Car Rentals and Cruises: Earn points by renting cars through Hertz (a Marriott partner) or booking cruises through the "Cruise with Points" program.
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Uber Partnership: Link your Marriott Bonvoy and Uber accounts to earn points on eligible Uber rides and Uber Eats orders in the U.S.
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Meetings & Events: If you plan events, you can earn points on eligible meeting and event expenses at Marriott properties.
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Step 3: Redeeming Points – Your Rewards Await!
Now for the fun part: using your points! While Marriott no longer has a fixed award chart, opting for dynamic pricing, there are still excellent redemption opportunities.
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Sub-heading: Free Night Awards – The Most Popular Redemption
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This is what most people save their points for. You can use your Marriott Bonvoy points to book free nights at any participating Marriott property worldwide.
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How to Book Free Nights:
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Search on the Marriott Website/App: Go to Marriott.com or open the app. Enter your desired destination, travel dates, and number of guests.
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Toggle "Use Points/Certificates": Crucially, remember to check the "Use Points/Certificates" box or toggle the "Book with Points" option before searching. This will display rates in points instead of cash.
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Browse Hotels: The search results will show hotels with their corresponding point requirements per night. You can sort by point cost to find the best deals.
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Select Room Type: Choose your preferred room type. The points required may vary based on room size or amenities.
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Confirm Booking: Review your reservation details and confirm your booking. Your points will be deducted from your account.
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Sub-heading: The "Stay for 5, Pay for 4" Benefit
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This is a game-changer for longer stays! When you redeem points for a consecutive stay of five nights or more, Marriott Bonvoy automatically gives you the fifth night free. This effectively gives you a 20% discount on your award stay and significantly boosts the value of your points.
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Sub-heading: Points + Cash Option
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If you don't have enough points for a full redemption, or if you find a particularly good value, the "Points + Cash" option allows you to combine points with a cash payment for a stay. This can be useful for extending a trip or reducing the overall point outlay.
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To find Points + Cash availability, you often need to go into the individual hotel's page after searching with the "Use Points/Certificates" option selected. The availability for Points + Cash can be limited and is dynamically priced.
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Sub-heading: Upgrading Your Stay
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While not always the best value, you can sometimes use points to upgrade your room to a higher category or a suite. This is often done through "Nightly Upgrade Awards" which are earned as a choice benefit for elite members.
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Note: Nightly Upgrade Awards are not guaranteed and are subject to availability, usually confirmed closer to your arrival date.
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Sub-heading: Transferring Points to Airline Partners
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Marriott Bonvoy has an extensive list of airline transfer partners (over 40!). You can convert your Bonvoy points to airline miles, usually at a 3:1 ratio (3 Marriott Bonvoy points = 1 airline mile).
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Sweet Spot: For every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer to an airline partner, you'll receive an additional 5,000 bonus miles. This means 60,000 Bonvoy points become 25,000 airline miles. This can be an excellent redemption, especially for booking premium cabin flights.
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Consideration: Always compare the value of booking a hotel night with points versus transferring them to an airline. Sometimes, the hotel redemption will offer a higher per-point value.
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Sub-heading: Marriott Bonvoy Moments™ – Unique Experiences
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For those seeking more than just a hotel stay, Marriott Bonvoy Moments offers exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime experiences that you can bid on or redeem points for at a fixed price. These can range from VIP access to concerts and sporting events to culinary masterclasses with celebrity chefs and exclusive cultural tours. It's a fantastic way to create unforgettable memories.
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Sub-heading: Other Redemption Options (Generally Lower Value)
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While available, these options typically offer a lower per-point value and are generally not recommended for maximizing your points:
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Gift Cards (for various retailers)
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Merchandise through the Marriott Bonvoy shop
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Car Rentals directly through the Marriott portal (transferring to airline partners and then booking flights/cars usually yields better value)
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Step 4: Maintaining and Managing Your Points
Keeping your points active and knowing their value is key to long-term success.
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Sub-heading: Understanding Point Expiration
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Marriott Bonvoy points expire after 24 months of inactivity. This means if you don't have any qualifying earning or redemption activity on your account for two years, your points will be forfeited.
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How to Keep Points Active:
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Complete a paid stay at a Marriott property.
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Redeem any amount of points (even for a small item).
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Earn points through a co-branded credit card.
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Transfer points to an airline partner.
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Purchase points (though generally not recommended for value).
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Sub-heading: Monitoring Your Account
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Regularly log into your Marriott Bonvoy account to check your point balance, review recent activity, and be aware of any upcoming expiration dates.
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Sub-heading: Maximizing Point Value – The Dynamic Pricing Reality
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Since Marriott moved to dynamic pricing, the number of points required for a free night can fluctuate based on demand, season, and hotel category.
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Tips for Finding Value:
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Flexibility is Key: If your travel dates are flexible, search for different dates to find lower point rates. Weekends, holidays, and peak seasons will typically require more points.
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Off-Peak vs. Peak: While explicit "off-peak" and "peak" charts are gone, the underlying dynamic pricing still reflects these periods.
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Check Cash Rates: Always compare the points required to the cash rate of a room. A good rule of thumb is to aim for a redemption value of at least 0.7 cents per point (or higher). Divide the cash price (minus taxes and fees) by the points required to get your per-point value.
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Consider Less Popular Destinations: Hotels in less frequented locations might offer exceptional value for your points.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 10 common questions about using Marriott Bonvoy points, with quick answers:
QuickTip: Look for lists — they simplify complex points.
How to Check My Marriott Bonvoy Points Balance?
Log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account on the official website or mobile app. Your current points balance will be prominently displayed on your account dashboard.
How to Book a Hotel with Marriott Bonvoy Points?
On the Marriott website or app, enter your destination and dates, then check the "Use Points/Certificates" box or toggle the "Book with Points" option before clicking "Find Hotels."
How to Transfer Marriott Bonvoy Points to an Airline?
Visit the "Transfer Points" section on the Marriott Bonvoy website (usually under "Redeem Points"). Select your desired airline partner, enter the number of points to transfer (in 3,000-point increments for most airlines, with 60,000 points giving a 5,000 bonus), and confirm the transfer.
Tip: Pause whenever something stands out.
How to Prevent My Marriott Bonvoy Points from Expiring?
Engage in any qualifying activity at least once every 24 months. This includes earning points (e.g., a hotel stay, using a co-branded credit card), or redeeming points.
How to Get the Fifth Night Free with Marriott Bonvoy?
Book a consecutive stay of five nights or more using only Marriott Bonvoy points, and the system will automatically deduct the points for the least expensive night, making it free.
How to Use a Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Award?
When searching for a hotel stay on the Marriott website/app, select the "Use Points/Certificates" option. If a Free Night Award is eligible for your chosen dates and hotel category, it will appear as an option during the booking process.
Tip: Read aloud to improve understanding.
How to Upgrade a Room Using Marriott Bonvoy Points?
Elite members (Platinum, Titanium, Ambassador) can sometimes use "Nightly Upgrade Awards" (earned as an annual choice benefit) to request upgrades to premium rooms or suites. Check your reservation details online for the "Start Upgrade Request" link.
How to Earn More Marriott Bonvoy Points Quickly?
The fastest ways are typically through signing up for a Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit card for its welcome bonus, or strategically using that card for everyday spending and Marriott stays.
How to Find the Best Value for My Marriott Bonvoy Points?
Compare the points required for a free night against the cash price of the same room. Aim for a value of 0.7 cents per point or higher. Flexibility with dates and exploring different Marriott brands can yield better value.
How to Use Marriott Bonvoy Points for Experiences?
Visit the Marriott Bonvoy Moments™ website. You can browse unique experiences and either bid on them in an auction format or redeem points for fixed-price opportunities.
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