How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points

In early February 2019, Marriott merged its partnered rewards programs into one program called Marriott Bonvoy. This change standardized the point system and made both programs accessible through one account.

Despite the merger, staying at eligible hotels with cobranded Marriott Bonvoy cards is still the best way to accrue points. Here’s the nitty-gritty of earning points with Marriott Bonvoy.

Seven ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy points

Compare cards with Marriott Bonvoy points

Making purchases with eligible credit cards is the most reliable way to earn points. Most cards also offer a signup bonus to jumpstart your points collection.

Our pick for a Marriott Bonvoy credit card

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card

• Signup bonus: 75,000 points after you make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
• 6x points at Marriott Bonvoy™ hotels. 2x points on all other purchases.
• Free Night Award after every card anniversary, good for a night at a Marriott Bonvoy™ property up to 35,000 points.
• Automatic Silver Elite status in Marriott Bonvoy™ every card year.
• 15 Elite Night Credits every calendar year.

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Using a Marriott Bonvoy credit card is the most direct method of earning points to your Bonvoy account.

If you’re not interested in signing up for a Marriott Bonvoy cobranded card, other Chase and American Express cards can help you earn and transfer points to your Bonvoy account. These cards can be helpful if you only occasionally stay at Marriott branded hotels or if you prefer more diverse earning categories.

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Name	Product	Welcome offer	Rewards	Annual fee	Filter values
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card		75,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months	6x points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2x points on all other purchases	$95		Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ credit card		30,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months	3x points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 2x on travel and 1x on all other purchases	$0		30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card		75,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months	6x points at Marriott Bonvoy, 4x points at US restaurants, US gas stations and on US wireless telephone and shipping services, 2x points on all other purchases	$125		Earn 75,000 bonus points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of card membership. Rates & fees	View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card		60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months	5x points on Lyft, 2x points on travel and dining and 1x points on all other purchases	$95		This popular travel card's signup bonus is worth up to $750. Get even more value out of your travel, dining, and Lyft rewards by transferring them to miles.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
CardMatch™ from creditcards.com		See terms	See terms	See terms		Use the CardMatch tool to find cards you're likely to qualify for with your credit score, without a hard pull on your credit.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Stay and spend at eligible hotels

Staying and spending at Marriott Bonvoy qualifying hotels is the other primary method of earning points. You’ll earn a certain number of points per dollar spent depending on which hotel brand you’re staying with.

Data obtained March 2019. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.

Qualifying charges, in this case, include charges related to your stays, such as dining, beverages, spa services and any activities associated with the hotel such as golf.

Elite status levels

You can boost the number of points you earn on hotel stays when you become a Silver Elite member or higher. Here’s the point bonus you’ll earn and how to qualify.

Data obtained March 2019. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.

Car rentals with Hertz

You’ll earn 2,000 points for Hertz rentals of two or more days, or 500 points for one day at participating locations. Hertz also offers discounts on base rental rates to Marriott Bonvoy members.

Book cruises with CruisesOnly

Get 3 points for every dollar spent booking a cruise with CruisesOnly. CruisesOnly also offers extra point promotions on certain destinations.

Host meetings and events

Marriott Bonvoy lets you earn points on bookings made for meetings or other business events, even if you aren’t footing the whole bill. The maximum points you can earn depends on both the cost of the event and your Marriott Bonvoy member level.

Data obtained March 2019. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.

Refer a friend

Certain credit cards offer bonus points for referring a friend to a card and having them sign up. Chase, for example, allows you to earn up to $500 in points each year — $50 for each friend who opens an account.

Purchase points

You can purchase up to 50,000 points per year in 1,000 point increments through the Marriott Bonvoy site if you need more points for an award. Each increment costs about $12.50 as of March 2019.

Bottom line

Marriott Bonvoy remains a fairly standard hotel rewards program. Combining the Starwood Preferred Guest and Marriott Rewards program offers members more consistent earnings overall.

However, if you want the most earning value, you’ll need to commit to earning Marriott Bonvoy Elite status, which might require some additional planning and effort for the highest tier levels. If you want to learn more, take a look at our guide on the Marriott Bonvoy program. And compare your redemption options to get the most value out of your hard-earned points.

Frequently asked questions

• How much does it cost to join Marriott Bonvoy?

  Joining Marriott Bonvoy is free of charge.

• Do I need to create a new account if I was a Marriott Rewards member before the merger?

  No. You can use your existing login information to access your Marriott Bonvoy account. If you had multiple accounts and didn’t combine them before the merger, you’ll need to request to transfer your points into your Bonvoy account.

• Can I earn points on multiple rooms?

  Yes. You can earn points on up to three rooms so long as you occupy at least one room, you’re paying for each room and your membership number is on each room.

• Do Marriott Bonvoy points expire?

  Yes. If your account isn’t active for 24 months then your current points will expire. You can remain active by earning points or miles or redeeming points at least once every 24 months.

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