Marriott Bonvoy: An Overview of Earning Status

By now, most of us should be accustomed to Marriott’s rebrand to a new rewards program called Marriott Bonvoy, as well as their apparent talent for convincing us that Bonvoy is a real word that makes actual sense. Relative to their major merger with Starwood, the rebrand of Marriott Bonvoy and the launch of their dynamic pricing model, things have recently quieted down for Marriott.

But Marriott has never settled to stagnation; the Marriott Bonvoy program continues to grow and adapt to the times as we collectively adapt to COVID-safe travel protocol. At present, the Marriott Bonvoy status chart consists of six different tiers that offer a variety of benefits. In this article, we’ll go over the tiers and their respective perks, then we’ll discuss the different ways by which you can move up the tiers and earn points and status as a Marriott Bonvoy member.

Member Status

Member Status is the lowest tier of Marriott Bonvoy, and it kicks in as soon as you sign up for membership. You’ll remain at Member Status by staying 0-9 nights at one of Marriott’s 7,000+ properties per year. Member Status benefits include:

• Complimentary WiFi
• Exclusive member rates
• Mobile check-in and mobile key: use your phone as your check-in device and room key
• Pay with Cash + Points, as little as $55 + 3,500 points per night
• Instantly redeem points for on-site dining, spa experiences and more
• Save up to 20% on Points redemption with PointSavers

Silver Elite

Silver Elite is the next tier that applies to members who stay at least 10 nights at a Marriott property per year. Silver Elite comes with the same benefits as Member Status, with the following additions:

• 10% Bonus Points on stays and in-hotel purchases
• Priority late checkout, as available
• Ultimate Reservation Guarantee: if for whatever reason the property cannot honor your reservation, they will pay for a nearby accommodation and compensate you for the inconvenience
• Achieve Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Silver Elite Status after 250 lifetime nights and 5 years of Silver Elite status

Gold Elite

Gold Elite is the next tier, and kicks in when you stay at least 25 nights at a Marriott property per year. Gold Elite comes with all of the benefits of Silver Elite with the following upgrades:

• 25% Bonus Points on stays and in-hotel purchases
• Enhanced room upgrade, as available
• Late checkout until 2PM, as available
• Receive either 250 or 500 Bonus Points as a Welcome Gift at check-in, depending on the brand
• Complimentary Enhanced In-Room Internet Access
• Achieve Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Gold Elite Status after 400 lifetime nights and 7 years of Gold Elite status

Platinum Elite

The next tier on the Marriott Bonvoy chart is Platinum Elite, which applies after staying at least 50 nights per year. Platinum Elite comes with all of the benefits of Gold Elite, with the following upgrades:

• 50% Bonus Points on stays and in-hotel purchases
• Enhanced room upgrade, including Select Suites
• Choose between Bonus Points, a breakfast offering or amenity as your Welcome Gift, depending on the brand
• For members with 50 Qualified Nights, choose between an Annual Gift of five Suite Night Awards, giving the gift of Silver Elite Status, 40% off of your favorite mattress, five Elite Night Credits or a $100 charity donation
• Full Lounge access with complimentary breakfast
• Late checkout until 4PM, as available
• Dedicated 24/7 Elite support
• Achieve Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum Elite Status after 600 lifetime nights and 10 years of Platinum Elite status

Titanium Elite

The penultimate tier is Titanium Elite status, which kicks in after staying at least 75 nights per year. This tier comes with all of the benefits of Platinum Elite status, with the following upgrades:

• 75% Bonus Points on stays and in-hotel purchases
• 48-Hour Guarantee: Marriott will always have a room available when you book by 3PM, 48 hours prior to arrival
• For members with 75 Qualified Nights, choose between an Annual Gift of five Suite Night Awards, one Free Night Award, giving the gift of Gold Elite Status, 40% off of a Heavenly Bed mattress, five Elite Night Credits or a $100 charity donation
• Complimentary United MileagePlus Premier Silver status

Ambassador Elite

Ambassador Elite status is the top level of the Marriott Bonvoy chart, and it kicks in after 100 eligible nights plus $20,000 in qualifying spending.

For 2021, Marriott is reducing the spending requirement to $14,000 instead of $20,000. If the spending requirement has been just out of reach for you, this might be the ideal year to try for Ambassador Elite status.

Ambassador Elite comes with all of the benefits of Titanium Elite status, with the following additions:

• Ambassador Service: enjoy personal assistance with your stays, anytime, anywhere
• Your24: choose your 24-hour check-in and check-out time; it’s completely up to you

Now that we understand the benefits that accompany each tier, it’s important to reiterate that staying qualifying nights is the simplest, most traditional way to move up the ladder. However, it is not the quickest way. Below, we’ll discuss the fastest way to elevate your Marriott Bonvoy Status.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

In order to expedite your status as quickly as possible, open a line of credit with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card from Chase. Not only do cardholders have the opportunity to earn more Bonus Points on everyday spending, but they also earn automatic Silver Elite status simply by being cardholders. Here is a rundown of the benefits and rewards that come with Marriott Bonvoy Boundless:

• Automatic Silver Elite status every account anniversary (in the form of 15 Elite Night Credits)
• Gold Elite Status when you spend $35,000 or more in purchases each account year
• 1 Free Night Award every account anniversary, up to 35,000 points in redemption value
• Earn 6X points per $1USD spent on purchases at 7,000+ Marriott Properties worldwide
• Earn 2X points per $1USD spent on all other purchases
• No Foreign Transaction Fees
• Points don’t expire as long as you use your card at least once every 24 months
• Baggage delay, lost luggage, and trip delay coverage
• Purchase protection for 120 days against damage or theft

With all of these benefits, this card is well worth the $95 annual fee; however, there is another way to skip the annual fee.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

If you want extra benefits without the annual fee, apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Bold credit card from Chase. You’ll still have access to complimentary Silver Elite Status in the form of 15 Elite Night Credits on your account anniversary, and you’ll also earn:

• 3X points per $1USD spent on purchases at 7,000+ Marriott Properties worldwide
• 2X points per $1USD spent on travel purchases
• 1X points per $1USD spent on all other purchases
• No Foreign Transaction Fees
• Points don’t expire as long as you use your card at least once every 24 months
• Baggage delay, lost luggage, and trip delay coverage
• Purchase protection for 120 days against damage or theft

If you want a quick path to Silver Elite and a decent earning potential without committing to an annual fee, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold could be the right pick for you.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

If you want to earn points that are more flexible than Marriott points but still access some Marriott benefits, The Platinum Card® from American Express is a good place to look.

Cardholders can activate complimentary Gold Elite status with both Marriott and Hilton with this card. You’ll also earn:

• 5X Membership Rewards points per $1USD spent on up to $500,000 in eligible purchases made directly with airlines and prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel
• 1X Membership Rewards points per $1USD spent on all other purchases
• No Foreign Transaction Fees
• Membership Rewards Points can be transferred to airline and hotel partners
• Up to $200 in annual airline incidental credits. Enrollment required.
• Up to $100 credit toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Up to $200 in annual Uber Cash credits ($15 each month, $35 in December). Enrollment required.
• Priority Pass Select airline lounge membership. Enrollment required.
• Access to American Express Centurion Lounges
• Access to Delta SkyClub when flying Delta same-day
• All for a $695 annual fee (Rates and fees)

Additionally, this card is offering the ability for new cardmembers to earn 10X points on eligible purchases at U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in spending during the first 6 months of card membership. 1 point per $1 spent thereafter.

Bottom Line

If you’d like to move through the tiers of the Marriott Bonvoy chart, the most traditional way to do so is to stay as many Qualified Nights as possible.

However, it’s also possible to earn automatic Silver Elite status by opening a line of credit with either the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card or the Marriott Bonvoy Bold credit card, with the former also offering a quicker path to Gold Elite status. If you haven’t already, join today and start your Marriott Bonvoy journey.