How Much Are Marriott Bonvoy Points Worth?

Marriott has designed the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program for people who wish to capitalize on staying at any of its properties. The group comprises 30 brands spread across categories such as luxury, premium and select. With a presence in 139 countries and territories, Marriott International has more than 8,000 properties in its portfolio.

Members can earn Marriott Bonvoy points in different ways. These include staying at Marriott properties, booking through Marriott Bonvoy Tours & Activities, spending with partner merchants and using co-branded Marriott Bonvoy credit cards.

Your options for redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points include using them for hotel stays, experiences and gift cards. You may also choose to transfer Marriott points to the program’s partner airlines.

How much Marriott points are worth depends on the redemption method you select. In most cases, one Marriott Bonvoy point’s value varies from 0.7 cents to 0.9 cents. However, you may get better or worse value in some instances. For example, transferring your points to an airline partner may fetch a good value, but not always.

As of March 2022, Marriott’s points redemption chart is no longer in effect, and the program now follows a dynamic pricing model for award nights. While the value of Marriott points has dropped over the last couple of years because of increasing prices on the award category chart, the elimination of its use has resulted in a further drop in redemption rates across many properties.

If you plan to use your points to get a free night, you need anywhere from 5,000 to 100,000 points, depending on the property and the dates you select.

The Marriott Bonvoy rewards program has six membership levels, and moving up the ladder comes with various benefits. Starting from the Silver Elite status, members start to earn bonus points.

Compared with other hotel loyalty programs, the value members receive from the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program is average.

• How Much Are Marriott Bonvoy Points Worth?
• How to Earn Marriott Bonvoy Points
• How to Redeem Marriott Bonvoy Points
• Marriott Bonvoy Elite
• Other Questions You May Have About Marriott Bonvoy Points

Marriott points’ value depends on how you choose to redeem them. When redeeming them for hotel stays, the worth of your points varies based on the category of hotel you select as well as when you plan to stay at the property. While one Bonvoy point is typically valued at between 0.7 cents and 0.9 cents, it can drop to 0.5 cents or go upward of 2 cents in some cases. Usually, you will get the best value for your points when you redeem them for stays at Marriott’s top-end properties.

In March 2022, the program stopped using its awards chart and switched to dynamic pricing. As a result, its award nights no longer come with consistency in the redemption of points. Instead, how many Marriott points you need for a free night now depends on actual room rates that vary based on different factors. So, when room rates are high, you can expect to part with more points, although the reverse holds true as well.

Your travel dates and the property you select affect how many points you need for a free night. For example, a free night at the Courtyard Bilaspur in India during the first week of March would require 6,000 points. If you book the same hotel for a night on New Year’s Eve, you’ll need 6,500 points.

If you wish to check in at The Ritz-Carlton NoMad in New York City on New Year’s Eve, a free night will set you back 104,000 points. During the first week of March, you'll need 98,000 points.

The Marriott points redemption chart, though now no longer in use, gives you some indication of how many points you might need for a free night across different properties and during different time periods. Alternatively, you may use Marriott's website to determine just how many points you'll need for a free night based on the Marriott dynamic pricing system.

According to the program's now-defunct redemption chart, you’d need around 5,000 points for a free night at a Category 1 hotel during off-peak rates. That would increase to around 7,500 points during standard rates and around 10,000 points during peak rates. On the other end of the spectrum, you’d need around 70,000 points for a free night at a Category 8 hotel during off-peak rates, around 85,000 points during standard rates and around 100,000 points if you book during peak rates.

A free night at a Category 4 hotel could set you back by around 20,000, 25,000 or 30,000 points, depending on your travel dates. With Category 5 hotels, expect to part with around 30,000, 35,000 or 40,000 Marriott points for a free night.

The value of Marriott Bonvoy points has declined over the last few years. In 2019, the average value of a Bonvoy point stood at around 1.2 cents. By 2020, it dropped to about 0.9 cents to 1 cent per point. There has been a further change in the value you receive for your points after the program stopped using its award chart and transitioned to dynamic pricing. From 2023 onward, the program’s off-peak and peak redemption rate limits will no longer apply, and the value you receive for your points will depend solely on prevailing room rates.

The Marriott Bonvoy rewards program manages to offer better value than a few hotel loyalty programs, but there are others that do better. However, given its widespread global presence, Marriott manages to offer options for just about every type of traveler. There are other aspects to consider as well.

If you're part of the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program, your points tend to be worth 0.7 cents to 0.9 cents per point, on average. But given its large global footprint, members have more options — including a significant range of luxury properties — than any other hotel loyalty program when it comes to deciding where to stay. If you redeem points for stays of four nights, you get a free night.

Marriott Bonvoy members can earn points in different ways. These include staying and spending on eligible purchases at Marriott properties, booking any of Marriott’s local experiences, making purchases with the program’s partner cruise and car rental companies or participating restaurants, and using co-branded Marriott Bonvoy credit cards.

How to become a Marriott member is fairly simple. You may apply for membership online by providing your first and last name, email address and location. Once you join, you can enjoy member rates and free Wi-Fi. You will gain access to more perks as you move up from one membership level to the next. These include the ability to earn bonus points and get room upgrades. The fact that you get several Marriott brands and properties to choose from across categories is also a plus.

You earn Marriott Bonvoy points each time you stay at a property that's linked to this program and when you make qualifying purchases. These may include but aren't limited to dining, beverages, spa services and golf.

The number of points you earn depends on the brand you select. For example, you can earn 10X points per dollar at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Edition, The Luxury Collection, W Hotels, JW Marriott, Sheraton, Le Meridien, Westin, Renaissance Hotels and more. You get 5X points per dollar at Homes & Villas, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites and Element. Eligible charges at Marriott Executive Apartments earn 2.5X points per dollar.

You may get a co-branded Marriott Bonvoy personal credit card through Chase or American Express. American Express offers a card for business owners, too. You may use any of these cards to earn Marriott Bonvoy points through category-based spending. Earning spend-based welcome bonuses is possible. Depending on the card you select, you may also get complimentary Silver, Gold or Platinum Elite status and Elite Night credits towards higher levels.

In addition to offering cards to consumers in the U.S., Marriott Bonvoy also offers co-branded credit cards for residents of Canada, the U.K., Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, South Korea, China and Saudi Arabia.

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card comes with a $95 annual fee. It gives new cardholders the ability to get free nights by meeting a spend-based requirement. Spending at properties that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program comes with 6X points per dollar. You earn 3X points per dollar on dining, gas station and grocery store purchases on combined spending of up to $6,000 per year. All other purchases earn 2X points per dollar.

All cardholders get automatic Silver Elite status and one free night after each account anniversary.

The no-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card lets you earn bonus points if you meet a spend-based requirement. Eligible charges at participating properties earn 3X points per dollar. Other eligible travel purchases earn 2X points per dollar. You get 1X points per dollar on all other purchases.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Credit Card from Chase charges a $250 dollar annual fee. Meeting a spend-based requirement as a new cardholder comes with bonus points. Using this card at Marriott properties lets you earn up to 18.5X points per dollar. You get 6X points per dollar with the card, 10X points for being a Marriott Bonvoy member and 2.5X points because of the complimentary Gold Elite Status that comes with this card.

You earn 4X points per dollar on dining and grocery store purchases, on combined spending of $15,000 per year. All other purchases earn 2X points per dollar. Cardholders also receive 1,000 bonus points per qualifying stay at Marriott properties.

If you spend $15,000 on purchases in a calendar year, you get a free award night. Using this card outside of the U.S. comes with no foreign transaction fees. This card also offers complimentary baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and trip delay reimbursement.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card charges a $250 annual fee. A welcome offer lets you earn 85,000 bonus points by spending $4,000 purchases in the first three months. You get 6X points per dollar when you spend at properties that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy program. Spending up to $15,000 per year at restaurants the world over and at U.S. supermarkets comes with 4X points per dollar. All other purchases earn 2X points per dollar.

When you pay for an eligible stay at a participating property, you get 1,000 bonus points. All cardholders receive automatic Gold Elite status. If you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year, you get one free night.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card comes with a sizable $650 annual fee. If you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months, you earn a welcome bonus of 95,000 points. Eligible purchases at participating properties come with 6X points per dollar. Flight bookings made directly with airlines and eligible purchases at restaurants the world over earn 3X points per dollar. You get 2X points per dollar on all other purchases.

All cardholders receive automatic Platinum Elite status. You may get a dining statement credit of up to $300 per year for eligible purchases made at restaurants globally. If you use your card to pay for a stay of two nights or more at St. Regis or The Ritz-Carlton, you may receive a property credit of up to $100 for eligible charges. You also get a free night after each account anniversary.

The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card comes with a $125 annual fee. A welcome offer lets you earn 75,000 bonus points by spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months. When you spend at participating properties, you get 6X points per dollar. Spending at restaurants globally, at gas stations in the U.S. and on wireless telephone services in the U.S. purchased directly from service providers, earns 4X points per dollar. All other purchases earn 2X points per dollar.

Booking standard guest rooms at participating hotels directly with Marriott comes with a 7% discount on standard rates. All cardholders get automatic Gold Elite status. You get one free night after each account anniversary.

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It is possible to buy Marriott points, and the standard rate for 1,000 points is $12.50. The number of points you wish to purchase does not affect the price you pay per point. For example, if you purchase 100,000 points, you need to pay $1,250. That means you pay 1.25 cents per point.

Given that the average value you stand to receive when redeeming your points is noticeably lower than how much you need to pay for them, buying them might be worthwhile only if you need to cover a deficit while claiming a reward with great value.

Occasionally, the program offers opportunities to purchase points at discounted prices. These discounts may vary from 25% to 50%, giving you considerably better value for your money. Keep in mind, however, that you may need to buy a minimum number of points to get the offer.

The maximum number of Marriott points you may purchase or receive as a gift during a calendar year is limited to 100,000. However, you may buy up to 100,000 points more per year when making a booking via marriott.com.

The Marriott Bonvoy program offers you the option to earn points by spending with its partner merchants from across different categories.

• Dining out: Using the Eat Around Town platform to pay at participating restaurants, clubs and bars, you can earn up to 6X Marriott points per dollar. In addition, you get a bonus of 1,000 points after every 10 qualifying purchases.
• Renting a car: When you use the Marriott Bonvoy car rental platform to book a Hertz car for at least two days at participating locations in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Europe, Australia or New Zealand, you get 2,000 Marriott points. If you rent for just one day, you get 500 points.
• Buying a mattress: If you buy a mattress from Marriott Bonvoy’s retail online stores, you get 10,000 bonus points.
• Going on a cruise: You earn Marriott points when you use the Marriott Cruise With Points platform to book cruises. You may get up to 8X points per dollar depending on the room category and how you pay for your booking.
• Tours and activities: You can earn Marriott points when you use the Tours & Activities platform to book different types of experiences the world over.

Transferring points from participating airline loyalty programs to your Marriott Bonvoy account is possible. Existing transfer partners that let you do this include Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Korea Air SKYPASS and United MileagePlus.

Redeeming your Marriott Bonvoy points for free stays at properties that participate in the program is fairly straightforward. You may begin the process by logging in to your Marriott Bonvoy account and looking for properties based on your requirements. You can view just how many points you need for an award night by using the “Use Points/Awards” option when carrying out your search.

The PointSavers option allows you to enjoy savings of up to 20% on regular point redemption rates, although bookings remain subject to availability. If you, on the other hand, don’t have enough points to redeem for a free stay, you may pay using a combination of cash and points.

The program’s Points Advance feature lets you make an award stay booking even if you don’t have enough points at the moment. In this case, you need to make up for the deficit in points 60 days from when you make the booking or 14 days before arrival (the first of the two). If you use this feature, you must make your booking at least 30 days before the date of arrival.

In addition to free night rewards, you may use the Points Advance option for Cash + Points awards, PointSavers Awards and Upgrade Awards. These bookings only guarantee the availability of rooms. You find out the exact number of points you need to make the booking during the confirmation stage.

A distinct benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy program is that when you use your points to book five consecutive nights, you get the lowest-point night free. So, if you use points to book a stay for 10 consecutive nights, you’ll only be charged for eight nights. The program considers nights with the lowest points cost to be free nights.

The program had suspended the expiration of points until December 31, 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy where you stand to lose your points if there’s no qualifying activity in your account for 24 months came back into effect in 2023.

If you don’t want to use your Marriott Bonvoy points for free nights, you still have a few other ways to redeem your points.

You have multiple options when it comes to using your Marriott Bonvoy points for shopping. For starters, you may redeem points for merchandise across categories such as electronics, home and garden, fashion, health and subscriptions.

Using your points to make purchases through Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques is an option. And some of the brands you can choose from include Courtyard by Marriott, JW Marriott, Sheraton, St. Regis, The Ritz-Carlton and Westin.

When you use them for shopping, your Marriott points have no fixed value, so you’ll need to determine that on your own on a case-by-case basis by comparing a product's price to points value. More often than not, using your points for shopping provides less-than-average value.

This program also lets you use your points to get gift cards. The worth of your Marriott Bonvoy points typically depends on the value of the gift card. For example, you get a $25 Adidas gift card for 10,000 points, and you need 30,000 points to get a $100 gift card from the same brand. In this case, the value of each point is 0.25 cents and 0.33 cents, respectively. You may get a $250 Delta gift card for 65,000 points, with a value of 0.38 cents per point.

It's relatively easy to transfer Marriott points to any of the program's airline partners' loyalty programs. In most cases, you get a 3:1 transfer ratio, meaning you get one airline mile for three Marriott points. If you transfer 60,000 points, Marriott Bonvoy adds a 5,000 miles bonus, although this does not apply on transfers to Delta SkyMiles, American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles and Korean Air SKYPASS. Further, you may transfer anywhere from 3,000 to 240,000 points per day.

Transferring your Marriott points to an airline partner may or may not fetch as good a value as you would receive when using them for hotel stays. However, you may want to consider using this redemption method if you have a particular airline reward in sight and wish to make up for a deficit in the miles needed to redeem it.

The top Marriott Bonvoy airline transfer partners include Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, United Airlines MileagePlus, American Airlines AAdvantage, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Etihad Guest. United Airlines provides an additional 10% bonus when transferring Marriott Bonvoy points to United MileagePlus, which can help your points go even further.

Marriott Bonvoy members may also transfer their points to the Rakuten Rewards program. However, don't expect to get a good deal for your points because of the poor 3:1 transfer ratio.

>> More: Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Transfer Partners

The Marriott Bonvoy program comprises six membership levels, and you gain access to various benefits as you move up from one status to the next. This happens by staying at participating hotels for a minimum number of nights each year. All members benefit through member rates, free Wi-Fi and mobile check-in/services.

Regular

• Qualification - Not applicable
• Bonus Points - None
• Lounge Access - No
• In-Hotel Welcome Gift - No
• Room Upgrade - No
• Late Checkout - No

Silver

• Qualification - 10 nights per year
• Bonus Points - 10%
• Lounge Access - No
• In-Hotel Welcome Gift - No
• Room Upgrade - No
• Late Checkout - Yes

Gold

• Qualification - 25 nights per year
• Bonus Points - 25%
• Lounge Access - No
• In-Hotel Welcome Gift - Yes (250 or 500 points)
• Room Upgrade - Yes
• Late Checkout - Yes

Platinum

• Qualification - 50 nights per year
• Bonus Points - 50%
• Lounge Access - Full access at hotels that have lounges, along with complimentary breakfast
• In-Hotel Welcome Gift - Yes (points, amenity or breakfast)
• Room Upgrade - Yes
• Late Checkout - Yes

Titanium

• Qualification - 75 nights per year
• Bonus Points - 75%
• Lounge Access - Full access at hotels that have lounges, along with complimentary breakfast
• In-Hotel Welcome Gift - Yes (points, amenity or breakfast)
• Room Upgrade - Yes
• Late Checkout - Yes

Ambassador

• Qualification - 100 nights per year and spending $20,000
• Bonus Points - 75%
• Lounge Access - Full access at hotels that have lounges, along with complimentary breakfast
• In-Hotel Welcome Gift - Yes (points, amenity or breakfast)
• Room Upgrade - Yes
• Late Checkout - Yes

MoneyGeek experts have taken a close look at how the value of Marriott Bonvoy Points changes based on different redemption methods. They have also carried out in-depth market research to determine the worth of your points.

Take a look at answers to other questions about how much Marriott Bonvoy points are worth based on how you redeem them, and then determine the best way forward.