Marriott Bonvoy points come from a wider range of sources than most members use. Hotel stays are the foundation, but credit cards, dining programs, rideshare, car rentals, cruises, and event bookings all feed the same account. Joining is free, and points stay valid as long as the account shows at least one qualifying activity within any 24-month period.
This guide covers each earning method, the exact rates, and applicable limits, noting regional restrictions where relevant. Ultimately, it will help you identify the best ways to maximize your points based on your personal travel habits.
Earning Points on Hotel Stays
Base earning depends on the brand you stay at. Most brands pay 10 base points for every US dollar (or local equivalent) spent on qualifying charges. A smaller group of extended-stay and economy brands pay less.
| Earning rate | Brands | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10 points per $1 | Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, W Hotels, Courtyard, Fairfield, Moxy, Aloft, Le Méridien, Renaissance, Autograph Collection, and most other brands | Also applies at all-inclusive resorts and at Series by Marriott locations in the United States, Canada, and Greater China |
| 5 points per $1 | Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, City Express, Element, Four Points Flex, Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, Protea Hotels, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Series by Marriott outside the regions above | Marriott Executive Apartments also fall here, but points are earned on the room rate only, not on other charges |
| 4 points per $1 | StudioRes | Lowest rate in the program |
A few rules shape how much you actually collect:
- Qualifying rate required: Only stays booked at an eligible rate earn points. If you book through a third-party site or on an ineligible rate, you earn nothing, even on food or spa charges you add during the stay. Booking directly with Marriott is the safest way to avoid this.
- Taxes excluded: Taxes and government fees do not earn points. At all-inclusive resorts, taxes, service charges, and gratuities that are part of the package rate do count.
- Incidentals count: Restaurant bills, bar tabs, spa treatments, golf, and other hotel-run services charged to your room at participating brands earn points at the same rate as the room.
- Multiple rooms: You can earn points on up to three rooms with the same check-in and check-out dates at participating properties, as long as you stay in one of them and pay a qualifying rate for all of them.
Points or Airline Miles
Every account starts out earning points. You can switch your earning preference to airline miles in your profile by selecting a partner frequent flyer program and entering your account number. The change applies to future stays only. Elite bonus points are not awarded when your preference is set to miles, so most members who hold elite status are better off keeping points. Once miles post to the airline, they cannot be moved back or redirected to a different airline.
Elite Status Bonus
Elite members receive extra points on top of the base rate. The bonus is a percentage of base points and applies to qualifying charges at all participating brands, with a few brand exceptions listed in the program terms.
| Status | Bonus | Points on a $100 room at a 10-point brand |
|---|---|---|
| Member | 0% | 1,000 |
| Silver Elite | 10% | 1,100 |
| Gold Elite | 25% | 1,250 |
| Platinum Elite | 50% | 1,500 |
| Titanium Elite | 75% | 1,750 |
| Ambassador Elite | 75% | 1,750 |
Status is based on elite night credits, which you earn only on nights during a qualifying stay. The same booking rules that affect points also affect your progress toward status.
Marriott also runs stay promotions from time to time, such as bonus points for stays of two or more nights or for resort stays. Check the promotions section of your account before a trip, since many offers require registration before the stay.
Co-branded Credit Cards and Point Transfers
Marriott Bonvoy credit cards in the United States are issued by Chase and American Express. The Chase cards cited here show how the earning structure typically works:
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless: 6 points per $1 at participating Marriott hotels, 3 points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent each year in combined grocery, gas station, and dining purchases, and 2 points per $1 on everything else.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold: 3 points per $1 at participating hotels, 2 points per $1 at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone services, and 1 point per $1 elsewhere. This card has no annual fee.
Card points post after each billing cycle and are separate from the hotel points you earn as a member, so a paid stay charged to a Bonvoy card earns both. Cash advances, balance transfers, gift cards and similar cash-like purchases, and fees do not earn points.
Two related options add to card earning:
- Referrals: Existing cardholders can refer friends or family. Bonuses vary but often reach 40,000 points per approved applicant, subject to annual limits.
- Transfers from flexible currencies: American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Bilt Rewards all transfer to Marriott at 1:1. Marriott points are usually valued at around 0.7 cents each by independent analysts, which is below the typical value of these currencies when used for airline transfers. Transfer only when you have a specific redemption in mind. United MileagePlus members with Premier status also have a transfer option through the Marriott-United partnership.
Dining, Shopping, and Referrals
You do not need a hotel room to earn on food. Marriott credits eligible dining purchases at participating hotels and resorts even when you are not a guest, as long as you provide your member number and pay the bill yourself.
Outside the hotel, several other programs can boost your balance (note that Eat Around Town and Uber partnerships are currently limited to the United States):
- Eat Around Town: Link a credit card, then dine at participating restaurants. General members earn 4 points per $1 and elite members earn 6 points per $1, calculated on the total including tax and tip. New enrollees receive 6,000 points for completing a dine within 60 days of signing up, plus 1,000 points for every 10 dines after that.
- Uber and Uber Eats: Link your Uber and Marriott accounts to earn on eligible transactions. Uber Eats restaurant and grocery orders earn up to 2 points per $1, with a $40 order minimum. Premium rides such as UberXL, Uber Comfort, Uber SUV, and Uber Black earn 3 points per $1. Standard UberX rides do not earn.
- Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques: Earn 5 points per $1 spent online on Marriott-branded mattresses, bedding, and bath items.
- Refer a Friend: Refer friends to the Bonvoy program and earn 2,000 points for each of their first five stays (up to 50,000 points per year).
Travel Partners and Experiences
Several partner programs pay points on bookings you may already be making:
- Tours & Activities: Experiences booked through Marriott’s own platform earn up to 10 points per $1. Rates vary by activity, so compare the point earning against the price before booking.
- Car Rentals (Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty): Earn 500 points with Hertz or 250 with Dollar/Thrifty. Elite members earn bonuses (up to 700 points total per rental with Hertz). Travel industry and other promotional rates are excluded.
- Cruises: Sailings booked through the Cruise with Points partner link earn 3 points per $1. Holders of a Marriott Bonvoy credit card earn 2 additional points, for a total of 5 per $1.
- Vacations by Marriott: Book a vacation package (room, flight, car) and earn bonus points on the room rate portion of the package.
- MGM Resorts: You can transfer MGM Rewards points to Marriott at a ratio of 1,000 MGM points to 800 Marriott points.
- Meetings and events: Hosting an eligible event at a Marriott property earns 2 points per $1 on room rentals, food, beverages, and audio-visual charges. General members can earn up to 60,000 points per event. Elite bonuses apply, so Titanium and Ambassador members can reach 105,000 points per eligible event.
Transferring and Buying Points
When you are short for a specific redemption, two options close the gap without a stay:
- Member-to-member transfers: Transfers are free and must be made in 1,000-point increments. Both accounts must be at least 30 days old with a qualifying activity, or at least 90 days old without one. A member can send up to 100,000 points per year and receive up to 500,000 points per calendar year. This works well for couples or travel partners who want to pool points under the account with higher elite status. Note: Transferring or receiving points does not count as a qualifying activity to reset your points expiration.
- Purchasing points: The minimum purchase is 1,000 points and the maximum is 100,000 points per calendar year. New accounts must wait 30 days before buying. The standard price is 1.25 cents per point, which is above the typical valuation, so buying only makes sense for a defined redemption or during a discounted promotion.
Putting the Methods Together
Stays remain the most reliable source, and booking an eligible rate directly with Marriott is the single step that protects both points and elite night credits. From there, the order of priority depends on where you live. US-based members can layer a Bonvoy credit card, Eat Around Town, and Uber on top of everyday spending with almost no extra effort. Members elsewhere should focus on hotel dining, Tours & Activities, Hertz, and the cruise partnership, all of which work internationally.
Before any purchase or transfer, compare the cost against what the redemption would otherwise cost in cash. Points valued at roughly 0.7 cents each do not justify paying 1.25 cents unless the specific award night is worth considerably more.
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