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If you enjoy staying at Marriott Bonvoy locations, you may have considered the chain’s loyalty program. Marriott is one of the largest hotel groups across the world, encompassing 30 brands and more than 7,000 hotels.
Since the group is so large, participating in the loyalty program could be highly beneficial for you.
What Is Marriot Elite Status?
The program has five elite tiers; Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador, each offering its own set of perks and benefits including enhanced room upgrades, late check out, guaranteed reservations and more.
You can even score some member benefits just by enrolling in the program, but these are a little limited, such as exclusive member rates, mobile check in and complimentary WiFi.
Each tier adds increasing benefits, so whether you’re a regular business traveler or an infrequent visitor that is curious about the program, here we’ll delve into how you earn elite status and the available benefits.
Marriot Status | Qualifying Nights Annually |
|---|---|
Silver | 10 to 24 Qualifying Nights annually |
Gold | 25 to 49 Qualifying Nights annually |
Platinum | 50 to 74 Qualifying Nights annually |
Titanium | 75+ Qualifying Nights annually |
Ambassador | 100+ Qualifying Nights annually and at least $23,000 in Annual Qualified Spend |
What Do You Get With Marriott Elite Status?
When you enroll in the Marriott Bonvoy program, you will automatically qualify for a basic set of benefits. These include:
- Complimentary internet access: With Elite status, when you stay in a Marriott location, you can enjoy in room internet access without needing to pay a fee.
- Member Rates: You may also qualify for preferential rates when you book a room in participating Marriott Bonvoy locations.
- Mobile Check In: Elite status also provides the facility of mobile check in, making it more convenient whenever you stay at a participating location.
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and special member-only perks.
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and special member-only perks.
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The Marriott Silver Status Benefits
In addition to the basic Elite status benefits, Silver Status provides benefits including:
- 10% Points Earning Bonus: This makes it a little easier to qualify for higher elite status tiers.
- Late Checkout: Unlike some of the higher elite status tiers, this is not guaranteed and there is no specified time. Late checkout for Silver Status members is based on availability.
- Ultimate Reservation Guarantee: This provides protection in the event that Marriott is unable to honor your reservation for some reason. In this instance, Marriott Bonvoy will pay for your accommodation that night at a hotel nearby and compensate you for the inconvenience. The compensation varies according to the hotel brand and you need to provide your member number when you make a reservation to be eligible.
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The Marriott Gold Status Benefits
As a Gold Elite member, you’ll not only get all of the Silver Elite benefits and:
- 25% Points Earning Bonus: Your points earning bonus increases to 25%, so you can work towards higher elite status levels.
- 2pm Late Checkout: This is based on availability, but in many locations, you can enjoy late checkout up to 2pm.
- Enhanced In Room Internet: As a Gold member, you can enjoy faster in room internet access which is complimentary.
- Gold Welcome Gift: You’ll receive a welcome gift at check in, which is extra Marriott Points. The amount of points depends on the property; 250 points for limited service locations or 500 points for a full service location.
- Enhanced Room Upgrade: As a Gold member, you’ll be eligible for a space available upgrade to an enhanced room at check in. This is a based on availability benefit, but it could include being upgraded to a room on a higher floor, a room on the executive floor or a room with special amenities. However, it does not include suites.
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The Marriott Platinum Status Benefits
In addition to all of the Gold Elite benefits, as a Platinum Elite member, you’ll get:
- 50% Points Earning Bonus: Your points earning bonus increases to 50%.
- 4pm Late Checkout: Platinum members are guaranteed a 4pm late checkout with only a few exceptions. It is not available at Marriott Grand Residence Club, Marriott Vacation Club, and participating Vistana locations.
- Dedicated Support Line: Platinum Elite members have access to a dedicated phone line, which you can use if you need to make a reservation or have any stay related issues.
- In Hotel Welcome Gift: The Platinum Elite welcome gift varies by location. It could include a points bonus, breakfast or an amenity.
- Enhanced Room Upgrade: The enhanced room upgrade at this elite status level includes suites, but this is not available at all properties and it is based on availability.
- Annual Choice Benefit: After 50 qualifying nights, you’ll receive an annual choice benefit. The options include five Suite Night Awards, a $100 gift to UNICEF in your name, 40% off the cost of a Marriott branded bed, or the gift of Silver Elite status to a family member or friend.
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The Marriott Titanium Status Benefits
In addition to the Platinum benefits, you’ll get:
- 75% Points Earning Bonus: As a Titanium member, you’ll receive a 75% points earning bonus, making it easier for regular visitors to obtain the highest elite status level.
- Additional Annual Choice Benefit Options: In addition to the available options at Platinum status, you could choose to Gift Gold Elite Status to someone or receive a Free Night Award worth 40,000 points.
- 48 Hour Room Guarantee: This means that providing that you book at least 48 hours in advance, Marriott will guarantee to have a room for you for any paid stay.
- United MileagePlus Premier Silver Status: This is a great benefit if you also enjoy flying United, as you’ll automatically receive United Silver Status.
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The Marriott Ambassador Elite Status Benefits
This is the top tier Elite Status, so in addition to all of the above perks, you’ll receive:
- Your 24: This feature provides complete flexibility for your check in and checkout time when you stay at a Marriott Bonvoy location. You can choose the 24 hours for your stay, whether it is 9am to 9am or 9pm to 9pm, it is completely up to you.
- Ambassador Service: This unique perk provides dedicated ambassadors available to help you at any time and anywhere. This service was suspended during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, but the service is returning as of mid 2023.
How to Earn Marriott Elite Status
There are two methods to earn Marriott Elite Status.
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Qualifying Nights
The first is by earning your status through eligible night stays. You can earn Silver through Titanium status levels by staying for qualifying nights during the calendar year. All nights count regardless of whether you’re staying at a Residence Inn or a Ritz Carlton Hotel.
The number of qualifying nights for each status level are:
- Silver: 10 qualifying nights
- Gold: 25 qualifying nights
- Platinum: 50 qualifying nights
- Titanium: 75 qualifying nights
- Ambassador: 100 qualifying nights plus a minimum spend of $23,000 per year.
It is important to note that qualifying nights are booked directly via Marriott.com and do not include stays that are booked through third party travel agencies.
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Marriot Credit Cards
The second way to earn Elite status is through credit cards. There are several co-branded credit cards which offer complimentary elite status. Various Marriot credit cards provide credits for elite nights, which can help you to meet the requirement for appropriate levels.
Card | Rewards | Credit For Elite Nights | Annual Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1x – 6X
6X points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® credit card. Plus, earn up to 10X points from Marriott for being a Marriott Bonvoy® member. Plus, earn up to 1X point from Marriott with Silver Elite Status. Earn 3X points for every $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining. Earn 2X points for every $1 you spend on all other purchases.
| 15 Elite Night Credits
| $95 | |
| 2X – 6X
6 Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program, 3 points at Worldwide restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2 points on all other eligible purchases
| 25 Elite Night Credits | $650 | |
| Up to 14X
3X Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Plus, earn up to 10X points from Marriott for being a Marriott Bonvoy® member. Plus, earn up to 1X point from Marriott with Silver Elite Status. 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on other travel purchases (from airfare to taxis and trains). 1X point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
| 15 Elite Night Credits |
$0 | |
| 2x – 6x
6X points on purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, 4X points at restaurants worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and U.S. supermarkets (up to $15,000 in combined purchases per year, then 2X points), 2X points on all other purchases
| 15 Elite Night Credits | $250 |
What Is The Marriott Bonvoy Status Challenge?
This is a limited challenge that was launched in 2020 and is currently closed, but it could be relaunched in the future.
You needed to register for the challenge and members would immediately receive Gold or Platinum status. To maintain the new status, members needed to stay five nights or 15 nights within 90 days respectively for Gold or Platinum.
The 90 day period began when the upgrade occurred and if members completed the challenge, it would count towards lifetime status.
How to Enroll in the Marriott Bonvoy Program
Marriott Bonvoy makes it easy to join the Elite Status program. You can complete the process on the Marriott website in a few simple steps.
- Click on Marriott Bonvoy: You can start the process on the official Marriott website by clicking Marriott Bonvoy on the top bar and then scrolling down to white “Join Now” button.
- Provide your Details: You’ll need to complete the basic form including your name, postal address, a valid email and a few other basic details.
- Create a Password: The next step is to create a password to access your account.
These steps will create your basic account, and it will generate your membership number. You will need to remember to add your number to any Marriott stays. You can also link your number to your Uber account, so you’ll earn bonus points on rides and UberEats orders.
Are There Any Limitations Members Should Know About?
The Marriott Elite program is quite straightforward, but there are some limitations that members should know about. These include:
- Not All Properties Participate: Not all locations in the Marriott group participate in the program.
- No Joint Accounts: The program only allows individual memberships, you can’t open a joint membership account.
- Qualification Occurs Per Calendar Year: The number of nights you stay will add up to qualify for your elite status tier during the year. However, with each status level, you’ll receive a points earning bonus, which makes it easier to qualify for the next tier.
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How to Check Your Progress Toward Elite Status
You can view your progress towards Elite status levels via the Online Marriott Bonvoy platform or using the app. When you log into your account, you’ll see not your progress towards the next Elite status level, but you can also view your Lifetime Status.
Your Lifetime Status is based on the number of qualifying nights and the number of years that you’ve held Silver, Gold or Platinum status.
For example, Silver Lifetime Status requires 250 qualifying nights and five years or more at Silver status, while Gold Lifetime requires 400 qualifying nights and seven or more years at Gold status.
Is Marriott Elite Status Worth It?
Whether Marriott Elite status is worth it will depend on your travel habits and preferences. If you frequently stay in Marriott locations, it may be worth achieving elite status.
If you’re an infrequent traveler, you may not find even the low elite status level benefits all that helpful for you.
At the end of the day, if you enjoy staying at various Marriott locations, there is no harm in enrolling in the program. It costs nothing and you’ll start receiving some perks just as a basic program member.
FAQs
Once you achieve your Elite Status level, you will have access to those benefits for the remainder of that year and all of the following year. So, if you qualify as Gold Elite in July 2023, you will have those status benefits until the end of December 2024.
All Elite levels at Platinum or above have access to a dedicated customer service team. The lower tier program members will need to use the standard Marriott helpline for assistance with any issues.
Many Marriott locations do offer breakfast, but it isn’t always included.
However, at Platinum or above, you can choose breakfast as one of your Annual Choice Benefits if you’ve reached the appropriate qualifying night minimum.
If your status has been downgraded, the chances are that it is because you failed to requalify at that level the following year.
However, there have been some downgrading issues, so if you think that you should not have been downgraded, it is worth speaking to the Marriott customer service team.
At higher levels of the Marriott Elite program, you can receive automatic United RewardsPlus status. This is due to a partnership between United Airlines and Marriott Bonvoy.
Essentially, this means that when you fly United, you can enjoy loyalty program perks. At Titanium Elite and higher, you’ll get RewardsPlus Silver Status with benefits such as free checked bags when you fly United.
