Marriott Bonvoy is the official loyalty rewards program of Marriott International, which encompasses over 30 hospitality chains and 7,000 properties around the world. Members can maximize their points – and qualify for VIP treatment – by reaching Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status or using the right credit card.
Key Takeaways
- Marriott Bonvoy is the official loyalty program of Marriott International, a US-based hospitality company.
- Marriott Bonvoy members can collect and redeem points on stays at thousands of properties worldwide.
- Marriott Bonvoy points are worth an average of 1.24 cents CAD each.
- There are two official American Express Marriott Bonvoy credit cards available in Canada, but you can get more points and perks with the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card.
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What is Marriott Bonvoy?
Marriott Bonvoy is the official rewards program of Marriott International, an industry-leading hospitality company. There are over 7,000 properties and 30 chains in the Marriott portfolio – from The Ritz-Carlton to City Express – where members can collect and redeem Marriott Bonvoy points.
Qualifying hotel stays also earn Elite Night Credits. The more you collect, the higher your Elite Status and the more perks and benefits you enjoy with every stay.
The only thing you need to get started is an account, which you can create for free on the Marriott Bonvoy website. Once you do, you can start using the Marriott Bonvoy mobile app and redeeming rewards like free hotel stays, travel experiences, merchandise, and more.
Overview
Currency: Marriott Bonvoy points
Redemption Options: Charity, Experiences, Hotel stays, Shopping, and Travel
Pros:
- 7,000+ participating properties in 140+ countries worldwide
- 39 airline partners
- 6 ways to earn points
- 5 elite membership tiers
- 5 ways to redeem points
- 2 co-branded credit cards available in Canada
- Points worth up to 2.4 cents CAD each
- Dedicated customer support
- Free membership
- Member-exclusive offers, room rates, perks, and price-matching
- No blackout dates on reward stays
- Points can be bought, gifted, converted, and transferred
Cons:
- Points worth as little as 0.19 cents CAD each
- Hotels may limit reward stays at their discretion
- Points expire after 2 years of inactivity
- Points cannot be pooled with other members
- Limited ways to advance membership
Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status
There are 6 membership levels within the Marriott Bonvoy program: the basic level, where all free members start, and 5 tiers known as Elite Status. To qualify for Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status, you must collect Elite Night Credits by spending one or more consecutive nights in a Marriott hotel.
Silver Elite members start with 10% off at hotel gift shops, guaranteed reservations, preferred room rates, and 10% – 75% bonus points per stay. At the Gold, Platinum, and Titanium Elite level, you can add a complimentary room upgrade, 24/7 customer service, and free access to the in-hotel lounge.
At the highest membership level, Ambassador Elite, you’ll receive a $150 resort credit, personal concierge services, and your choice of check-in times with every stay. If you spend enough time as an Elite Status member and collect enough Elite Night Credits, you might even qualify for Lifetime Elite Status.
Pro Tip: Personal and business Marriott Bonvoy American Express credit cardholders receive automatic Silver Elite membership status.
What are Marriott Bonvoy points worth?
Points are the bread and butter of the Marriott Bonvoy program, and based on our research, they’re worth an average of 1.24 cents per point (CPP) – provided you spend them on the right reward.
Value of reward in CAD / cost of reward in points x 100 = value in cents per point (CPP)
For example, you can get up to 2.4 CPP if you find the right hotel deal on the Marriott website. Whatever you do, avoid redeeming your points on merchandise, which return as little as 0.19 CPP.
| Redemption option | Categories | Average value |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel stays | * Cash + Points * Instant Redemption * Pay with Points * PointSavers destinations | 1.24 CPP |
| Travel | * Car rentals * Cruises * Flights | 0.56 CPP |
| Charity | * Empower * Nurture * Sustain * Welcome | 0.56 CPP |
| Shopping | * Electronics * Gift Cards * Home * Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques * Sports & Leisure | 0.41 CPP |
| Experiences | * Arts & Lifestyle * Culinary * Entertainment * Sports | N/A |
| Transfer | * Aeroplan * AAdvantage Miles * British Airways Club * Etihad Guest * Flying Blue Miles * KrisFlyer * Qatar Privilege Club * United MileagePlus * …and more | 1.67 CPP |
How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points
There are 6 ways for Marriott Bonvoy members to earn points. To maximize your earnings, try combining two or more of the following methods:
- Book activities with partners
- Buy, transfer, pool, or convert points
- Dine at in-hotel bars and restaurants
- Plan a Marriott Bonvoy Event
- Stay at Marriott hotels
- Use a Marriott Bonvoy credit card
Since some methods are more efficient than others (especially for Canadians), we’ve ordered them from best to worst.
1. Stay at Marriott hotels
The most obvious and efficient way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points (and Elite Night Credits) is to stay at a Marriott property. Provide your membership number when you make a reservation or a payment to collect points and/or credits at the following properties:
| Hotel chains | Points earned | Credits earned |
|---|---|---|
| AC Hotels, Aloft, Autograph Collection, Courtyard, Delta Hotels, Design Hotels, EDITION, Fairfield, Four Points, Gaylord Hotels, JW Marriott, Le Meridien, Marriott Hotels, Marriott Vacation Club, MGM Collection, Moxy Hotels, Renaissance Hotels, Sheraton, SpringHill Suites, Sonder, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, The Ritz-Carlton, Tribute Portfolio, W Hotels, Westin | 10 points per $1 USD spent | 1 Elite Night Credit per night stayed |
| Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, Element by Westin, Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, Residence Inn, Sonder Apartments, TownePlace Suites | 5 points per $1 USD spent | 1 Elite Night Credit per night stayed |
| City Express by Marriott, Four Points Flex by Sheraton, Protea Hotels | 5 points per $1 USD spent | 1 Elite Night Credit per 2 nights stayed |
| StudioRes | 4 points per $1 USD spent | N/A |
| Marriott Executive Apartments | 2.5 points per $1 USD spent | 1 Elite Night Credit per 3 nights stayed |
As long as they share check-in and check-out times, you can collect unlimited Marriott Bonvoy points on up to 3 rooms on the same reservation. You’ll also get points if you add any of the following to your hotel tab:
- In-room movies and video games
- Room service
- Telephone and fax services
Plus, you’ll get 10 points per $1 USD spent on golf resort fees or in-hotel spa services.
Just remember, you can’t earn points on taxes, hotel fees, or any of the following:
- Alcohol and tobacco (where prohibited by law)
- Banquet, meeting, and function fees or charges
- Business, parking, and retail fees charged by third parties
- Gratuities
- Food or drink at Limited Sonder Properties
Room bookings through tour operators, online travel websites, and other third parties are also off the table. Ditto for any rooms you book at a group rate as part of an event, meeting, or conference.
2. Use a Marriott Bonvoy credit card
There are 2 official Marriott Bonvoy hotel credit cards available in Canada, issued by American Express. Both cards provide up to 15 points per $1 USD spent on Marriott hotel stays, plus automatic Silver Elite status and one free night’s stay per year.
But because you can convert both Aeroplan and Amex Membership Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy points, you have two more fantastic options:
| Credit card | Welcome bonus | Annual fee | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Express Cobalt Card | $15,000 | $155.88 | * 5 points per $1 spent on eligible groceries and restaurants * 3 points per $1 spent on eligible streaming services * 2 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, transit, and ride share purchases * 1 point per $1 spent on foreign currency purchases * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
| TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Credit Card | $85,000 | $599 | * 2 points per $1 spent on Air Canada * 1.5 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, electric vehicle charging, groceries, travel & transit and dining * 1.25 points per $1 spent on all other purchases |
| Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card | $50,000 | $120 | * 5 points per $1 spent at Marriott properties * 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases |
| Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card | $60,000 | $150 | * 5 points per $1 spent at Marriott properties * 3 points per $1 spent on gas, dining, and travel * 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Let’s start with the best Aeroplan and best overall credit card in Canada: the American Express Cobalt Card. Zero income requirements and plenty of points for groceries and restaurants makes this the ideal card for everyday spending.
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For a luxurious experience on the ground and in the air, try the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege. You’ll get 2X the points on flights, preferred pricing, and free checked bags through Air Canada; and complimentary room upgrades, breakfast, and more at select hotels through Visa Infinite Privilege.
Either card will enable you to earn points on more purchases, not just hotel stays.
3. Book activities with partners
Marriott Bonvoy has a long list of partners in a variety of industries, including airlines, car rental agencies, cruise lines, and more. Although you can’t earn Elite Night Credits, you can maximize your points by booking travel with them.
| Partner | Offerings | Earn rate |
|---|---|---|
| Vacations by Marriott | Car, hotel, and flight packages | 2.5 – 10 points per $1 USD spent on the hotel portion of the package |
| Marriott Activities | Classes, tastings, tours, and tickets to attractions and culinary events | 5 points per $1 USD spent |
| Marriott Transfers | Black car services, shuttles, and transfers, both shared and private | 5 points per $1 USD spent |
| Marriott Cruises | Premium, river, and themed cruises departing from ports in the US and around the world | 3 points per $1 USD spent |
| Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques | Products from 15 of the most iconic Marriott brands, including Courtyard, Fairfield, St. Regis, and The Ritz-Carlton | 10,000 points per purchase of a mattress |
| Marriott Car Rentals | Rentals from Dollar, Hertz, and Thrifty locations worldwide | * 250 points per Dollar or Thrifty rental * 500 points per Hertz rental * 200 – 250 bonus points per rental for Elite Status members |
| AXS Events | Tickets to cultural, musical, theatrical, and sports events worldwide | N/A |
Pro Tip: US residents can earn additional points on purchases from Uber, Uber Eats, and Starbucks.
4. Plan a Marriott Bonvoy event
As long as you’re not a government employee or representing a government agency, you can collect up to 60,000 points and 20 Elite Night Credits by planning a Marriott Bonvoy Event.
Qualifying event charges – such as decor, room rental, in-house audio/visual equipment rental, and food and drink – earn 2 points per $1 USD. To earn credits, you’ll need to reserve at least 10 rooms; for every 20 room nights booked and used, you’ll receive 1 Elite Night Credit.
As with regular hotel stays, you won’t earn points on taxes, gratuities, resort fees, hotel fees, and third-party charges.
Pro Tip: Event planners with Elite Status receive 10% – 75% bonus points, for a maximum total of 200,000 points per event.
5. Dine at in-hotel restaurants and bars
Marriott Bonvoy members can earn 5 points per $1 USD spent at 302 participating in-hotel restaurants and bars in Canada, the majority located in Ontario, Alberta, and Quebec.
No stay required – all you have to do is link your credit card online (or, depending on the location, present your membership card with payment).
Pro Tip: US residents can collect up to 4 points per $1 USD spent at participating restaurants in the US using the Eat Around Town program.
6. Buy, transfer, or convert points
If your account balance is low, you can always buy Marriott Bonvoy points for $12.50 USD per 1,000 points, or gift them to another member at the same rate. Members may transfer 1,000 – 100,000 points between accounts for free.
You can also convert your points and miles from other programs to Marriott Bonvoy points for free, but you’ll lose some value in the bargain. For instance, Aeroplan points are worth an average of 2 CPP, and KrisFlyer miles can be worth up to 5 CPP when redeemed on flights.
There are 8 participating airlines and 3 miscellaneous partners.
| Partner | Loyalty program | Conversion ratio (points/miles to Marriott Bonvoy points) |
|---|---|---|
| Air Canada | Aeroplan | 1:1 |
| ANA | ANA Mileage Club | 1:1 |
| Cathay Pacific | Cathay | 2:1 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | HawaiianMiles | 1:1 |
| Japan Airlines | JAL Mileage Bank | 4:3 |
| Qatar Airways | Qatar Airways Privilege Club | 1:1 |
| Singapore Airlines | KrisFlyer | 2:1 |
| United | United MileagePlus | 11:1 |
| Bilt | Bilt Rewards | 1:1 |
| MGM | BetMGM | 5:4 |
| Rakuten | Rakuten | 3:1 |
To convert your points, visit the participating airlines page or the convert Rakuten points page. Bilt and BetMGM points can be converted using their respective mobile apps.
How to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points
Now that you’ve saved up enough Marriott Bonvoy points, it’s time to choose your reward. You have 5 redemption options:
- Charity
- Experiences
- Hotel stays
- Shopping
- Travel
Does it make sense to spend hotel reward points on merchandise? Well, probably not. Here are the smartest choices for your points, from best to worst.
Hotel stays
Average value: 1.24 CPP
Categories: Cash + Points, Pay With Points, and PointSavers destinations
Best option: A 2-night stay in the Courtyard Montreal Brossard in Montreal for $204 + 20,500 points (2.4 CPP)
There are 2 ways to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points on a free hotel stay: Pay With Points or pay with a combination of Cash + Points. Cash + Points payments are only available for select rates marked by a "Cash + Points" label.
After examining room rates for the cheapest and most expensive hotels in a dozen major cities worldwide, we found Marriott Bonvoy points hold an average value of 1.24 CPP per hotel stay. There was little difference between "peak" and “off-peak” dates, but choosing only the cheapest hotels brought the average value to 1.39 CPP; choosing “Cash + Points” brought it up to 1.48 CPP.
If you select "my dates are flexible" while searching for a room, you’ll be presented with a calendar with the cheapest nights highlighted in green. “PointSavers” nights can save you up to 20% of the booking fee in cash or points.
A regularly-priced, single night’s stay costs between 8,500 – 100,000+ points. The good news: taxes and fees are included. The bad: participating properties may enact blackout dates at their own discretion.
To maximize your points, choose cheaper hotels and opt for a Cash + Points redemption whenever possible. During your stay, you can also ask the hotel to apply 250 – 125,000 points to your tab for a $1 – $500 USD credit against food, drink, and other incidentals. Skip it – "Instant Redemptions" give no more than half a cent per point.
Pro Tip: Marriott Bonvoy credit cardholders can combine their annual Free Night Award with up to 15,000 points.
Travel
Average value: 0.56
Categories: Car rentals, Cruises, and Flights
Best option: A $500 – $5,000 USD cruise voucher for 125,000 – 1,250,000 points (0.56 CPP)
While we suggest saving your Marriott Bonvoy points for hotels, you can round out your vacation with a cruise, flight, or rental car paid in points.
Your first option is to trade 63,000 – 1.25 million points for a $250 – $5,000 USD voucher towards any cruise line on the Cruise With Points website, yielding 0.56 CPP. Unfortunately, cruise rewards are only available to US residents.
Or, you could visit Fly and Drive With Points to get a flight or car rental using points or a mix of cash and points (starting at a minimum of 10,000 points). We weren’t able to determine the value of either flights or car rentals, but they’re highly unlikely to exceed the value offered by hotel stays.
Note: Each airline ticket and rental car reservation is subject to a $20 USD (5,000 points) booking fee. Modifying or cancelling a flight or car rental reservation will incur a fee of $35 USD.
Charity
Value: 0.56 CPP
Categories: Empower, Nurture, Sustain, and Welcome
Donations of Marriott Bonvoy points provide a fixed value of $10 – $500 USD per 2,500 – 125,000 points, or 0.56 CPP. There are 34 organizations you can support (including UNICEF, the WWF, the International Rescue Committee, and the NAACP), organized into 4 categories: Empower, Nurture, Sustain, and Welcome.
Until the end of 2025, Marriott will match all donations made to the American Red Cross and World Central Kitchen (to a maximum of 100 million points) to support victims of the California wildfires.
Shopping
Average value: 0.41 CPP
Categories: Electronics, Gift Cards, Home, Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques, and Sports & Leisure
Best option: Chefmix Ace of Spades bottle opener for 2,500 points (0.95 CPP)
The Shop with Points catalogue contains a small selection of general merchandise and a few items from the official Marriott Bonvoy Boutique. Prices include taxes, customs, duties, and shipping fees to home addresses in the great white north.
Unfortunately, most of the items we price-checked provide less than half a cent of value per point. There are no benefits to spending your hard-earned points on items that are neither cheap nor exclusive.
Shopping Tip: Damaged and defective items can be returned to Marriott if you contact customer service within 3 days of receiving your order.
Experiences
Categories: Arts & Lifestyle, Culinary, Entertainment, and Sports
For a one-of-a-kind experience, visit the Marriott Bonvoy Moments to browse Arts & Lifestyle, Culinary, Entertainment, and Sports packages. The curated offerings include cooking classes, cocktail events, flower shows, private tours, concert tickets, sporting events, and more, often packaged with a stay at a premier hotel.
Some packages are placed at Auction, meaning you could walk away with an amazing deal if you’re lucky. For example, a 2-night Michelin-starred dinner, tour, and stay at the Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel starts at 50,000 points. The rooms alone are worth $3,420; even if you bid 100,000 points, you’d still be getting over 3 CPP.
Even Fixed Purchases have an element of luck. You could purchase 2 tickets to Beyonce’s COWBOY CARTER TOUR in Chicago for 125,000 points, but without knowing which seats you’ll be given, your package could be worth anywhere from 0.16 – 2 CPP.
If you’d like to try your hand at bidding, we recommend treating your points like money. Use 10,000 points = $100 CAD to get 1 CPP of value, or save your points for a hotel.
Transfer
Value: 1.67 CPP
Categories: Aeroplan, AEGEAN, Aer Lingus, Aeromexico Rewards, Aeroplan, AAdvantage, Flying Blue, etc.
Best option: Convert 3 Marriott Bonvoy points to 1 KrisFlyer mile (1.28 CPP)
Converting Marriott Bonvoy points to airline miles is generally unprofitable because all but one airline partner uses a 3:1 ratio. You must convert 3 Marriott Bonvoy points (valued at 1.24 CPP each) to get 1 airline mile, and there are few miles worth more than 3.72 cents each.
Transferring your points to the British Airways Club, Flying Blue, United MileagePlus, and other programs will result in a loss of value, but there are 3 exceptions:
| Airline program | Conversion ratio (MB points to miles) | Value per mile | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 3:1 | 7.02 CPP | 3.3 CPP |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 3:1 | 5 CPP | 1.28 CPP |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club | 3:1 | 4 CPP | 0.28 CPP |
Singapore Airlines flies primarily around Southeast Asia, while Qatar Airways offers flights around the Middle East and to Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa. For Canadians, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points may be the best option; VA offers flights to 32 destinations distributed evenly around the world.
Pro Tip: If you prefer to earn airline miles for hotel stays rather than Marriott Bonvoy points, you can do so by linking your MB and airline account.
Marriott Bonvoy vs. Hilton Honors
Marriott International’s closest competitor is Hilton, which operates the Hilton Honors rewards program. Marriott and Hilton’s hotel offerings are fairly comparable, but their rewards programs have a few differences.
| Feature | Marriott Bonvoy | Hilton Honors Program |
|---|---|---|
| Currency | Points | Points |
| Membership requirements | Free account OR credit card | Free account OR US credit card |
| Participating properties | 7,000+ | 7,600+ |
| Hotel brands | 30+ | 30 |
| Co-branded cards available in Canada | 2 | 0 |
| Rewards | * Car rentals * Charity * Cruises * Experiences * Flights * Gift cards and merchandise * Hotel stays * Point conversions | * Event credits * Car rentals * Charity * Experiences * Hotel stays * Point conversions * Rideshare credits |
| Best redemption option | Hotel stays for 1.24 CPP | Hotel stays for 0.5 CPP |
| Free membership benefits | * Digital keys, check-ins, and check-outs * Exclusive rates * Free Wi-Fi | * Digital keys, check-ins, and check-outs * Exclusive rates * Free Wi-Fi * No resort fees on reward hotel stays |
Although Hilton Honors counts more participating properties, Marriott Bonvoy leads the way when it comes to earning opportunities, redemption options, and point values. Although the base earning rate of both programs are the same (10 points per $1 USD spent), a Marriott Bonvoy point offers over 50% more value than a Hilton Honors point.
Is the Marriott Bonvoy program worth it?
The Marriott Bonvoy rewards program encompasses thousands of properties around the world and at every price level. Although some of its best earning and redemption opportunities are restricted to US members, Canadians will have no trouble saving up for a vacation by using a co-branded credit card or converting points from other loyalty programs.
FAQ
How many Bonvoy points do you need for a free night stay?
A single night’s stay costs between 8,500 – 100,000+ Marriott Bonvoy points.
What is the best way to use Bonvoy points?
The best way to use Marriott Bonvoy points is to redeem them on a free hotel stay, which provides an average value of 1.24 cents CAD per point.
Do Bonvoy points ever expire?
Marriott Bonvoy points will expire if your account goes 24 months without any new activity.
Can I book a room for someone else with my Marriott points?
Marriott Bonvoy members can gift or transfer points to other members, or book them a reward stay by contacting Marriott customer service.
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