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What is Marriott Rewards?

Marriott Rewards is the award-winning loyalty program offered by Marriott International and all of its sub-brands. The program is considered to be on of the top in the hotel industry because of the benefits it provides to members and because of the reach of the Marriott network. Overall, Marriott Rewards offers multiple ways to maximize the benefits of the program and can provide tremendous value when you implement a rewards strategy correctly. Read on for more details and a full review on why you should join this rewards program.

Did you know Marriott merged with SPG?

Marriott bought The Ritz-Carlton worldwide back in 1998, and in 2016, they acquired Starwood Hotels Group, creating an even bigger hotel empire. At first, the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) and Marriott Rewards programs were kept entirely separate. Members could book Marriott hotels and earn and redeem Marriott Rewards points, and SPG members could do the same with SPG Starpoints. However, in March of 2018, Marriott announced significant changes to the rewards program of all three, essentially merging them into one super rewards program. 

The details of the Marriott Rewards and SPG merger

This announcement has created both a stir and relief, especially for SPG members. They were concerned about their points being devalued by a merger. SPG Starpoints have been valued as high as 2.5 cents per point. Marriott Rewards points have been known to be valued around .7 cents per point. That’s quite a substantial difference. The good news is that Marriott will be converting SPG Starpoints starting in August 2018 at 3:1 ratio. So if you have 20,000 SPG Starpoints, you’ll earn 60,000 Marriott Rewards points once your account merger takes effect. 

Another concern was also that SPG members would no longer be subject to various elite Starwood perks such as getting suite upgrades once the merger takes effect. The announcement also relived these concerns as Marriott introduced one consolidated elite status system with six new categories. These categories are Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Platinum Premier Elite, and Platinum Premier Elite with Ambassador. Once the new tiers roll out in August, we’ll update our post with the benefits of each level.

With the new consolidated loyalty program, all Marriott Rewards, Ritz-Carlton Rewards, and SPG customers will now have an entirely new, but one single rewards program where they can earn and redeem points across the entire Marriott network. This new program is still unnamed and won’t have an official title until 2019. So you’ll still see the old program names until then, even though they will all technically be the same.

Joining Marriott Rewards

The Marriott Rewards program is free to join and doing so is pretty quick and straightforward. All you need to do is to go to the official website and follow the steps below:

1. First, visit the Marriott Rewards website. 
2. Click the ‘Join Now’ link located at the top right corner.
3. Fill out all of your details on the form, including your full name and contact details. You’ll also need to create an account password.
4. Read the terms and conditions and click the ‘Join’ button. A confirmation e-mail will be sent to your email address. Finally, click on the link in the e-mail to verify your account and complete the process.
5. Your account is now created, and you’re ready to start earning!

Brands and Locations

Marriott is the world’s largest hotel group, with over 6,500 properties, spanning 120 countries on 6 continents. This is a huge perk, as the availability of hotel locations will give you a better chance of consistently meeting the annual stay and spend targets that are required to reach elite status in Marriott Rewards.

Most individual hotel brands are a part of a broader portfolio owned and operated by a single parent company. Marriott International is the parent company for 30 sub-brands (see list below), which now includes all of Starwood. This is now by far the largest hotel network group in the world. That’s important because it provides you with more choices regarding price, the class of stay, and most importantly rewards redemption opportunities. All Marriott hotels and sub-brands share the same point values for redemption. So regardless if you choose to stay at a St. Regis property or at a Courtyard Hotel, your rewards points will be valued the exact same on a per-point basis.

List of Marriott Brands

• Marriott Hotels
• AC Hotels
• Aloft Hotels
• Autograph Collection Hotels
• BVLGARI (doesn’t participate in Marriott Rewards)
• Courtyard Hotels
• Delta Hotels
• Design Hotels
• EDITION
• element
• ExecuStay
• Fairfield Inn & Suites
• Four Points
• Gaylord Hotels
• JW Marriott
• Marriott Executive Apartments
• Marriott Vacation Club
• Le MERIDIEN
• Moxy Hotels
• Protea Hotels
• Renaissance Hotels
• Residence Inn
• The Ritz-Carlton
• Ritz-Carlton Reserve
• Sheraton
• SpringHill Suites
• St. Regis
• The Luxury Collection
• TownePlace Suites
• Tribute Portfolio
• W Hotels
• Westin

Earning Marriott Rewards elite status

Marriott Rewards now offers six tiers within its rewards program. The base tier, Member, is automatically granted to anyone who enrolls in the program and offers key benefits. The next five levels, Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Platinum Premier Elite and Platinum Premier Elite with Ambassador, can be achieved only through staying a minimum number of nights. Reaching each level has a different set of requirements (see table below) and provides various types of benefits to members (see section below). Here’s the breakdown of how to qualify for each tier:

[wpsm_colortable color=”blue”]

	Member	Silver Elite	Gold Elite	Platinum Elite	Platinum Premier Elite	Platinum Premier Elite with Ambassador
How to qualify	0-9 nights per year.	10-24 nights per year.	25-49 nights per year.	50-74 nights per year.	75-99 nights per year.	100+ nights and $20,000 in qualifying spend per year.

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It is important to note that like most other rewards program, Marriott Rewards requires annual qualification for status tiers. This means you will have to meet the requirements each year to maintain status for the program for the following year. Below is an example of the account overview dashboard, which shows your current status for the year, your total number of accrued points, and the number of nights stayed.

Earning Lifetime Status in Marriott Rewards

If you stay enough nights at Marriott properties over time, you’ll eventually qualify for Lifetime Status, which means you do not need to re-qualify for elite status every year. You’ll get the benefits of the elite tier you earn Lifetime Status for the rest of your life. This is a pretty awesome perk to have.

With the new merger with SPG and the Ritz-Carlton Rewards, there will now be three tiers for Lifetime Status (see below). If you’ve previously achieved Lifetime Status in Marriott Rewards or SPG, you’ll retain Lifetime Elite status in the new combined program. The good news is your Marriott, SPG and Ritz-Carlton nights will now be combined to help you earn Lifetime Status even faster. And as always, when your current year’s Elite status is higher than your Lifetime Status, you’ll receive the higher status and benefits for that year.

[wpsm_colortable color=”blue”]

	Lifetime Silver Elite	Lifetime Gold Elite	Lifetime Platinum Elite
How to qualify	250 Lifetime Nights + 5 Years Elite Status	400 Lifetime Nights + 7 Years Gold Elite Status or Higher	600 Lifetime Nights + 10 Years Platinum Elite Status

[/wpsm_colortable]

Benefits of Marriott Rewards

CompareBare breaks down the benefits of Marriott Rewards into pre-stay perks and in-stay perks. Read below to see what each level of elite status provides in terms of benefits. 

Pre-stay perks

Marriott Rewards’ pre-stay perks provide you with benefits before arriving at the Marriott property you booked. These perks are provided during the reservation process and before you arrive at the hotel. These benefits can include:

• Member rates: you’ll typically get discounted, changeable & refundable room rates at Marriott properties because you’re a member.
• Dedicated elite reservation line: get access to an exclusive phone line to help you book reservations at a Marriott property.
• 48-hour room guarantee: you’re guaranteed a room at a Marriott property, as long as you book 48 hours before your stay (Platinum Premier Elite only).
• And even more (see table below)

In-stay perks

In-stay perks provide you with benefits during your hotel stay at a Marriott property and are intended to improve your experience. These benefits can include:

• Complimentary in-room internet: all members get standard wifi included in their stay. Gold, Platinum, and Platinum Premier Elite members get a free upgrade to enhanced wifi.
• Priority late checkout: if desired, you can request late check-out at any Marriott property (subject to availability).
• Free room upgrades: if the hotel has extra rooms available, Gold, Platinum, and Platinum Premier Elite members can get complimentary room upgrades.
• Ambassador Service: you’ll be paired with an ambassador who will help you enjoy a more seamless travel experience customized to their needs (Platinum Premier Elite with Ambassador only).
• Your24: you can request check in any time you want and check out 24 hours later (Platinum Premier Elite with Ambassador only). This must be done within 48 hours of your check-in date and is subject to availability.
• And even more (see table below)

Marriott Rewards member benefits

Here’s a full breakdown of the Marriott Rewards benefits for members by tier: [wpsm_colortable color=”blue”]

	Member	Silver Elite	Gold Elite	Platinum Elite	Platinum Premier Elite	Platinum Premier Elite with Ambassador
Complimentary in-room internet access	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Complimentary enhanced in-room internet access			[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Discounted member rates	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Mobile check-in and services	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Ultimate reservation guarantee		[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Priority late check-out (based on availability)		[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Dedicated elite phone reservation line		[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
In-hotel welcome gift			[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Enhanced room upgrade			[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Lounge access				[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Guaranteed room type				[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Annual choice benefit (5 suite night awards or gift option)				[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Additional choice benefit (5 suite night awards or gift option)					[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
48-hour room guarantee					[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]	[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Ambassador Service						[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]
Your24						[wp-svg-icons icon=”checkmark” wrap=”i”]

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Earning Marriott Rewards Points

Marriott Rewards splits its points into two categories: base points and bonus points. Let’s break down the differences between the two.

Marriott Rewards base points

Base points are received for each night of your stay at a Marriott property. This means that you get a point match for every dollar you spend on your stay. Each status tier in the program has the exact same point match for base points. However, the number of points you receive per dollar spent depends on the particular hotel brand you’re staying at within the Marriott portfolio. So, the number of base points you earn will depend on how much you spend on your stay and which property you are at. One major caveat is that Marriott has not announced how points will be earned with the new merged program structure with SPG and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards. We’ll update this section as soon as we get more information. 

Here’s the breakdown of base points you can earn by sub-brand (does not include SPG brands as the newly merged program has not launched yet):

[wpsm_colortable color=”blue”]

	10 points per $1	10 points per $1 (on room rates only)	5 points per $1 (on room rates only)	2.5 points per $1 (on room rates only)
Marriott Brands	Autograph Collection Hotels Delta Hotels JW Marriott Marriott Hotels Marriott Vacation Club Renaissance Hotels	AC Hotels Courtyard Hotels EDITION Fairfield Inn & Suites Gaylord Hotels Moxy Hotels Protea Hotels SpringHill Suites The Ritz-Carlton Ritz-Carlton Reserve	Residence Inn TownePlace Suites	ExecuStay Marriott Executive Apartments

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Marriott Rewards bonus points

Bonus points work differently than base points do. This is because bonus points are awarded at a different rate for each status tier in the Marriott Rewards program. They are calculated using the percentage of total base points earned for a given stay at a Marriott property. For example, if you received 10,000 base points for a stay and you have Platinum Elite Status, you would receive an additional 5,000 bonus points. Here’s the breakdown of bonus points awarded for each tier of the program:

[wpsm_colortable color=”blue”]

	Member	Silver Elite	Gold Elite	Platinum Elite	Platinum Premier Elite	Platinum Premier Elite with Ambassador
Points bonus	None	10% bonus	25% bonus	50% bonus	75% bonus	75% bonus

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Earning additional Marriott Rewards bonus points

Marriott Rewards provides other opportunities to gain even more bonus points. Check out the following ways you can make extra points:

• Special point promotions: Marriott often runs special point promotions, in which you can receive a set amount of bonus points if you complete a stay within a given time period. Please note you may have to register for these online to earn the promotional point value.
• Brand or property specific stay bonuses: many Marriott properties and sub-brands offer a point bonus for merely staying at the property. For example, sometimes Marriott will run a promotion where you can earn 2,000 bonus points per day for staying at a Courtyard Hotel.

Below is an example of the Marriott Rewards recent stay activity page. The screenshot shows you the point type and quantity of points earned during a recent hotel stay.

As you can see, it took just a few days of staying at a Marriott property to earn 10,000+ points. And 4,335 of those were actually bonus points! This is a classic example of fully taking advantage of the various point opportunities within Marriott’s rewards program.

Purchasing Marriott Rewards points

Another great way to increase your Marriott points balance is to buy rewards points. This is particularly a good idea during promotional periods, as you are awarded bonus points on top of your purchase like in the example below. People often purchase points to help meet a minimum point redemption threshold that they otherwise may not be able to meet in the immediate future.

For example, if you are only 1,000 points away from being able to redeem for an upcoming hotel stay, it may make sense to purchase the points to close the gap and meet the point redemption threshold. Furthermore, it’s important always to understand the cash value of the points you are purchasing. You should take into consideration the cost that you are actually paying to buy the points. This is key to ensure you are receiving the proper expected value in the transaction.

Marriott allows you to purchase up to 50,000 points per the calendar year and you can only purchase in 1,000 increments. The purchase rate is $12.50 per 1,000 points.

Other ways to earn Marriott Rewards Points

Marriott Rewards Credit Cards

Marriott Rewards has partnered with Visa to offer its own family of credit cards that provide some fantastic benefits. Having one of these credit cards can supercharge earning Marriott Rewards points. This is on top of the points you already earn by staying at Marriott properties. These cards can help you make an additional 6x bonus points when you spend at Marriott, SPG, and Ritz-Carlton properties. And these credit cards provide elite perks. These elite perks include complimentary Gold Elite status, hotel and travel credits, Priority Pass lounge membership and much more. Check out our full review on the Marriott Rewards credit cards to see how the right credit card can supercharge your rewards program experience.

Marriott Rewards MORE

Marriott launched its shopping portal in 2017, in which you can earn Marriott Rewards points for making online purchases through the Marriott Rewards MORE program. They have partnered with top retailers like Apple, Best Buy, Macy’s, Nike, Petco and more. To get points, you’ll need to require an extension toolbar on your internet browser that Marriott will prompt you to download. This is necessary for you to get credit for a purchase. The exact number of points you earn on your purchases vary by retailer. Plus, you’ll get some additional point bonuses for using the program such as earning 1,000 bonus points when you complete your first purchase of $25 or more. And you’ll get a 25% bonus point boost if you make your purchase on your Marriott Rewards Credit Card.

Other types of travel

Marriott has teamed up with other partners to help you earn even more Marriott Rewards points. These travel partners include:

• Avios: collect up to 2 Avios per $1 spent, which you can spend on flights, accommodation and more. Avios are the reward currency used by Aer Lingus, British Airways, Flybe, Iberia, Kulula, Meridiana and Vueling (all European airlines).
• CruisesOnly: earn up to thousands of points by booking a cruise on Marriott’s special CruisesOnly site.
• Hertz: you can earn a minimum of 500 Marriott Rewards points for rentals with Hertz. Right now, there’s even a special bonus promotion where you can receive up to 5,000 Marriott Rewards points. Also, make sure to use code 154080 for exclusive discounts and benefits
• DinersClub: convert your DinersClub points into Marriott Rewards points.
• Identity Points: you can also convert your Identity Points at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas into Marriott Rewards points.
• Traveling Connect: earn up to 10 Marriott Rewards points per minute of call time abroad with Traveling Connect’s participating networks in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, America and Asia.
• Vacations by Marriott: when you book a Vacations by Marriott package, you’ll also earn Marriott Rewards points.

If you’d rather earn points in a frequent flyer program with a particular airline, you also have the option to do that. Marriott has a partnership with just about every major airline that you can designate as your primary method of earning points for your stays at Marriott properties. You should note that if you choose this option, you will not also earn Marriott Rewards points. It’s either one or the other. Check out Marriott’s page on earning airline miles here.

Marriott Moments experiences

Marriott has created Marriott Moments, which gives members access to exclusive sports, culinary, entertainment and other lifestyle events and experiences. When you purchase experiences through the program, you’ll also earn a certain number of points. Check out the Marriott Moments site here. 

Referrals

Marriott offers an excellent program for referring friends and family to open a Marriott Rewards account. You can earn up to 50,000 bonus points per each person you refer to the Marriott Rewards program. You’ll be awarded 2,000 bonus points for each stay your referrals make, for up to 5 stays per referral. Your reference will also earn up to 10,000 bonus points by getting 2,000 bonus points for their first 5 stays. Start inviting your friends and family here today.

Redeeming Marriott Rewards Points

The primary way to redeem Marriott Rewards points is to apply them to a future stay at a Marriott property. You can do this directly on Marriott’s website (www.Marriott.com). When you do a search for a specific set of dates and a location, you’ll see the checkbox option that says ‘Use Rewards points.’ Choose that to see the point values that you’d need to have to book a stay at a particular property by using points.

With the merger with SPG and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards, Marriott created a new free night award chart to standardize free night redemptions. These new redemption rates become effective in August 2018. However, off-peak and peak redemption rates will not be available until early 2019. Additionally, Category 8 hotels do not yet exist but will be introduced in 2019 as well (until then, they are in Category 7).

[wpsm_colortable color=”blue”]

Hotel Category	Standard	Off-Peak	Peak
1	7,500	5,000	10,000
2	12,500	10,000	15,000
3	17,500	15,000	20,000
4	25,000	20,000	30,000
5	35,000	30,000	40,000
6	50,000	40,000	60,000
7	60,000	50,000	70,000
8	85,000	70,000	100,000

[/wpsm_colortable]

Other ways to redeem your points at Marriott properties

Marriott also offers a few different ways to use your points for stays at their properties:

• Cash + Points: you can mix redeeming points and paying with money for a hotel stay. Your choices begin with as few as 3,000 points and $45 cash and extend to every combination in the chart below. See here for more information.
• PointSavers: you can use 33% fewer points by redeeming at special select hotels worldwide that Marriott has chosen to feature in the program. View the current participating properties and time frames here.
• Instant redemption: your points can be redeemed during your hotel stay for things like cocktails, meals, spa experiences and more. See how much money your points convert to for in-stay purchases here.
• Stay for 5, pay for 4: you’ll receive a complimentary night when you redeem for 5.
• Room upgrades: upgrade your room to a preferred view or a larger suite for as little as 5,000 points per night.
• Points advance: Marriott allows you to book a stay using your points even if you don’t technically have enough, as long as you earn or purchase the difference in points at least 14 days before your check-in date.

Redeeming your Marriott Rewards points on other travel

Marriott has a special site which allows you to redeem your points on flights and car rentals.

In addition to this, you can transfer your points to various partners for non-Marriott services. Some of these travel partners include Delta Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Emirates, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and others. Of course, the conversion value of your Marriott Rewards points varies for each travel partner. It’s worth noting that Marriott has a special discount with United Airlines, offering a 20% discount when you convert Marriott Rewards points to United MileagePlus. You can view the full list of transfer partners, the conversion values, and the process to transfer your points here. 

Marriott also lets you redeem your points for travel packages, that combine a 7-night hotel accommodation and air travel. They again have an exclusive partnership with United Airlines, where you get a 10% discount when you book a Rewards Plus package. See Marriott’s page on travel packages for more information.

If you’re interested in airport lounges, Marriott has a special offer where you can redeem your Marriott Rewards points for an annual membership with Priority Pass lounges. See here for more information.

You can also book cruises with your Marriott points using Marriott’s special CruisesOnly site. They’ll often have special point promotions for specific cruises, so be sure to look out for those.

Finally, for 25,000 Marriott Rewards points, you can get a code that will waive the cost of your application fee for TSA Precheck (~$100).

Using your Marriott Rewards points for shopping and experiences

Your Marriott Rewards points can be redeemed for shopping with programs like Marriott Rewards MORE and Popūlr Rewards. With Popūlr Rewards, you can redeem your points for gift cards from Marriott and other major retailers as well.

With Marriott Moments, you can bid on and purchase exclusive sports, culinary, entertainment and other lifestyle events and experiences with your rewards points. Check out the Marriott Moments site here. 

Gift, transfer or donate your points

For gifting and transferring points, you just need to enter the recipient’s name, email and Marriott Rewards number and for a fee, you can give someone Marriott points that they can use for future travel. Gifting points costs $12.50 per 1,000 points, and you can gift up to 50,000 points. Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, and Platinum Premier Elite members can transfer points for free without a fee. You can even donate your points to charitable organizations from all around the world.

Calculating the earning potential of Marriott Rewards points

It’s important to note that in general, base points from most travel-related rewards programs have an actual cash redemption value. Reward point cash values typically range between 0.05 cents to 2.5 cents per point. The cash value of rewards points depends on the method in which points are redeemed (i.e., redeemed for travel, gift cards, experiences). It is easy to see why status tiers can make a huge difference in terms of the actual cash value you receive from your stays in the form of points. The more points you earn, the higher the cash value of your points, meaning that you will be able to redeem points for higher gift card amounts, longer trips, nicer vacations, and more. The examples below demonstrate how to calculate the earning potential of Marriott Rewards points, and also highlights the base point difference between tiers.

Example 1

You book a 5-night stay at a Marriott property and spend $1,000 total. You are also currently at the Member tier level.

• $1,000 x 10 = 10,000 base points
• For this example, we will value 1 Marriott Rewards point at 0.006 cents
• We will use the following formula:
  • Base points received from stay x 0.006 = total cash value of base points
• 10,000 x 0.006 = $60
• So 10,000 Marriott Rewards base points is worth $60 in cash when redeeming for things such as travel

Example 2

You book a 5-night stay at a Marriott property and spend $1,000 total. You are also currently at the Diamond tier level.

• $1,000 x 20 = 20,000 base points
• For this example, we will value 1 Marriott Rewards point at 0.006 cents
• We will use the following formula:
  • Base points received from stay x 0.006 = total cash value of base points
• 20,000 x 0.006 = $120
• So 20,000 Marriott Rewards base points is worth $120 in cash when redeeming for things such as travel

That is a $60 cash value difference between the two tiers and demonstrates the power of having a higher status (like Gold or Diamond). Over the course of a year, the value from having elite status tiers can pay off significantly if you are a frequent or even a casual traveler. Many savvy rewards program veterans are able to fund a full or partial family vacation just due to the monetary value they receive from being at an elite tier, so it is important not to underestimate the knowledge power that comes from calculating the earning potential of Marriott Rewards points.

Overall summary of Marriott Rewards

Overall, the Marriott Rewards program is turning into the most robust hotel rewards program in the industry. With the upcoming merger of programs with SPG and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards, members of Marriott Rewards will get rewarded better than ever before. Marriott is the biggest hotel chain in the world, giving loyal customers a ton of properties to stay based on their preferences and lifestyles. Marriott Rewards provides top-notch benefits to all elite status tiers, especially Platinum Elite and Platinum Premier Elite. These perks extend to both pre-stay and in-stay, such as room upgrades and lounge access.

Marriott also offers a ton of ways to earn rewards points, such as using your Marriott Rewards credit card, shopping on Marriott Rewards MORE and Marriott Moments, and even for referring friends to the program. Finally, you can redeem your Marriott Rewards points in a ton of different ways, including future stays at a Marriott property or by converting your points to other travel programs. 

In conclusion, CompareBare highly recommends signing up for the Marriott Rewards program so you can start earning rewards today! Additionally, if you are interested in reading even more about great hotel rewards programs check out our articles on Hilton Honors, the IHG Rewards Club, and Wyndham Rewards.