In a Nutshell
Marriott Bonvoy® offers six levels of membership: Basic, Silver Elite, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite. Depending on your Marriott rewards level, you could score late checkouts, room upgrades and lounge access.Marriott loyalists can get a lot of benefits by joining the hotel chain’s rewards program. The appeal of each Marriott Bonvoy® elite status level depends on your particular preferences and travel habits.
Our favorite perks from the Marriott Bonvoy® rewards program include late checkouts, room upgrades and lounge access. Read on for a look at what benefits each of these tiers offers, what it takes to reach each status level and which status might be right for you.
- What are the levels of Marriott Bonvoy?
- Basic membership
- Marriott Bonvoy® Silver Elite status
- Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite status
- Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite status
- Marriott Bonvoy® Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite status
- Which Marriott Bonvoy elite status is right for me?
What are the levels of Marriott Bonvoy?
Here are some of the basic requirements and offerings of what we think are the most attainable Marriott Bonvoy levels.
| Marriott Bonvoy | How do I qualify? | Late checkout | Room upgrade | Lounge access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Elite | Stay 10 nights per year | Yes | No | No |
| Gold Elite | Stay 25 nights per year | Yes | Yes | No |
| Platinum Elite | Stay 50 nights per year | Yes | Yes | Yes |
In total, Marriott Bonvoy features six membership levels with additional perks. Keep reading for more information on each level.
Basic membership
It’s free to join the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program as a basic member.
Even if you don’t stay at Marriott on a regular basis, it might be worth signing up for a basic membership. With the basic membership, you can access lower hotel prices, check in from your phone and get complimentary in-room internet.
You’ll also earn 10 base points for every $1 you spend at Marriott. If you save up enough points, you can redeem them for a hotel award night.
You can qualify for a basic membership without spending a single night at a Marriott hotel. But the more often you stay, the more likely you are to graduate to a higher elite status level.
Marriott Bonvoy® Silver Elite status
What does Silver Elite status get you?
With Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, you earn 11 points for every $1 you spend at Marriott hotels (10 base points and 10% bonus on the points you earn).
In addition to the perks of basic membership, you can request a late checkout at the end of your hotel stay — but keep in mind that this perk is based on availability. If the hotel is busy, there’s no guarantee it will be able to accommodate you.
How do I qualify for Marriott Silver Elite?
To qualify for Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, you could stay a minimum of 10 nights at Marriott hotels during a calendar year.
But you could also qualify for Silver Elite status by opening a Marriott co-branded credit card. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card comes with Silver Elite status and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card comes with 15 complimentary Elite Night credits, which is enough to qualify automatically for Silver Elite status.
Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite status
What does Gold Elite status get you?
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status entitles you to earn 12.5 points for every $1 you spend at Marriott hotels (10 base points and 25% bonus on the points you earn).
In addition to the Silver Elite perks, you might be eligible for a room upgrade. For example, if you want a room with a better view or on a higher floor, you can request one. You can also request a checkout as late as 2 p.m. But both perks are based on availability.
When you check into a Marriott hotel, you’ll also receive a welcome gift of 250 to 500 points, depending on the level of hotel.
How do I qualify for Gold Elite?
One way to qualify for Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status is to stay a minimum of 25 nights at Marriott hotels during a calendar year.
If you have the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card, it will upgrade you to Gold Elite status once you spend $35,000 on purchases during the calendar year.
But you can’t use that complimentary Gold Elite status as a springboard to a higher status level. Each Marriott credit card gives you a certain number of elite night credits, but you’re not allowed to stack the credits if you carry more than one card.
Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite status
What does Platinum Elite status get you?
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status entitles you to earn 15 points for every $1 you spend at Marriott hotels (10 base points and 50% bonus on the points you earn).
In addition to the Gold Elite perks, you’ll receive lounge access at certain Marriott hotels like JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, Delta Hotels, Le Méridien, Autograph Collection and Renaissance Hotels. But do your homework — lounge access may not be available at other hotels, like Aloft, Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis.
With Platinum Elite status, you can request an even later checkout time of 4 p.m. You may also be able to request a room upgrade to select suites with Suite Night Awards. Once again, though, both of these features are based on availability.
When you check in to a Marriott hotel, you’ll receive a welcome gift in the form of breakfast, points, or $25 to $100 in compensation. While lower membership levels only guarantee your reservation, Platinum Elite members receive a room type guarantee with a reservation at certain hotels. If the type of room you booked is not available, you could be compensated up to $100.
How do I qualify for Platinum Elite?
Staying a minimum of 50 nights at Marriott hotels during a calendar year qualifies you for Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status. But if you have the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you’ll receive complimentary Platinum Elite status.
Marriott Bonvoy™ Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite status
What do the highest Marriott statuses get you?
Qualifying for Titanium Elite or Ambassador Elite status puts Marriott Bonvoy members in rarified air. But you might find that the additional benefits don’t match the effort it takes to get there.
First, both Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite members can earn 17.5 points for every $1 they spend at Marriott hotels (10 base points and 75% bonus on the points you earn).
Beyond that, the most notable perk worth mentioning is guaranteed room availability when you book at least 48 hours before you’re scheduled to arrive at an eligible property, which might come in handy during busy nights. This benefit applies to both levels.
Ambassador Elite members also receive ambassador service and Your24, a special perk that allows you to select what time of day you plan to check in and check out.
How do I qualify for Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite or Ambassador Elite?
To qualify for Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status, you could stay a minimum of 75 nights at Marriott hotels during a calendar year. Or you could qualify for Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite status by staying a minimum of 100 nights and spending at least $23,000 at Marriott hotels during a calendar year.
You won’t find any Marriott credit card that offers anything close to this level of elite status, but you could apply the 15 elite night credits from one of these cards to help you get part of the way there.
Which Marriott Bonvoy elite status is right for me?
If you prefer staying in Marriott hotels when you travel, you could earn more points and better perks by joining the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program.
If you enjoy sleeping in …
Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status offers the easiest path to late checkout perks.
But if you need more flexibility, you can check out even later with Gold Elite status (2 p.m.) or Platinum Elite status (4 p.m.).
If you’d appreciate a nicer room …
You’ll be eligible for complimentary room upgrades once you hit Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status. This upgrade could be a room on a higher floor or one with a better view. But if you’re traveling with friends and family and want the chance to be upgraded to a suite, you’ll need Platinum Elite status.
If you want lounge access …
Once you qualify for Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, you’ll be eligible to receive lounge access at participating hotels like JW Marriott and Sheraton. But keep in mind that complimentary lounge access isn’t included at certain luxury brands like the Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis.
Marriott Bonvoy credit cards
If you’re looking for a shortcut to elite status, you might want to take a look at one of these Marriott Bonvoy credit cards.