Marriott Bonvoy
Also known as: Bonvoy, Marriott Rewards, Marriott loyalty
Marriott's hotel loyalty programme covering 30+ brands worldwide. Five elite tiers (Silver to Ambassador), points earnable on stays and via co-branded cards. Status benefits and bonus points only when bookings go direct, not through aggregators.
Marriott Bonvoy is the unified loyalty programme covering Marriott International’s 30+ hotel brands worldwide — including Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, JW Marriott, Westin, Sheraton, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Aloft, and more. It is one of the two largest hotel loyalty programmes globally (the other being Hilton Honors) and a foundational element of US-market hotel decision-making.
Membership is free and tiered. Status thresholds (2026): **Silver Elite** (10-24 qualifying nights per year), **Gold Elite** (25-49), **Platinum Elite** (50-74), **Titanium Elite** (75+), **Ambassador Elite** (100+ nights AND $23,000+ in annual qualifying spend). Benefits scale with tier — Silver adds a 10% points bonus and priority late checkout; Gold adds a 25% bonus, 2 p.m. late checkout, and a welcome gift; Platinum unlocks executive-lounge access, free breakfast, and suite upgrades when available; Titanium and Ambassador add dedicated service and the highest priority on inventory.
The critical operational rule for travellers: **status benefits and bonus points are only applied when bookings are made DIRECTLY with Marriott** — either Marriott.com, the Marriott Bonvoy app, or by calling the property. Bookings made through OTAs (Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com, etc.) do not earn elite credits and do not unlock status benefits during the stay. Direct bookings also receive +1,000 bonus points per eligible stay. The trade-off: aggregator prices are sometimes cheaper, but a loyal Bonvoy traveller almost always nets more by booking direct.
In 2026, Marriott Bonvoy stands out for what it did NOT do — no broad devaluation of award rates, no new dynamic-pricing overlay. This contrasts sharply with Hilton Honors, which announced stealth devaluations in September 2025 and again in March 2026.