Marriott Bonvoy is one of the most popular hotel loyalty programs in the world. As travellers rack up stays throughout the year, they’ll progress through various elite status tiers with the hotel chain.
Of the five elite status tiers, the most meaningful benefits come at the Platinum and Titanium tiers. Luckily, there are many ways to attain status without just fulfilling the regular requirements.
In this article, we’ll take a thorough look at Marriott Bonvoy elite status, including how to qualify and how to maximize the benefits at each tier.
In This Post
- How Does Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status Work?
- Silver Elite: 10 Nights
- Gold Elite: 25 Nights
- Platinum Elite: 50 Nights
- Titanium Elite: 75 Nights
- Ambassador Elite: 100 Nights + ,000 (USD)
- How to Earn Lifetime Elite Status
- Conclusion
How Does Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status Work?
You can earn Marriott Bonvoy elite status in one of two ways: by staying a certain number of qualifying nights per calendar year, or by holding various credit cards issued in Canada and the US.
The qualifying requirements for Marriott’s elite status levels are summarized in the below table:
Status level | Required nights | Credit cards |
Silver | 10 nights | Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card (US) Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card (US) Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card (US) |
Gold | 25 nights | Chase Ritz-Carlton Card (US) |
Platinum | 50 nights | |
Titanium | 75 nights | |
Ambassador | 100 nights + $23,000 (USD) spending |
Note that stays booked with third-party providers don’t usually count towards elite qualifying nights. Therefore, be sure to book directly with Marriott to ensure you are credited for the nights from your stay.
If you’re booking at a higher-end property, be sure to get in touch with us for a quote, since you’ll receive extra perks for your stay at no additional cost.
Book a hotel stay with Prince of Travel through Marriott Luminous and enjoy exclusive additional benefits at no cost to you, including:
Book a hotel stay with Prince of Travel through Marriott STARS and enjoy exclusive additional benefits at no cost to you, including:
Once you earn a certain status level, it will be valid until the February two years later. Essentially, the status begins when you earn the required number of nights during a calendar year, and is valid until 14 months after the end of that calendar year.
Suppose you have a busy travel period in January 2025 and earn Gold Elite status in the first month of the year. That status would be valid for the rest of 2025, through all of 2026, until February 2027.
If you were to keep staying with Marriott throughout the year, eventually achieving Platinum Elite status in November 2025, then your Platinum status would be valid until February 2027 as well.
And once January 2026 rolls around, a new qualification period has started, meaning that you’d need to achieve 50 nights in 2026 to renew your Platinum status for the subsequent year. Doing so would extend your status validity until February 2028, and so on.
Silver Elite: 10 Nights
Silver Elite is Marriott’s lowest tier of elite status, unlocked once you stay at Marriott properties for 10 nights. There aren’t many substantial benefits that come with this level, but it’s quite easy to reach.
The most meaningful perks include a 10% bonus on points earned from paid stays and priority late check-out. For the latter, you aren’t guaranteed late check-out, but you’ll be prioritized over anyone without elite status.
Free internet and Member Exclusive Rates are also advertised as benefits, but in reality, even the most basic tier of members enjoy those as well.
By simply holding a co-branded credit card, such as the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card, you’ll receive 15 elite qualifying nights. So, you can earn Silver status each year by simply holding one of these credit cards.
Gold Elite: 25 Nights
Things get a little more exciting at Gold Elite, which is bestowed upon you once you earn 25 elite qualifying nights in a calendar year.
Alternatively, simply holding either the American Express Platinum Card or the American Express Business Platinum Card will also confer Gold Elite status, as will the US-issued Amex Bonvoy Bevy Card and Chase Bonvoy Bountiful Card.
At Gold Elite, you get a higher 25% bonus on points earned from paid stays, and your priority check-out benefit is extended to a 2pm late check-out, based on availability. While the late check-out isn’t guaranteed, at least there’s a fixed check-out time to shoot for.
More importantly, at the Gold Elite level, you receive a couple of new benefits: a welcome gift of either 250 or 500 Marriott Bonvoy points depending on the brand, and room upgrades subject to availability.
The former can add up quickly if you’re a frequent guest, while the latter can bump you up from a standard room to a “better” room of some kind.
This usually results in a slightly larger room, a room on a higher floor, or a room with better views, but you can always try your hand at “suite-talking” for a suite upgrade.
Upgrades remain subject to availability, so if all such rooms have been booked up or otherwise set aside by the hotel, you aren’t entitled to an upgrade.
Platinum Elite: 50 Nights
This is where the fun begins. At Platinum Elite, you get access to executive lounges, free breakfast, and suite upgrades – the stuff that everyone wants.
If you’re going through the traditional route, you’ll have to work for it, as you’ll need 50 elite qualifying nights before you earn the status.
However, by simply holding the American Express US Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card, you’ll automatically be granted Platinum Elite status for as long as you’re a cardholder. It doesn’t get much easier than this.
Indeed, this is by far the easiest, most direct, and likely cheapest way to earn Platinum Elite status. It almost feels too good to be true that you can attain a meaningful status level without having to step foot in a single hotel room.
The card has an annual fee of $650 (USD), although it’s offset by a $25 (USD) monthly worldwide dining credit, which brings the effective annual fee down to $350 (USD) if you can maximize this credit each month. For Canadians, this card can be obtained during the early stages of getting into US credit cards as a Canadian; however, you’ll want to be mindful of family language restrictions.
In terms of perks, as a Platinum Elite, you get a guaranteed 4pm late check-out, which can make a world of difference.
For example, instead of completing the check-out process in the morning and leaving your bags with the concierge, you can enjoy another day of sightseeing, come back for a shower, and then pack up and head to the airport.
You also get a Platinum welcome gift of your choice of either 500 or 1,000 bonus points (depending on the property) or a welcome amenity.
Note that you must be offered the choice between the two at check-in; if the front desk staff simply chooses the points or the amenity on your behalf, you can receive up to $100 (USD) in compensation for having been denied the choice.
Platinum Elite members also enjoy lounge access and free breakfast, which are two of the most valuable perks.
In general, most higher-end properties in the Marriott umbrella, such as Marriott, JW Marriott, and Renaissance, have lounges. The exceptions are the legacy Starwood properties, such as St. Regis, W, and Le Méridien, which typically don’t have lounges.
The breakfast benefit can indeed be one of the most memorable aspects of a stay. Some hotels go above and beyond with the breakfast offering, while others leave a lot to be desired.
At higher-end properties, you can expect a full spread of hot and cold dishes. By waiting until the latter part of the breakfast service, it’s quite easy to combine breakfast and lunch, helping to reduce the overall cost of your trip.
Note that breakfast isn’t included as a benefit at Ritz-Carlton, EDITION, and Design Hotels properties.
Platinum Elites who earn 50 nights during the calendar year (i.e., excluding those who earned status through lifetime status, a spending threshold, or a status match or challenge) may select an Annual Choice Benefit of one of the following:
- Five Nightly Upgrade Awards
- Five extra elite qualifying nights
- Give the gift of Silver Elite status to another member
- 40% off your favourite hotel mattress
- $100 (USD) charity donation
For many, the clear winner among these benefits is the Nightly Upgrade Awards, which allow you to guarantee a suite upgrade (availability permitting) up to three days prior to your arrival at a property, rather than seeing if a suite is available upon check-in.
If you don’t tend to stay 50 nights in hotels during the year, there are quite a few ways to help you get Platinum status without necessarily having to stay the full 50 nights.
Titanium Elite: 75 Nights
The next level up from Platinum is Titanium Elite. To earn this status, you simply have to accumulate 75 elite qualifying nights in a calendar year.
The benefits afforded to Titanium Elite members largely mirror those of Platinum Elite members. Some of the differences include:
- Earning 75% bonus points vs. 50% at the Platinum level
- Being guaranteed a room up to 48 hours prior to arrival
- Additional Annual Choice Benefits (gifting Gold Elite status and a Free Night Award)
- Suite upgrades at Ritz-Carlton properties
- United MileagePlus Premier Silver status
It’s not entirely obvious if Titanium Elites get priority for suite upgrades over Platinum Elites. In theory, this should be the case, but suite upgrade allotment appears to be up the the hotel’s discretion.
Indeed, the most valuable benefit at the Titanium Elite level is the choice of a Free Night Award worth up to 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Used strategically at a high-value property, this can be worth hundreds of dollars at the very least.
Ambassador Elite: 100 Nights + $23,000 (USD)
The final tier in Marriott’s elite status ranks is Ambassador Elite. There’s no way to finesse your way to this level, as you’ll have to earn at least 100 nights in a year and spend a minimum of $23,000 (USD) for the honour.
Aside from all the benefits included at lower tiers, Ambassador Elite comes with the following extras:
- Your24, which allows you to select your check-in time, which then sets your check-out time 24 hours later
- Ambassador Service, which gives you access by phone and email to a concierge to assist with any request
The $23,000 (USD) spending requirement makes this level of status difficult to attain and maintain. This averages out to $230 (USD) per night for 100 nights, excluding any other factors such as points redemptions and elite qualifying nights earned through credit cards.
Having access to Your24 can be beneficial, but note that it’s up the hotel’s discretion to honour it or not. If you have a late arrival, then you can enjoy the whole 24 hour period, rather than being subject to a check-out in the later afternoon.
The Ambassador Service can be very helpful to assist with any issues that may arise when booking or during stays. Ambassador Elites used to be assigned to an individual Ambassador, but this has changed to a generic service since the pandemic.
If you tend to spend a lot of time and money at Marriott hotels, you could wind up with Ambassador Elite status. The incremental benefits don’t appear to be worth pursuing otherwise, as many of the same perks are afforded to elite members at lower tiers.
How to Earn Lifetime Elite Status
If you have enjoyed Marriott Elite Status for a number of years, you may no longer have to qualify each year through Lifetime Elite Status.
Lifetime Elite Status grants eligible members status year-after-year without having to reach any elite qualifying night thresholds. Members with Lifetime Elite Status enjoy the same perks as anyone else with the level of status, as well as no expiration for Marriott Bonvoy points.
Lifetime Silver Elite status is reached after earning a total of 250 qualifying nights and holding Silver Elite status or higher for at least five years.
Lifetime Gold Elite status is reached after earning a total of 400 qualifying nights and holding Gold Elite status or higher for at least seven years.
The highest tier, Lifetime Platinum Elite status, is reached after earning a total of 600 qualifying nights and holding Platinum Elite status or higher for at least ten years.
Once you’ve reached Lifetime Platinum Elite status, you’ll never be without breakfast, late check-out, or room upgrades. You’ll have hustled enough over years, and you can simply enjoy the perks at Marriott hotel stays going forward.
It’s easy to track your progress towards Lifetime Elite Status. On Marriott’s website, head to the “Overview” tab on your account, scroll down to your status level, and click on “Nights this year”.
You’ll see a breakdown of the current year’s progress, as well as the total nights accumulated throughout your membership.
If you have the Marriott Bonvoy app, click on the “Account” button, and then look for the “Lifetime status” bar.
Click on “View Progress” to see a detailed breakdown of your progress towards Lifetime Status.
Conclusion
The benefits with Marriott Bonvoy‘s elite status program range from negligible to very valuable. Until you reach Platinum Elite status, the benefits aren’t necessarily too worthwhile.
By simply holding a credit card, or by staying consistently at Marriott hotels and supplementing your stays with extra elite qualifying nights from co-branded credit cards, obtaining Platinum Elite status or higher should be within the grasp of most savvy travellers.
Other loyalty programs, such as Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt, have similar status programs, so be sure to compare the benefits with each before putting all of your hotel eggs in one basket.
Or, better yet, find a way to finesse your way to status with all of the major hotel chains to enjoy perks no matter where you stay.
As a Lifetime Platinum member, I think the Marriott Bonvoy program has become utterly useless. The member works so hard to achieve status only to be treated like a liability and inconvenience at the property. It’s a rarity to get any special privileges like an upgrade. So many lounges have been moved from the top floor to the ground floor, with no windows, they’re dark and depressing. Speaking of depressing, the food in the lounges is a slap in the face to the idea of loyalty. Bottom of the barrel, the lowest quality you can find. It makes me wonder: what must Marriott think of their most loyal guests?
BTW: you should update the article as Ambassador now requires $23k spend requirement.
Thanks, Joe! We’ll get that updated.
Hi PoT,
Wanted to clarify, if I hold AMEX platinum each year I am eligible to get gold status on Marriott every year? That’s how I am interpreting from your blog post.
Yep!
Well post pandemic. Lots has changed. Lots of the lounges aren’t opened due to covid. And when you get breakfast it’s continental breakfast and you need to pay extra for the full hot breakfast. Also many of the “new workers” don’t know all the rules for plat or titanium. I’m titanium and I find myself asking for upgrades otherwise not getting them or being told only on the day of check in! But really the continental breakfast thing kinda has me mad. Just experienced that recently in Florida. Had to add anywhere from $7-$15 for a hot breakfast but if you stay at the RI it’s all included. Lol. I know- first world problems.
Stupid question: If you hold one of the Platinum cards that provides you Gold, I suspect you still need to achieve the full 50 nights during a calendar year and not just the 20 nights separating Gold from Platinum, (unfortunately) right?
Correct.
Another word of caution on the second guest trick- I recently was talking with a Marriott loyalty agent and she metoined to me that they are really beginning to crack down on the second guest trick- which would result in you having your rewards accound permanemently suspended.
Obviously this did not deterr me too much- but if you are doing this frequently, it would not hurt to be there, check in and then leave out of a different door. I have done this and had no problems at all.
Good to know, Claire. There’s certainly an element of finesse required in order to pull it off.
"Second guest trick": Just a note from my own experience. I tried to do it once for a friend and I called to make the reservation. I gave his credit card number and the agent asked me the name on the card. I gave my friend’s name, and she said that the name on the card had to be my name, otherwise, there would be no benefits allowed (and the nights/stay wouldn’t count). So I found a way to circumvent this: I do the reservation pre-paid. I use my credit card number, I ask my friends to pay me once the card gets charged, and they can still use their own cards when they check in (to cover for any further expense). The friend must say, if asked, that I will arrive later on. They have never checked.
Agreed, there’s plenty of nuance as to how this trick works. Saying that the main guest will arrive later on is imperative.
Would booking a meeting qualify for 10 nights for the platinum challenge also? Or two seperate things?
Two separate things, alas.
Interesting that you were able to achieve over 100 nights with less than $2k in spend. The cynic in me can’t help but think that members like you are exactly why Marriott gutted the hotel and air packages.
The cynic in me would tend to agree 😉
Would you happen to know if previous nights that was recently used count for the platinum challenge if we called today?
I imagine that the three-month window would begin counting from when you enroll in the challenge.
I’ve only encountered this once, but I was told by a Marriott property in Toronto that I qualified for 4PM late checkout due to having a AMEX SPG card (Canadian Biz specifically), despite just having Gold status. I should try to reproduce this because this doesn’t seem like a documented perk for those cards?
Could you say a little bit more about using the “second guest trick"?
Basically, you book a room in your name, then email the hotel to let them know that the other person will be arriving first and will be checking in. This way, the other person gets to enjoy your elite benefits while you get to earn the elite night credit.
Do they get to enjoy the lounge access also or only the other benefits (room upgrade & late check out)?
Lounge access should be granted as well, since the room’s keycards would be programmed with access by virtue of being booked in a Platinum Elite or higher member’s name.
Nice summary Ricky! Really high quality articles.
It will be hard for me to get to Platinum Elite but that’s where the benefits lie. Have you tried Hilton brands? You could get diamond with the AMEX card. Granted, their high end properties are not as nice.
I haven’t stayed with Hilton much but I might jump on the US Amex offers soon. I just find with Marriott that their extensive global footprint satisfies pretty much all my needs, especially now that they’ve acquired SPG.