Lost your Marriott Rewards hotel status this year? Buy it back with points

One of the interesting quirks of the Marriott Rewards programme is that you can use your points to ‘buy back’ your status if you fail to requalify.

If you would otherwise have been forced into mattress run stays at the end of the year in order to get the last couple of nights you needed, this is a lifesaver – using a few points to get your status back is a lot easier than spending real cash on hotel rooms you don’t need.

Because of the points bonus you earn for having status, you will even ‘earn back’ over the next year a proportion of the points you spend to get your status back.

Full details of the offer can be found on the Marriott website.

Here are the prices:

Until April 1, 2016, you can retain your status at an exclusive rate:

• Buy back your Platinum status – only 40,000 points
• Buy back your Gold status – only 25,000 points
• Buy back your Silver status – only 7,500 points

I tend to value a Marriott point at 0.5p, so buying back Gold would effectively cost you £125.  

Given that Gold status gets you lounge access at JW Marriott, Autograph Collection, Renaissance and Marriott Hotel properties, as well as a 25% points bonus, high speed internet, late check-out and a room upgrade, it is a decent deal if you will be doing more than a handful of stays.

PS. If you are not a regular Head for Points visitor, why not sign up for our FREE weekly or daily newsletters? They are full of the latest Avios, airline, hotel and credit card points news and will help you travel better. To join our 70,000 free subscribers, click the button below or visit this page of the site to find out more. Thank you.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (July 2025)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 15th July 2025, the sign-up bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card is TRIPLED to 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. This would convert into 25,000 Avios or into 40 other airline schemes. It would also get you at least £300 of Marriott hotel stays based on our 0.5p per point low-end valuation. Other T&C apply and remain unchanged. Click here for our full card review and click here to apply.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card

60,000 points (to 15th July) and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.

We reviewed The Platinum Card from American Express in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

50,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• The American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• The American Express Business Gold Card (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• The American Express Business Platinum Card (50,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points.