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NEW: Marriott Bonvoy launches a generous hotel status match

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Marriott Bonvoy has launched a short-term status match. If you have elite status with Hilton Honors, IHG Rewards Club, World of Hyatt or Accor Live Limitless, it is worth a look.

How does the Marriott Bonvoy status match work?

Full details can be found on this page of the Marriott website.

Marriott Bonvoy launches generous status match

Once you have submitted proof of your current hotel status to Marriott Bonvoy, and proof of one stay in the previous 12 months, you will receive either Gold Elite or Platinum Elite status for 90 days

If you complete five nights in 90 days, you will receive Gold Elite status until February 2022

If you complete 15 nights in 90 days, you will receive Platinum Elite status until February 2022

What status levels will Marriott Bonvoy match?

Here is the list, which I believe is VERY generous, especially for Hilton Honors Gold members and IHG Rewards Club Spire Elite and Platinum Elite members:

  • Hilton Honors Gold receives Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
  • Hilton Honors Diamond receives Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
  • World of Hyatt Explorist receives Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite
  • World of Hyatt Globalist receives Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
  • Accor Live Limitless Gold receives Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite
  • Accor Live Limitless Platinum receive Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
  • IHG Rewards Club Platinum Elite receives Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite
  • IHG Rewards Club Spire Elite receives Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite

Who are the big winners?

Letting Hilton Honors Gold members have Platinum Elite in Marriott Bonvoy is HUGE. Platinum Elite comes with free breakfast at most brands, decent upgrades and guaranteed club lounge access. This easily trumps Hilton Gold which only offers free breakfast.

IHG Rewards Club Platinum Elite and Spire Elite members are laughing. They get NO guaranteed benefits at the moment, but can now get 90 days of free breakfast, decent upgrades and guaranteed club lounge access via Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite.

What are the full benefits of Platinum Elite and Gold Elite?

Take a look here on the Marriott website.

To be honest, Gold Elite with Marriott Bonvoy isn’t worth much at all. You get a 25% bonus on base points and ‘on request’ 2pm check-out, which isn’t helpful.

Platinum Elite is the way to go:

  • 50% bonus base points
  • A decent upgrade, albeit not guaranteed
  • GUARANTEED 4pm late check-out at most hotels
  • Welcome gift, which includes the option of free breakfast at most brands
  • GUARANTEED executive lounge access (if there is one, of course)
  • Free high-speed internet

Note that the Marriott Bonvoy free breakfast benefit is so complex that I wrote a full article on how it works, brand to brand.

Assuming that you manage 15 nights within 90 days, your Platinum Elite status will last until February 2022.

How long do I have to apply?

It isn’t clear. Marriott told me that this is a ‘quantity limited’ status match which will be pulled when it reaches its unpublished target.

The snag, of course, is how easy you will find it to do 15 nights in the next 90 days.

The upside is that there are some great bargains around at the moment. This would be a relatively expensive project if all 15 nights were done as mattress runs however.

One upside is that Marriott’s current promotion gets you 2,500 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points per stay. I value these at £12.50 and you also receive your standard base points plus elite bonus. It would represent a decent return on a cheap mattress run night.

You can register for the current Marriott bonus points promotion here.

How do I apply for my Marriott Bonvoy status match?

You need to complete the form on this page of the Marriott website.

You will need to upload proof that you hold one of the statuses listed above, plus proof of a stay within the last 12 months, presumably from your account statement page.

Your 90 day period will start from the day you are upgraded.

Even if you know you will have zero chance of completing 15 nights in 90 days, it is still worth doing a Platinum Elite match if you have a Marriott stay or two coming up. This is especially true if those hotels have executive lounges (and they are open).

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How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (April 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.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points for signing up 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 American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

The Platinum Card from American Express

80,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

and for small business owners:

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.

Category

Accor Live Limitless, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt

Comments (117)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Steve says:
    28 Aug28 August 10:06

    Glad the requirement is nights and not stays like Hilton demand with their status match. Now to find a reason to do 5 nights somewhere!

  • Vik says:
    28 Aug28 August 10:15

    I am getting an error also every time I login. Tried on phone and pc. Same thing

    • babyg says:
      28 Aug28 August 11:37

      errors for me too.. ive read if you have status (Marriott) already this maybe the reason..

    • NFH says:
      28 Aug28 August 12:10

      Me to. I get “Let’s redo this. Something went wrong with your request. Please attempt it again or reach out to Member Support with any questions.”

  • John says:
    28 Aug28 August 10:39

    Not seeing any cheap nights for mattress run!

    • TGLoyalty says:
      28 Aug28 August 13:31

      All the UK Moxys are closed atm. Not much else that’s in cheap as chips mattress run territory

  • BJ says:
    28 Aug28 August 11:58

    The Marriott coverage on HfP these days makes me smile. Rob seems to have had a crush on them ever since he got lucky with status (ok, I didn’t, I’m a little jealous) during the merger and some hotel subsequently gave him a decent upgrade that bettered anything he ever got from Hilton. Coverage seemed to change markedly overnight, ever since anything Marriott seems to be presented through rose-tinted glasses. Sure, this is a good opportunity but let’s have some more objective balance as it is hardly a good time for it, and while it might be good for IHG and Accor, it certainly isn’t clear cut for Hilton Diamond and possibly not even for Gold. All that aside, decisions on all hotel status goals need to be taken with a medium to longer view and not solely as a knee-jerk reaction to some promotion. For those who can sustain high status in two or more schemes, either through stays or cards, then sure, this is a nobrainer. However, those who will only ever have the opportunity to sustain high status in one scheme need to consider carefully the big picture of what competing schemes offer to them personally and not simply their status benefits for a limited period. If you currently have high status in a single scheme it is very likely because you have already established that scheme best suits your needs; think twice before potentially sacrificing that status by splitting your qualification efforts to take up what might be short term benefits in Bonvoy.

    • Ali M says:
      28 Aug28 August 12:34

      Interesting observation, hehe

      • Rob says:
        28 Aug28 August 12:41

        …. but would have made the article quite complicated 🙂

        We were always very pro Starwood and Bonvoy is basically SPG.

        • BJ says:
          28 Aug28 August 16:59

          Question is, what are you doing with all your Hilton points, would be a shame to let them go to waste?

    • Harry T says:
      28 Aug28 August 14:00

      Good points, BJ. Personally I’m aiming for Bonvoy because they have the hotels I like the most where want to stay. I also appreciate the guaranteed late checkout.

      • Lady London says:
        28 Aug28 August 14:40

        Which Marriott Hotels inspire you and have decent lounges? Im struggling to think of London/Home Counties ones.

        • TGLoyalty says:
          28 Aug28 August 14:45

          Having visited lots of lounges my honest opinion is unless it’s an IC or a Ritz Carlton where you don’t actually get access due to status they are all pretty pants outside Asia.

          Lots of nice hotels without lounges in the UK and In mainland Europe.

          • BJ says:
            28 Aug28 August 17:04

            If you travel a lot in Asia it somewhat takes the gloss off hotels elsewhere, and makes a mockery of chain hotel brand standards. It’s all a bit depressing turning up at a good European CP having just departed an Asian HI.

        • Harry T says:
          28 Aug28 August 14:56

          I haven’t really used any with lounges. In the UK, I’ve enjoyed the Langley and University Arms. I tend to be a fan of Bonvoy’s Luxury Collection, as the “Distinctive Luxury” concept is one I enjoy. I do like the W Amsterdam but I haven’t tried any other Ws – I gather they can be full of Instagram wankers. The EDITION hotels also look appealing but I’ve not made it to one.

          • TGLoyalty says:
            28 Aug28 August 15:29

            If you like a good hotel lobby bar then the London Edition is actually good. I thought the room I was upgraded to for the night was pretty good aswell. But don’t expect anything other than 4pm checkout tbh.

          • Harry T says:
            28 Aug28 August 15:49

            Thanks, there’s some good healthcare rates there so I’m trying to get in a visit when they open.

        • mark2 says:
          28 Aug28 August 16:44

          I can recommend the lounge at Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire but not in Home Counties

      • BJ says:
        28 Aug28 August 16:55

        Marriott works for you as they are good at the luxury end which you enjoy. By contrast, I’m not much excited by hotels as I see them as little more than convenient locations and clean and comfortable places to sleep. I do like to find hotels that provide outsized value relative to their rates in points or money. Most often these will be 4* properties but the odd one or two aspirational opportunities and hood 3*options come along. Premier Inn, Ibis or Travelodge stays are rare for me but I don’t rule them out as sometimes they are the best option.

        • Harry T says:
          28 Aug28 August 18:21

          The Holiday Inn Express Melbourne on Flinders would fit that bill nicely. Far better than you would expect and very well located.

          I do like a luxury hotel but I completely see the argument for utility, and I do use non luxury properties when it makes sense. They just don’t excite me in the same way.

          I will say that Hilton does far better promotions than Bonvoy, and far more often.

          • Harry T says:
            28 Aug28 August 18:22

            Also, is the Edinburgh Courtyard on Baxter’s Place decent quality and well located? HJH rate is £49 a night so I thought it would be good for a weekend of exploring Edinburgh. Sheraton is £90 with that rate.

          • Harry T says:
            28 Aug28 August 18:23

            That was meant to be a reply to @BJ

          • BJ says:
            28 Aug28 August 19:41

            Sorry Harry, I have no idea. Have you checked out Residence Inn at Quartermile?

          • Harry T says:
            28 Aug28 August 23:25

            RI is pretty cheap too but not £49 cheap. I have heard that the RI gets a bit too hot, as they don’t have air con – does that reflect your experience?

          • BJ says:
            29 Aug29 August 05:51

            No need for air conditioning this past week, I even had the heating on for a short time.

          • Colin MacKinnon says:
            28 Aug28 August 23:08

            Baxter’s Place just found the corner from our flat. Best part of Edinburgh – lots of life on Broughton Street and good for a stroll up Calton Hill

          • Harry T says:
            28 Aug28 August 23:25

            Thanks, Colin.

    • Charlieface says:
      28 Aug28 August 14:47

      Personally I have status with HH, MB and IHG solely due to credit cards over the past couple years. I don’t go to hotels anywhere often enough to get status by nights, but clearly it’s probably a no-brainer for me to at least apply for a match

      • TGLoyalty says:
        28 Aug28 August 15:31

        IHG Spire is easy to maintain.

        Marriott Plat won’t be too bad with 15 card nights.

        I’m not bothered with anything more than Hilton Gold unless I could some how get it via a credit card.

      • BJ says:
        28 Aug28 August 17:15

        I only qualify at Hilton. Current Spire status comes from match plus extension. Radisson and Bonvoy status is from cards. I would be doing this Bonvoy except I want to hedge on another in late spring to coincide with summer travels in Japan.

    • Paul says:
      28 Aug28 August 15:50

      Rob isn’t the only one who has a crush on Bonvoy at the moment Loyalty Lobby has also pushed Bonvoy every day for weeks. Perhaps this is the new marketing approach by Marriot to use the frequent flyer bloggers.

      • BJ says:
        28 Aug28 August 17:10

        Didn’t get the impression that was it at all,but ni problem if it is helping HfP in this way. Articles all highly relevant anyway.

        • Rob says:
          28 Aug28 August 17:14

          You’re seriously trying to say that letting you swap your ‘no benefits, free with a credit card’ Hilton Gold or IHG Plat for 90 days of free lounge access, guaranteed 4pm check-out and free breakfast via Marriott Plat isn’t a good deal?

          • BJ says:
            28 Aug28 August 17:29

            Hilton Gold does have benefits as you well know. Lounge is only beneficial if hotel has one and it’s any good. 4PM check out is only a benefit if you want to do something in the hotel, we don’t all fly 2000 miles to spend a night reviewing a room and writing blog articles in it all day 🙂 As far as my point was concerned, it wasn’t so much whether the Bonvoy status was worth having, more that we need to be choosy about when we go for it, and not compromise other schemes that may be more valuable to us by getting into a position where we feel torn between two at the risk of failing to achieve either.

          • Harry T says:
            28 Aug28 August 18:24

            This is a cracking deal – same Rob shared it, as we will now get loads of people taking advantage and Platinum will be overpopulated 😂

          • BJ says:
            28 Aug28 August 19:53

            Yes, especially with rear echelon health care professionals enjoying 40% discounts despite coming no closer to Covid-19 than a New Zealand sheep farmer 😀

          • Harry T says:
            28 Aug28 August 23:27

            Ha unsure if you’re talking about me but I’ve already had covid! My exposure at work isn’t as great as emergency/ICU colleagues but there’s plenty of patients around. Ironically, I think I caught covid on a plane…

          • BJ says:
            29 Aug29 August 05:45

            @Harry T, no, I was just saying it like it is, at least according to my niece who was a nurse on covid wards. I don’t grudge anybody in the health service any perks that come their way and would encourage you and your colleagues to make the most of them. All roles are important to keep the service running. I’m glad you seem to have been not seriously affected, and hope that your exposure will provide you some future protection.

          • Harry T says:
            29 Aug29 August 13:47

            @BJ
            Yes, I suspect that anyone with an NHS badge could try their luck, which probably isn’t in line with the spirit of the offer. I don’t mean to diminish the hard work of people in less forward facing and patient focussed roles in the NHS, which is a massive employer, but certainly some groups have made much larger sacrifices and taken greater risks during the peak of the pandemic.

          • The Jetset Boyz says:
            30 Aug30 August 04:50

            “the NHS, which is a massive employer”

            They’re the UK’s largest employer.

          • Harry T says:
            29 Aug29 August 13:48

            Oh, and thanks – I’m hoping my exposure provides protection too, but mostly in regards to hopefully no longer being able to carry the infection and spread it. I honestly wouldn’t mind getting it again, as it was not as bad as flu (aside from five months of anosmia).

          • TGLoyalty says:
            28 Aug28 August 20:29

            I think it’s only a good deal if you will actually meet the 15 nights as most lounges are going to be closed or severely limited this year and breakfast is being included in most rates until September and I’m shocked if that isn’t extended.

  • Mark says:
    28 Aug28 August 12:15

    Link not working for me either, hope it is fixed soon as my last stay with a Hilton was early September last year and is (just) inside the 12 month previous stay limit!

  • r* says:
    28 Aug28 August 13:02

    Are people actually going to hotels enough that they expect 15 nights in 90 days to be likely in the current situation?

  • Mr. AC says:
    28 Aug28 August 13:19

    So is this one of those “We’ll match your status only once per lifetime” things, or no? I’ve read the T&C, and couldn’t find anything. If I do the match, fulfill the requirements, but then let the status match in 2022 – will I be able to do another status match in the future?

    • Rob says:
      28 Aug28 August 13:33

      Worse case scenario – open a new Marriott account and transfer points from the old one.

  • Andy P says:
    28 Aug28 August 15:55

    Would the 15 nights from the Marriott Amex be enough to trigger maintaining the status if received inside the 90 days?

    • Rob says:
      28 Aug28 August 17:17

      Unlikely. Obviously a chance their IT isn’t smart enough but ….

      You very often get rules in this game which are written to put you off but do not actually apply. For example, the TAP Gold status match rules say that matched Gold don’t get the benefit of giving free Star Gold to a friend. Except ….

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