Should you get the Marriott Bonvoy Amex for 15 elite night credits and 10x points on stays?

As we covered on Tuesday, all Marriott Bonvoy members are getting elite night credits equivalent to 50% of the status they earned in 2020.

This means that if you were Platinum Elite in 2020, you will receive 25 elite night credits.  You are half way to renewal already.

The full list is (this is based on the status you earned in 2020 and which was carried over into 2021):

• Ambassador Elite – 50 elite night credits
• Titanium Elite – 38 elite night credits
• Platinum Elite – 25 elite night credits
• Gold Elite – 13 elite night credits
• Silver Elite – 5 elite night credits

Because I have the Marriott Bonvoy Amex, I am in great shape for 2022

It seems likely, given this move, that Marriott will NOT rollover status again into 2022.

If you want elite status next year, you are going to have to earn it.

Marriott has just made it very easy for you by dropping half the nights you need to renew into your account.

You can make it even easier by getting the Marriott Bonvoy American Express credit card, which comes with 15 elite night credits.

This is why this offer works for me

I am currently Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite.  I am guaranteed this status until Spring 2022 thanks to Marriott’s status extension, but will drop down after that.

Renewal is now looking pretty good though:

• I will be gifted 25 elite night credits because I am Platinum Elite
• I have already received 15 elite night credits for having the American Express card

This puts me on on 40 nights for 2021 without going anywhere near a hotel.

I will need just 10 nights during the year to retain Platinum Elite.  I would also trigger 5 ‘Suite Night Upgrade’ awards for hitting 50 elite nights.

The new Bonvoy promotion will earn double night credits

Marriott Bonvoy will soon launch a new promotion which will run from 16th February to 27th April.

All stays of 2+ nights during this period will earn double elite night credits.  This is an even easier way to push yourself status renewal, or even a higher tier.

You also earn double base points on all stays.  This means you will get at least 20 points per $1, and more if you have elite status.

The Bonvoy Amex offer of 10x points on stays has been extended to 31st March

Very quietly, Marriott has also extended the very generous deal for their Amex cardholders.

You will earn 10 points per £1 spent at Marriott Bonvoy hotels until 31st March.

The only condition is that the bonus is capped at 20,000 points.

(The cap is a new rule. It is not clear if the cap applies to spend between 1st January and 31st March or if it also includes bonuses given in Winter 2020 under the first iteration of this offer.)

I admit that the timing of this extension is not great, since the chances of hotels opening up before the end of March is not huge.

Would the 15 Marriott Bonvoy Amex elite night credits work for you?

Let’s look at this by tier.

If you’re Gold Elite this year …..

You will be given 13 elite night credits.  If you got the Marriott Bonvoy American Express, you’d receive a further 15 nights.  This gets you to 28.

You’d then need 22 paid or reward nights in 2021 to earn the 50 nights required for Platinum Elite, which would also get you five Suite Night Awards.

Remember that stays during the February to April promotion will earn double elite night credits as long as you stay 2+ nights.

If you’re Platinum Elite this year …..

You’ve been given 25 elite night credits.  If you got the Marriott Bonvoy American Express, you’d receive a further 15 nights.  This gets you to 40.

You’d need 10 paid or reward nights in 2020 to earn five Suite Night Awards.  You’d need 35 paid or reward nights in 2020 to earn the 75 nights required for Titanium Elite.

Remember that stays during the February to April promotion will earn double elite night credits as long as you stay 2+ nights.

If you’re Titanium Elite this year ….

You’ve been given 38 elite night credits. If you got the Marriott Bonvoy American Express, you’d receive a further 15 nights.  This gets you to 53.

You immediately trigger a ’50 night bonus’ of which the five Suite Night Awards are by far the best option.

You’d then need a further 22 paid or reward nights to renew your status.

Another option for a Titanium would be to swap the five Suite Night Awards at 50 nights for 5 additional elite night credits.  This would mean you only need another 17 nights to renew instead of 22.

Titanium renewal would also trigger a ’75 night bonus’ – choose from five Suite Night Awards, a Free Night Award, gift Gold Elite status, five Elite Night Credits or a $100 charity donation.

Remember that stays during the February to April promotion will earn double elite night credits as long as you stay 2+ nights.

Don’t underestimate what a good deal this is for a Titanium Elite.  The 15 elite night credits from the Amex card will trigger your ’50 night bonus’ and guarantee you Platinum Elite for 2022 even if you don’t do a single night in a Marriott property this year!

If you think getting the credit card makes sense, our full review of the Marriott Bonvoy American Express card is here and you can apply here.

The rules say that new cardmembers will receive their 15 elite night credits within 60 days of applying.  In reality, they seem to arrive within a couple of weeks.  In future year they will appear in the first week of January, as mine did this year.

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How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (April 2024)

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.

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.

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

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

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (40,000 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. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)