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Your 2021 Marriott Bonvoy bonus elite nights have posted – check your account

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In early January, we outlined Marriott Bonvoy’s plans to help you retain or gain elite status in 2021 despite reduced travelling.

There are two elements to this. One is an interesting new promotion for double points and double elite night credits, which we will cover tomorrow. If you want to register now, you can do so here.

The second part is giving you elite night credits equivalent to 50% of the status you earned in 2020.

These elite nights have now posted if you look at your Marriott Bonvoy account.

Mariott Bonvoy American Express credit card

What should you have received?

Based on your Marriott Bonvoy status for last year, this is what you will have received:

  • 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

If you received Gold Elite status because you have an American Express Platinum card, it seems that you will not receive an elite night credit.

For me, as a Platinum Elite member, my account looks like this:

Why do I have 40 elite nights?

As you can see from the screenshot above, I have 40 elite nights.

This is 80% of the nights I need towards Platinum Elite renewal!

I have 40 nights because I have the Marriott Bonvoy American Express card. If you get the Marriott Bonvoy American Express credit card (apply here), you will receive 15 elite night credits. They have been posting within a couple of weeks of application.

It is unlikely that you will qualify for the sign up bonus on the Marriott Amex, as anyone with an existing personal Amex card (or who has had one in the previous 24 months) is disqualified.

However, paying the £75 annual fee for 15 elite night credits is still a very good deal. You also receive 2 Marriott Bonvoy points per £1 spent on the card, or 6 per £1 spent at Marriott Bonvoy hotels. In the rare chance that you stay at a Bonvoy hotel before 31st March, you will receive 10 points per £1 spent.

I will do a full article on new promotion tomorrow. You can register for the new promotion here.

PS. The bonus night credits you have received also seem to count for Lifetime Elite status. Amusingly – since I have always written that I never expected to earn any sort of lifetime status – I am now Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Silver with 270 elite nights across Marriott and Starwood. Not that Marriott Bonvoy Silver is hugely useful …..

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 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.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus 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.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a 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. 

(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.)

Category

Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott Bonvoy American Express

Comments (49)

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

  • memesweeper says:
    2 Feb2 February 11:11

    I started, and failed to complete, the status challenge tail end of 2020. I was Platinum during January, and lost the status last night, dropping back to Gold as usual. However, I’ve got the Platinum Elite – 25 night credits :-). With the Marriot Bonvoy card that’s only 10 nights to regain Platinum — absolutely going to push future business travel their way whenever possible.

  • Ian M says:
    2 Feb2 February 11:48

    Received 50 night credits by way of my Ambassador status, which takes me to 65 with the Bonvoy Amex additional 15 nights. I’m a little disappointed that Marriott have only reduced the spend requirement for Ambassador by 40%. Seems to penalise existing Ambassador status holders a little. Why gift 50% of the night credits towards requalifying but only reduce the spend requirement by 40%?

    Seems unlikely I’d be able to spend $12,000 in 35 nights. In fact spending 35 nights in hotels this year seems a little unlikely at this stage. Seems almost pointless to try. Alternatively just 5 nights during the new promo and I’d reach the 75 nights required for Titanium, then shift other stays elsewhere.

    Seems a strange move by Marriott

    • Rob says:
      2 Feb2 February 11:53

      You don’t even need that. Take 5 elite nights as your 50-night gift and you’re already on 70.

      • Ian M says:
        2 Feb2 February 12:16

        Ah yes true! Even less incentive to put spend and stays there way..

        The only thing pulling me towards Marriott is the 22 suite night awards I have that expire at the end of the year!

        • TGLoyalty says:
          2 Feb2 February 12:48

          I was hoping for 2 years for the ones earned in 2020 but doesn’t look like it’s happened yet.

  • AD says:
    2 Feb2 February 13:22

    Hi Rob, are we likely to see another bonus promotion on marriott points purchase soon? thanks

  • jason says:
    2 Feb2 February 13:23

    Rob,

    Some very attractive points deals at 9000 (7200ave for 5 night) a night, do we still think one paid night followed by reward nights will trigger the bonus?

    Cheers
    Jason

    • Matthew says:
      2 Feb2 February 13:50

      The initial terms suggested so but the promotion terms I’ve read today says excludes award stays and doesn’t mention whether you can tag a paid night on and all nights trigger double elite credits. Time will tell of course when it goes live and someone tries it!

  • MT says:
    2 Feb2 February 15:01

    For one I think Marriott have gone to far and made things to easy. I am now 65 nights towards my Ambassador status renewal and with the lowering to $14k spend, one 10 night stay before the current promo runs out I will be at 85 nights and a decent chuck of spend sorted. So essentially will have re-qualified by July meaning I may as well look at the best offers elsewhere. Certainly puts the pressure on Marriott to have some good promo’s later in the year to get people staying. Its even easier if your in America and the extra credit card nights they can get!

    • Ian M says:
      2 Feb2 February 17:50

      Oh blimey yeah it’s $14k, I was thinking it was $12k. Highly unlikely I’ll manage to spend $14k in 35 nights (I’m on 65 nights thanks to being Ambassador and the Bonvoy Amex like yourself). Guess I’ll settle for Titanium and focus hitting targets elsewhere

  • YC says:
    2 Feb2 February 16:37

    Elite nights posted but lifetime years still not updated from last year

  • KBuffett says:
    2 Feb2 February 17:15

    Thanks Rob, I’ve been Titanium/Platinum for a couple of years now, the same time as you did your Platinum challenge. It’s been very useful and I wouldn’t have been able to earn it otherwise.

  • KBuffett says:
    2 Feb2 February 20:58

    What are the best JW Marriotts in the world? Wouldn’t mind visiting a couple

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

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