Marriott Bonvoy has several levels of loyalty status depending on how often you stay at Marriott hotels. With multiple ways to earn and maintain status, it’s important to understand the requirements and benefits at each tier. Here’s a breakdown of what it takes to achieve Marriott Bonvoy status:
- Silver Elite: 10 nights
- Gold Elite: 25 nights
- Platinum Elite: 50 nights
- Titanium Elite: 75 nights
- Ambassador Elite: 100 nights + $23K spend
We’ve maintained Platinum Elite status through the beginning of 2025, but as expected, we’re not going to have enough qualifying nights to keep it. So, we’re evaluating ways to continue leveraging Marriott co-brand credit cards for status.
Credit Cards That Provide Marriott Bonvoy Status
Several Marriott co-brand cards offer instant elite status:
- Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Card: Automatic Gold Elite
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ AMEX: Automatic Gold Elite
- Marriott Bonvoy Business® AMEX Card: Automatic Gold Elite
- Ritz-Carlton Card: Automatic Gold Elite
- American Express Platinum Card®: Automatic Gold Elite (requires requesting status match)
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® AMEX: Automatic Platinum Elite
Other Marriott co-brand cards, including some legacy options, provide 15 elite night credits annually. This benefit automatically grants Silver Elite status even if it’s not explicitly listed.
You can also combine credits from personal and business Marriott cards to achieve higher tiers. For example, holding both the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® and Marriott Bonvoy Business® cards provides 30 elite night credits, which qualifies for Gold Elite status before even staying at a Marriott property.
How We Maintain Our Marriott Bonvoy Status
Once my wife’s Platinum Elite status lapses in 2025, she’ll retain Gold Elite status through her Ritz-Carlton card. I’ll also have Gold Elite status through my AMEX Platinum. While Gold doesn’t offer much, the 2 PM late check-out and free enhanced Wi-Fi are still appreciated perks.
Final Thought
There are plenty of ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy Elite status using co-brand credit cards. While AMEX offers Platinum Elite status for $650/year with the Bonvoy Brilliant card, we prefer combining lower-cost cards and earning status through our hotel stays.
For our needs, two $95 cards that provide Gold Elite status and two free nights worth 35,000 points each offer better value than a $650 card with Platinum status and an 85K free night.
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