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Traveling with status can significantly power your hotel nights when staying in Marriott properties. Status in the Marriott Bonvoy program comes with a wide variety of perks, such as room upgrades, late checkout, free breakfast, lounge access, and even more points on paid stays. Although status in other programs can be hard to come by and often requires staying dozens of nights every year, Marriott Bonvoy status can be obtained via status matches, completing a status challenge, or simply having the right credit card.
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Status Matching With Marriott Bonvoy
Occasionally, airline and hotel programs offer status matches to elite members of other loyalty programs to entice them to switch their loyalty, starting to fly or stay with a different program instead. Best Western is one such company, and its status match is quite easy. All you have to do is email them with contact information, your Best Western Rewards number, and proof of elite status at a competitor. then, you will obtain a matched status at Best Western.
Related: All Hotel Elite Status Match & Fast Track Opportunities
Status matching to Marriott Bonvoy from Singapore KrisFlyer
Marriott is no such stranger to status matching. The hotel chain has partnered with Singapore Airlines to offer a status match promotion for Marriott Bonvoy and Singapore KrisFlyer members. Currently, Singapore Airlines PPS Club and KrisFlyer Gold status holders can obtain Marriott Bonvoy Gold status just by signing up for the offer. Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status also can be obtained after staying 10 qualifying nights in Marriott properties. KrisFlyer Silver status holders are also eligible for Marriott Bonvoy Silver status, but simply signing up for the promotion is not enough to obtain status. Rather, KrisFlyer Silver status holders will get Marriott Bonvoy Silver status only after staying three qualifying nights.
Status is valid for one year after signing up for the status match promotion above, although status holders are eligible to renew their status with Marriott Bonvoy by either staying 25 nights to hold Gold status for the following year or just 10 nights for Silver status.
Status Matching to Marriott Bonvoy from United MileagePlus
Marriott Bonvoy also has had a long-standing partnership with United Airlines' MileagePlus program. As long as you hold Premier Gold status or higher with United MileagePlus, you can status match with Marriott (applications are here) and obtain Marriott Bonvoy Gold status. Marriott and United's partnership also works in reverse: If you have Titanium status or higher at Marriott, you can status match with United (apply here) and get United MileagePlus Premier Silver status.
Elite Marriott perks from Emirates Skywards
Although not necessarily a status match promotion, Marriott Bonvoy and Emirates Skywards have a partnership that enables Emirates Skywards Platinum and Gold members to enjoy some elite perks at Marriott stays. Benefits are a 4 p.m. late checkout, the ability to use the Bonvoy elite check-in lane at hotels, and complimentary Wi-Fi at Marriott properties. However, Emirates Skywards Platinum and Gold members do not gain Marriott status from this partnership.
Earning Marriott Bonvoy Status With a Status Challenge
What if you do not have status with Singapore KrisFlyer or United MileagePlus but still want to be a status holder with Marriott Bonvoy? What if you already have elite status with Marriott Bonvoy but want to quickly obtain a higher level of status? Marriott also offers a status challenge to Bonvoy members. Just call Marriott Bonvoy at 800-627-7468 and ask for a status challenge. If approved for a status challenge, you will earn the following level of status after staying the required number of paid nights (not award nights) within the following three calendar months plus the remainder of the current month:
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold status: Stay eight paid nights.
- Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status: Stay 16 paid nights.
Because the Marriott Bonvoy Status Challenge is valid for the remainder of the month that you called in, followed by three additional months, we recommend calling Marriott Bonvoy earlier in the month to have more time to complete a status challenge.
Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status Shortcuts
If you are not eligible for Marriott's status match promotions with airlines and won't meet the requirements of a status challenge, you can still get Marriott Bonvoy elite status by holding a credit card that offers Marriott Bonvoy status as a perk. You also can receive up to 40 elite night credits per year by holding combinations of these cards, helping you pursue higher levels of status.
Earn Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
As Marriott Bonvoy's flagship card, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card provides Platinum Elite status to its cardmembers. Outside of holding the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card, this level of status can only be obtained after earning 50 elite nights at Marriott properties in a year (or 16 paid nights from the status challenge above). The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card has an annual fee of $650 (Rates & Fees); alongside Platinum status, it also provides an annual free night certificate worth up to 85,000 points and a $25 monthly dining credit. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
- Earn up to 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points. Earn 100,000 points after you spend $6,000 and an extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at restaurants worldwide.
- With Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite Status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when the stay is booked with a Qualifying Rate at hotels that participate in Marriott Bonvoy, subject to availability upon check-in.
- Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Earn 3X Marriott Bonvoy® points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2X Marriott Bonvoy® points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
- Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Brilliant Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
- $100 Marriott Bonvoy® Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.
- Enroll in Priority Pass Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
- With Cell Phone Protection*, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. *Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 6X points on purchases at Marriott Properties
- 3X points at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery
- 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines
- 2X points on all other eligible purchases
Earn Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status with multiple credit cards
Marriott also has three additional credit cards that provide automatic Gold Elite status. The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card and Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, which are American Express products, and Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card, a Chase card, offer this level of status. Benefits and annual fees vary across the cards, but they hold this status element in common.
While they aren't Marriott cards, The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offer Marriott Gold Elite status to their respective cardmembers, as well as Gold status with Hilton. If you want to hold status in multiple hotel programs, holding either card is sufficient. Both cards have high annual fees, numerous travel benefits, and hundreds of dollars in spending credits available each year. However, we're focusing on Marriott elite status here, and these cards provide a simple path to it. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
Earn Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status with two credit cards
If you're looking for a card with a lower annual fee, it's still possible to get complimentary Silver Elite status. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card provides it for a $95 annual fee. Conversely, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card offers cardholders Silver Elite with a $0 annual fee. Assuming you do not have status with United or Singapore or can't complete the status challenge, holding this card is the only other way to earn Marriott Bonvoy status without spending any money.
Bottom Line
Marriott status can be obtained via status matching with either United Airlines or Singapore Airlines, completing a status challenge, or signing up for a credit card. While you will not be able to status match into Marriott Bonvoy as an Emirates Skywards member, you can still have access to elite perks like late checkout.
Which method should you choose to earn status with Marriott? The answer heavily depends on the perks each status level offers. We recommend looking through the benefits offered with the Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of Marriott Bonvoy status to determine which status level, and therefore which path to obtain status, is best for you.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees)
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