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Marriott Bonvoy members who accrue 50 or 75 Marriott elite night credits in a calendar year are rewarded with a Marriott Annual Choice Benefit. While achieving these night thresholds also earns you higher elite status, the Annual Choice Benefit is unique because it lets you customize your Marriott perks.
In this post, we'll detail the Marriott Annual Choice Benefit program, evaluate which options are best, and help you decide which ones are best for you. Plus, we’ll guide you through the selection process.
Page Contents
What Are Marriott Annual Choice Benefits?
Marriott Annual Choice Benefits are one-time perks you can select upon reaching 50 or 75 elite nights within a calendar year. At 50 nights, you earn your first Choice Benefit; if you reach 75 nights, you get to select a second benefit.
50 Elite Night Credits is also the requirement for earning Marriott Platinum Elite status. That status grants you free breakfast at many Marriott brands, 4:00 PM late check-out at most properties, lounge access, and more. At 75 nights, you'll earn Titanium Elite status — which you can leverage to unlock United MileagePlus Silver status.
Note that Marriott Annual Choice Benefits are tied to elite nights earned in a year — not your Marriott lifetime status. If you have lifetime Marriott Platinum status, you still need to earn 50 nights to get an Annual Choice Benefit.
Oddly, there’s no Choice Benefit for reaching 100 nights (Ambassador Elite), even though you'll need to accrue some significant spending to hit that tier of status.
If you're looking for a shortcut to get these nights, remember that you can earn up to 40 Elite Night Credits each year through Marriott credit cards. Here are the card combos that you can use to score a boost:
| Personal card | Business card | Total Elite Night Credit Boost |
|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card | Marriott Bonvoy Business Card | 40 |
| Marriott Boundless, Marriott Bountiful, or Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card | Marriott Bonvoy Business Card | 30 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card | none | 25 |
| Bonvoy Bold | Marriott Bonvoy Business Card | 20 |
| Marriott Boundless, Marriott Bountiful, or Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card | none | 15 |
| Bonvoy Bold | none | 5 |
(Terms Apply)
- 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
(Terms apply)
- 6x Marriott Bonvoy® points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program.
- 4x Marriott Bonvoy® points on each dollar of eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping
- 2x Marriott Bonvoy® points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
- 6X points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
- 3X points for every $1 spent on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases annually on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
- 2X points on all other eligible purchases
Related: How To Earn Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status and the Perks of Each Tier
Platinum Choice Benefits (50 nights)
When you hit 50 elite nights in a calendar year, you can choose one of these benefits:
- 5 Nightly Upgrade Awards: Redeem for room upgrades to premium rooms or standard suites, subject to availability.
- $1,000 Marriott Bed Discount: Save on the purchase of a mattress from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques
- Gift Silver Elite Status: Share with a friend or family member.
- Charitable Donation: $100 to the Arne M. Sorenson Hospitality Fund, UNICEF, or WWF.
- 5 Elite Night Credits: Applied to the current program year.
Titanium Choice Benefits (75 nights)
At 75 nights, you get a second selection from the above or choose one of these additional options:
- 1 Free Night Award: Worth up to 40,000 points.
- Gift Gold Elite Status: Share with a friend or family member.
Related: The Complete Guide to the Marriott Bonvoy Program
Which Marriott Choice Benefits Are Worth the Most?
The “best” Marriott Choice Benefit depends on your travel style and priorities. Here’s my take on the options based on personal experience:
- The 5 Nightly Upgrade Awards are my top choice. I’ve selected this benefit every year I’ve qualified. While they’re not guaranteed to clear, they’ve provided excellent value when they do. The success rate varies by property, and it’s frustrating when properties deny upgrades even when rooms appear available.
- The 1 Free Night Award offered at the 75-night tier is a close second. You can use it to book a reward night at properties with rates up to 40,000 points. This perk could easily translate to $400 in value depending on when and where you redeem it. And unlike upgrade awards, you don't have to guess whether this perk will be honored.
- The 5 Elite Night Credits are a bit more situational. Selecting this option can be worth it if these credits will push you over the threshold to the next elite tier — say, from 70 to 75 nights — or closer to lifetime status. However, they don't provide any value if you’ve already achieved the status you're aiming for.
- The Marriott bed discount is a niche choice. If you’ve ever loved a Marriott mattress so much you wanted to take it home, this is your chance — though even with the discount, these beds are pricey.
- When it comes to gifting Silver or Gold Elite status, I steer clear. Both Silver and Gold status are easy to earn through credit cards. And Gold still doesn’t provide lounge access or free breakfast at many brands.
- Finally, there’s the charitable donation. While this doesn’t directly benefit you as a traveler, it’s a reasonable choice if you’re passionate about giving back. I prefer to select travel-related benefits, but I can see the appeal of contributing to a special cause if you can't maximize any other benefits.
My go-to choices are the Nightly Upgrade Awards and the Free Night Award. But your pick should align with your own travel goals and what you value most.
How to Select Your Marriott Choice Benefits
Once you’ve hit the 50- or 75-night milestone, Marriott will notify you via email, typically within 48 hours. The email includes a link to guide you through the selection process. If you’d rather not wait, you can log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account and navigate to the Choice Benefit selection page directly.
After logging in, you’ll see a list of the available benefits. Take a moment to consider your travel plans and preferences before making your choice.
Once selected, you’ll be prompted to confirm your decision on a final verification page. Marriott makes it clear that all selections are final, so double-check your choice before submitting. Then check all three confirmation boxes before submitting your choice.
What Is the Deadline for Choosing a Marriott Annual Choice Benefit?
For elite nights earned during the 2025 calendar year, the deadline to pick your Marriott Annual Choice benefit is February 1, 2026.
If you forget to make a selection, this benefit isn't lost. Members who fail to choose by the deadline automatically receive the Suite Night Awards by default. Thus, Platinum Elite members who forget to choose their Annual Choice Benefits will receive 5 Suite Night Awards, and Titanium Elite members who fail to select either benefit will get a total of 10 Suite Night Awards.
Remember that choices made — either by default or by the member — are final and can't be changed.
Related: Which Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card Is Right For You?
Final Thoughts
Earning 50 or 75 elite nights is an achievement, and the Marriott Annual Choice Benefits are a great way to personalize your loyalty perks. While the options are somewhat limited, the 5 Nightly Upgrade Awards and 1 Free Night Award likely offer the best value.
If you’re aiming for these milestones, remember that Marriott credit cards can help you start the year with up to 40 elite nights. With only 10 nights to go until you hit 50, achieving that milestone could be easier than you might realize. Plus, you can enjoy all the other benefits that Marriott Platinum status offers.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
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