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Marriott credit cards are popular wallet additions courtesy of their perks and Bonvoy point-earning abilities. But one of the more valuable benefits of carrying a Marriott co-branded credit card is that it comes with Elite Night Credits that can boost you toward that next Marriott elite status tier. And the right Marriott credit card combo can score you up to 40 Elite Night Credits.
Here's all you need to know about earning Marriott Elite Night Credits from Marriott credit cards.
Page Contents
Marriott Elite Status Tiers and Requirements
Marriott offers five tiers of elite status. For each level of status, you'll need to earn the following number of qualifying nights in a calendar year:
- Silver Elite: 10 Elite Night Credits
- Gold Elite: 25 Elite Night Credits
- Platinum Elite: 50 Elite Night Credits
- Titanium Elite: 75 Elite Night Credits
- Ambassador Elite: 100 Elite Night Credits, plus $23,000 in eligible Marriott spending
The good news is that Elite Night Credits aren't simply the number of nights you spend in a Marriott bed. You can also earn elite-qualifying nights earned via one (or multiple) of six co-branded credit cards.
Having Marriott status is an easy way to make each stay more rewarding. From bonus points earned on purchases to complimentary room upgrades, free breakfast, and more, elite status is worth the effort if you consider Marriott your brand of choice. And, elite status can be surprisingly within reach for most travelers if you have the right Marriott credit card pairing.
Related: The Complete Guide to Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status
Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card Options
Marriott's credit card lineup is nothing short of extensive. With six cards open to new applicants spread across two different issuers — Chase and American Express — making sense of Marriott credit cards might be tricky. Additionally, Marriott's credit cards are subject to strict application rules — a point of confusion and annoyance for most people.
But to make Marriott's credit card lineup easier to digest, here's everything you need to know in a straightforward table:
| Marriott Credit Card | Issued By | Annual Fee | Welcome Bonus | Complimentary Elite Status | Elite Night Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card | Chase | $0 | Earn 30,000 Marriott bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening. | Silver Elite | 5 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card | Chase | $95 | Earn three bonus Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points for each bonus Free Night Award, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees. Plus, earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 total on eligible purchases within 6 months of account opening with your Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. | Silver Elite | 15 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card | Chase | $250 | Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after you spend $4,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in the first three months. | Gold Elite | 15 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card | American Express | $250 (Rates & Fees) | Earn up to 135,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points. Earn 85,000 points after you spend $5,000 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. | Gold Elite | 15 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card | American Express | $650 (Rates & Fees) | 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. | Platinum Elite | 25 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card | American Express | $125 (Rates & Fees) | Earn 3 Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. | Gold Elite | 15 |
Eye-catching welcome bonuses aside, you'll want to take a detailed look at the column titled “Elite Night Credits.”
Each Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit card grants between 5 and 25 Elite Night Credits annually. Just note that — no matter how many Marriott cards you have — you can earn no more than a maximum of 40 nights towards Marriott elite status.
Stacking Marriott Elite Night Credits From Credit Cards
Before March 2020, Marriott cardholders could earn no more than 15 Elite Night Credits per year via credit cards. But, as the Covid-19 pandemic brought travel to a standstill, Marriott changed the terms and conditions on its cards to let travelers get 15 Elite Night Credits from both a personal and business card — effectively doubling the number of Elite Night Credits you could earn from credit cards.
Then, in September 2022, Marriott revamped its credit card portfolio. As part of this change, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card now comes with Platinum Elite status plus 25 Elite Night Credits (instead of 15) toward earning even higher elite status.
And that's how we got to the situation where you can earn up to 40 Elite Night Credits through Marriott credit cards. Under the current rules, you get a 40 Elite Night Credit boost if you carry the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card plus the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card.
If the annual fee on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card is too much to swallow, you can still earn 30 Elite Night Credits by carrying the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card plus almost any consumer Marriott card.
Just keep in mind that — unless you carry the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card — the maximum number of Elite Night Credits you can earn from consumer credit cards is 15 Elite Nights. You won't earn additional nights if you have two personal Marriott credit cards.
Putting all of that into one chart:
| Personal card | Business card | Total Elite Night Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Considerations Before Applying for Multiple Marriott Credit Cards
Before you apply for multiple Bonvoy cards, here are a couple of things to consider. First, you can earn Marriott Gold Elite status through several cards — including non-Marriott cards. It may not be worth applying for two Marriott cards when one can do the trick.
For instance, cardholders of The Platinum Card® from American Express can enroll to get Marriott Gold Elite Status. No Elite Night Credits required! Cardholders can also enroll to get Hilton Honors Gold plus many other travel benefits. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
Second, you can receive complimentary Marriott Platinum status simply by holding the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card. For a $650 annual fee (Rates & Fees), you can enjoy Platinum Elite status without the hassle of racking up requisite Elite Night Credits. With this status, you can elect complimentary breakfast as your Marriott welcome gift, visit Marriott lounges in select properties, observe a 4 p.m. guaranteed checkout, and more.
If you're after Marriott Platinum Elite status, this is a simpler way to achieve it — despite the annual fee. For a full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card, view our post detailing the card's ins and outs.
Thirdly, bear in mind that Chase and American Express have numerous limitations on Marriott co-branded credit card welcome offers — including but not limited to Amex family language and Chase's 5/24 rule.
Before applying for a new Marriott credit card, ensure you're eligible for the welcome offers and play by the rules to earn 30 (or 40) Elite Night Credits annually.
Final Thoughts
Starting every year with up to 40 Marriott Elite Night Credits is an easy way to boost you toward your status goals before stepping foot in a Marriott property. If you're aiming for Marriott Titanium Elite status, you'll want to get both the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card plus the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card to start the year with 40 Elite Night Credits and Platinum Elite status. You'll only need to spend 35 nights in Marriott hotels during 2024 to reach your goal of Titanium Elite status.
If you're aiming for Marriott Platinum Elite status, get one consumer Marriott card plus the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card to start the year with 30 Elite Night Credits and Gold Elite status. Then, stay 20 nights during 2024 to earn Platinum Elite status. Or, you can simply get the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card.
If you've got status goals with Marriott Bonvoy, consider how the right credit card pairing can help you reach them. Status may be closer than you think.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), and Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees)
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