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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 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 account opening. Plus earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 total on eligible purchases within 6 months of account opening. | 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 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. | Gold Elite | 15 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card | American Express | $650 (Rates & Fees) | Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. | Platinum Elite | 25 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card | American Express | $125 (Rates & Fees) | Earn up to 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy® Bonus Points. Earn 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases and an extra 50,000 bonus points after you make an additional $3,000 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® American Express® 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® American Express® Card.
(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
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.
(Terms Apply)
- 6X points on purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
- 4X points on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per year at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets
- 2X points on all other eligible purchases
- 3X points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- 2X points on other travel purchases (from airfare to taxis and trains)
- 1X point on all other purchases
- Earn 6X Bonvoy points per $1 spent participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining, and 2X points per $1 on all other purchases
- Earn 3 Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on gas stations, grocery stores, and dining
- Earn 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases
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 American Express Platinum Card® can enroll to get Marriott Gold Elite Status. No Elite Night Credits required! Cardholders can also enroll to get a slew of other elite statuses and many other travel benefits. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- More Value! With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.
- More Value! $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- More Value! $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners. Enrollment required.
- More Value! $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- New! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: When you use the Platinum Card® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.
- More Value! $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in upon arrival, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
- New! $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
- $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
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 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 this year 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 the year 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.
(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
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), Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), and American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees)
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