All information about the Marriott Bonvoy, Bonvoy Bevy, Bonvoy Brilliant, and Bonvoy Business American Express cards has been collected independently by Miles to Memories.
Marriott Free Night Awards
I have an up and down relationship with hotel free night certificates, and I’m currently high on them. I consider Marriott Free Night Awards (FNA’s) more volatile than other chains’ certs, primarily due to the chain’s ever-changing redemption rates. Another complicating factor is Marriott offers three different levels of their main certs, redeemable up to the 35k, 50k, and 85k points per night levels. Oh, and you can top off nightly certs up to 15k points (which I like). Are your going cross-eyed yet? Given the return of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex’s stellar five 50k cert welcome offer, I figured it’s about time to check in on the state of Marriott Free Night Awards. Today, I’m covering the chain’s different cert types and the primary ways to earn them.
35k
The lowest major level of Marriott Free Night Awards are tougher to use, of course. Increasingly, properties aren’t available, even when maxing out the 15k top-off to 50k. Aspirational properties are few and far between around here, but many can get solid value with 35k certs at reliable brands like Fairfield, Courtyard, Sheraton, Westin, etc.
The following credit cards offer a 35k cert at card anniversary:
- Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
- Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex
- Marriott Bonvoy Amex
The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful provides a 35k cert when a cardholder spends $15k within a calendar year. Finally, the no-longer-available Chase Marriott Bonvoy Premier Plus Business provides a 35k FNA at account anniversary.
50k
Perhaps hitting the heart of Marriott’s inventory, I’ve found 50k FNA’s quite useful – especially by topping off up to 65k. I’ve grabbed stays at Marriott’s top-tier brands like Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis using these certs fairly easily with 50k certs and a few extra points. The main method for picking up these certs is via the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex. A cardholder obtains a 50k FNA after spending $15k in a calendar year.
85k
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex cardholders pick up an 85k cert at account anniversary. And you may have heard about the greatness of the Chase Ritz-Carlton card, no longer available via new application but still possible via product change. One reason it’s beloved is the 85k FNA it provides at cardmember anniversary. Keep in mind annual fees for these two cards – $650 for the widely-available Brilliant and only $450 for the niche Ritz-Carlton card.
Other Marriott Free Night Awards
Qualifying for Bonvoy Titanium status with 75 nights means an individual earns an additional Annual Choice Benefit. The only cert option is a 40k FNA. And the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Premier, no longer available via new application, provides a 25k FNA. Good luck using that one!
Welcome Offers
Plus, remember the plethora of new card welcome offers providing Marriott Free Night Awards. Again, the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex enables five 50k certs currently, and the Boundless routinely provides this, as well. Periodically, we’ll see 85k certs available in conjunction with Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex welcome offers, also.
Marriott Free Night Awards – Conclusion
Out of all the big hotel chains, Marriott offers the most convoluted free night cert scheme. I’m not necessarily complaining here, as I’d rather have that than nothing. But anyone considering them should do their homework first. Those who do so can obtain solid value, and maybe some aspirational stays. Optimize FNA earning on the card you choose. For instance, within Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex big spend bonus terms, cardholders can obtain two 50k FNA’s across two calendar years on one annual fee, all while earning in the 4x categories. On the flip side, assess if it’s truly worth paying the year two annual fee for that anniversary cert.
I’ll continue selectively, sensibly earning Marriott Free Night Awards. How do you prefer to obtain these certs and why?
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Seen lots of places right at 66K – just beyond the stretch of 50+15K. I am guessing: not by accident.
Indeed, Billy Bob!
The problem is that while point prices have gone dynamic, the certificates have remained unchanged. Category 8 properties are conveniently priced at 101k or more to make the 85k certificate unusable. Because of this, for me, the Amex Brilliant and Chase Ritz Carlton cards are non-starters. Their loss.
It’s definitely tougher these days, Lee!
I have one 85K cert and I would have liked to use it late in October but it expires at the start of October. So that is frustrating. I may end up using it on a lesser value and use pints for a second night. I think I had one of these expire on me in the past when I forgot to use it. I am dumping the Brilliant card because the annual fee is way up there and the card doesnt have value to me as I am lifetime Plat. I am turning the screws hard on AMEX annual fees. If the retention offer is strong enough I will renew some, but others Ill dump. With Ritz Carton some properties are far better than others. That is sneaky with the point rastes for them.
robertw,
Try calling in and requesting an extension of your cert. No promises, but I’ve heard that’s worked for some.