While your savings will depend on how often you travel, elite status benefits can easily save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year. So why do you try to get a head start by opening a credit card every year?
Marriott Bonvoy has the largest reach globally, with more than 8,500 hotels in nearly 140 countries. Broken down, there are five levels of elite status, three of which can be earned via credit card:
- Silver Elite: 10 nights of elite accommodation
- Gold Elite: 25 Nights Elite Stay
- Platinum Elite: 50 Elite Nights
- Titanium Elite: 75 Elite Nights
- Elite Ambassador: 100 elite nights plus $23,000 in annual qualifying purchases
Let’s take a closer look at how to use your credit card to get Marriott Elite status, up to Titanium Elite status.
Earn Marriott Elite Qualifying Stays
One of the coveted perks of the Marriott Co-branded Card is that you automatically earn Elite Night Points just for every year you hold the card, which typically ranges from 5 to 25 nights.
Even better, you can accumulate elite nights by holding both personal and business Marriott cards. For example, if your business card offers 15 nights of elite status and your personal card offers 25 nights, you’ll get 40 nights of elite status in the new year on your credit card alone. Only 35 nights left to qualify for Titanium Elite membership.
However, it’s important to note that you cannot stack Elite Nights with multiple individual cards. Additionally, you must be the primary cardholder (not an authorized user) of both business and consumer cards to combine them.
Here’s how many elite night nights you can earn with each Marriott co-branded card:
*Information for these cards was independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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Related: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Credit Card Review
Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite
You only need 10 elite-qualifying nights to earn Elite Silver status. Status levels are included on the following cards:
For a limited time, new cardholders Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card Earn two free nights when you spend $1,000 in qualifying purchases within three months of account opening, and new cardholders Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited Credit Card Earn five free nights when you spend $3,000 in qualifying purchases within the first three months of account opening. Each free night award is valid for one night’s stay at a hotel and has a redemption value of up to 50,000 points per night.
Additionally, in 2026 only, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless applicants can earn up to $100 in statement points after spending $500 on eligible airlines (up to $50 in statement points every six months).
RELATED: Free Nights and Easy Status: Why I Have 3 Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards and Pay Over $1,200 in Annual Fees
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite
Marriott Gold Elite status is typically earned after 25 elite-qualifying nights in a calendar year.
This tier includes enhanced amenities such as space-available room upgrades, welcome gifts and 25% extra points back on qualifying rates. Even if you’re an infrequent Marriott guest, Gold Elite status goes a long way.
Travelers can earn Marriott Gold membership through a variety of credit cards, including:
Related: Marriott and Hilton American Express Platinum and Business Platinum Elite Membership Guides
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Membership
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite membership is the third level of membership in the Bonvoy program, which you achieve with 50 elite-qualifying nights in a calendar year.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Hotel Cardholders receive free Platinum Elite membership, which unlocks premium benefits with no stay requirements. You can save money and time quickly with elite benefits like annual featured offers, enhanced room upgrades, a dedicated support hotline, and free breakfast at select hotels.
There are two ways to earn Platinum Elite status with a credit card: meeting spending thresholds or becoming a Marriott Bonvoy Premier American Express card member.
| card | Issuer | annual fee | Consumption threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
|
American Express |
$650 |
include |
|
|
Ritz-Carlton Credit Card
|
catch up |
$450 |
Earn Platinum Elite status when you spend $75,000 in annual purchases per account |
Related: Marriott Platinum Elite Membership Benefits and How to Earn This Valuable Status
Spending on the Bonvoy Boundless Card
The final way to earn elite-qualifying stays with your credit card is to spend more on hotels Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited Card.
The card earns one elite-qualifying night for every $5,000 spent on the card. While $5,000 might cost a lot, it might help if you get closer to the next state before your next trip. It should also be noted that there is no cap on this benefit, so you can earn Titanium elite status by spending money.
For new cardholders, five free night bonuses are available after you spend $3,000 in qualifying purchases within the first three months of card opening, but purchases from the card’s welcome offer also count toward the $5,000 threshold, although you can only earn your first elite night when your total spend reaches the $5,000 mark.
Match one Travel Bonvoy Business and Brilliant travel experience card, you can spend $175,000 on the Bonvoy Boundless Card to earn Titanium Elite status. This is a big expense, but it might make sense if you have a lot of reimbursable business expenses or need to spend a lot of money on your credit card.
However, spending on a Boundless card comes with a significant opportunity cost. For example, spending $5,000 will only earn 10,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, which is worth $70 based on TPG’s January 2026 valuation. By comparison, if you spend the same amount on the Capital One Venture Rewards credit card, which earns 2 Capital One miles per $1 spent, you’ll earn 10,000 Capital One miles, which is worth $185, according to our valuation.
With that in mind, you should only spend money on your Boundless card when you’re just a few nights away from reaching your next elite level. Otherwise, you may be giving up important value.
It’s also worth noting that the Marriott Bonvoy Premium Credit Card (no longer open to new applicants) earns 1 Elite Night point for every $3,000 spent.
Related: Marriott Bonvoy: How to earn and redeem points, elite status and more
Other Ways to Earn Elite Nights at Marriott
Don’t forget – award nights and free night certificates also count towards elite status.
So whether you redeem your Marriott points or use the free night certificates that come with many co-branded credit cards, each night will get you closer to the elite status you want.
So when developing your Marriott Elite membership strategy, be sure to consider any free night awards you plan to use. If you have three free night certificates from various Marriott co-branded credit cards, consider those three nights one step closer to your next Marriott elite status.
Related: Comparing the Best Hotel Elite Levels and How to Earn Them in 2025
bottom line
It might feel daunting to start the new year with zero Elite Qualifying Nights, but it doesn’t have to be—by strategically holding a Marriott co-branded credit card, you can have up to 40 Elite Qualifying Nights in your account each year.
While this may come with some annual fees, the benefits and savings gained through elite status easily outweigh the cost, potentially saving you thousands of dollars each year.
For Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card rates and fees, click here.
For Marriott Bonvoy Business Card rates and fees, click here.
For Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card rates and fees, click here.
For American Express Platinum Card rates and fees, click here.
For Business Platinum Card rates and fees, click here.
