There’s a lot to like about the Marriott Bonvoy program. You can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to more than 40 airline partners, but I usually prefer to redeem Marriott points for hotel stays. So here are some of my favorite ways to maximize Marriott Award Nights redemption.
Stay for 5, pay for 4
One of the easiest ways to maximize Marriott Bonvoy award redemptions is to take advantage of the program’s Stay for 5, Pay for 4 offer. With this offer, Marriott Bonvoy members can automatically enjoy a free night every time they redeem points for four nights on a stay of five consecutive nights or longer.
You can enjoy the Stay for 5, Pay for 4 offer more than once for one Marriott Award stay. For example, if you redeem Marriott points for a 10-night stay, you’ll get the two least expensive nights free.
However, you will only be reimbursed for the standard cost of your free night if you book an upgraded room with Marriott points.
This benefit means you may not want to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for a four-night stay, as it may not cost you much more to redeem points for a five-night stay. By booking an extra night, you can extend your vacation – or effectively guarantee an early check-in or late check-out – and get one more night to qualify for the next level of Marriott elite status.
Related: How to Maximize Longer Hotel Stays by Taking Advantage of a Free Night Benefit
Combine points and cash
According to TPG’s valuations, Marriott points are worth about 0.84 cents each. So I generally try to get at least .84 cents per Marriott point on my award stays. But even with dynamic award pricing, you’ll sometimes see that some nights within a specific stay have a higher or lower redemption value.
Fortunately, Marriott’s Cash + Points combo feature lets you choose which nights you pay for in cash and which ones you book with points. You’ll see a “Use Cash + Points” drop-down menu under the Points tab when you search for award rates for stays of two nights or longer. If you click on it you can compare rates for each night of your stay.
You can even use Marriott’s Cash + Points combo feature on a stay where you get a fifth night free. However, you must use points for at least five nights. For example, you can book a seven-night stay with two cash nights and five points nights.
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Choose carefully which nights to book with points and which to book with cash. In the example above, I chose to avoid the most expensive rate of 18,500 points of my stay by paying the least expensive rate of $137. Then I decided to pay $141 instead of 18,000 points for my first night. However, please note that the cash rates in the screenshot above do not include taxes and fees.
Related: Maximize Your Points and Miles with TPG’s Calculator
Use the reward calendar
If you have flexible travel dates, you can use Marriott Bonvoy’s calendar search to find cheaper award dates for your desired property. To use the calendar search, select “Flexible Dates” when you start an award search on Marriott’s website.
Click on ‘Search Hotels’ and then select ‘View prices’ for the accommodation of your choice. Doing so will load a rewards calendar that you can view from month to month.
As you can see in the example above, if I wanted to stay at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel in February, I would only be able to redeem 45,000 or even 76,000 Marriott points for a one-night stay. So if you have flexible dates for your getaway or stay, you may be able to get a lower reward rate.
Related: How to Use Awayz to Improve Your Hotel Price Searches
Plan a journey around an exceptional redemption
You can also maximize Marriott Award night redemptions by planning trips around specific redemptions. For example, one of my favorite splurges was when I booked two off-peak nights with 70,000 points at Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai, shortly before Marriott dropped its price lists.
Even now, at Al Maha you can find rates with flexible cancellation policies that you can book for as little as 82,000 points or $1,311 per night. Redeeming points at this rate will give you a redemption value of 1.6 cents per point, almost double TPG’s valuation of 0.84 cents per point.
It’s a lot of points, but based on my experience at the property – which includes meals and two activities per person, per day for overnight guests – I’d confidently say it’s worth spending two or three nights if you are looking for a unique, unforgettable experience and enjoy outdoor desert activities.
Related: From an overwater villa in the Maldives to a private island: 8 luxury hotels you can book with points
Use your free nights strategically
Finally, you can maximize Marriott award night redemptions by using your free night awards strategically. For example, if I have a free night worth up to 35,000 points from my Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® credit card or Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® CardI will look for opportunities to use this overnight well before the expiration date.
I normally look for one-night stays that would otherwise cost me around 35,000 points, although you can top up certificates with up to 15,000 points through your account.
However, it may make sense to check the award costs per night for other stays and consider applying a free night award to one night instead of redeeming points. You want to look for a night with a redemption fee of 35,000 points or less.
However, don’t apply a free night to a five-night stay booked with Marriott points, as this would mean you won’t get the Stay for 5, Pay for 4 offer.
Most Marriott credit cards offer a free night award on your account anniversary each year, but you can also select a free night award worth up to 40,000 points as a Marriott Choice benefit each calendar year in which you have 75 or more elite collects night credits.
Related: Which Credit Card Should You Use for Marriott Stays?
In short
As you can see, there are many ways to maximize Marriott award redemptions. If you follow the suggestions in this guide, including using the Stay for 5, Pay for 4 offer, you’ll easily get your money’s worth when redeeming Marriott points.