The complete guide to earning Marriott elite status with credit cards

While your savings will depend on how often you travel, elite status perks can easily save you hundreds — or even thousands — of dollars each year. So why not start ahead every year just by opening a credit card?

The Marriott Bonvoy program has the largest footprint worldwide, with more than 8,500 properties in almost 140 countries. Breaking it down, there are five levels of elite status, three of which one can earn with a credit card:

• ​​Silver Elite: 10 elite nights
• Gold Elite: 25 elite nights
• Platinum Elite: 50 elite nights
• Titanium Elite: 75 elite nights
• Ambassador Elite: 100 elite nights plus $23,000 in annual qualifying spending

Let's take a closer look at how you can earn Marriott elite status with credit cards, all the way up to Titanium Elite.

Earning Marriott elite qualifying nights

One of the coveted perks of Marriott cobranded cards is the automatic elite night credits you receive each year just by holding a card, typically between 5 and 25 nights.

Better yet, you can stack elite nights by holding both a personal and business Marriott card. For example, if you have a business card that offers 15 elite nights and a personal card that offers 25, you'll start the year with 40 elite qualifying nights earned from credit cards alone. That's just 35 nights away from Titanium Elite status.

However, it's important to note that you can't stack elite nights from multiple personal cards — only one will count. Further, you must be the primary cardholder on a business and consumer card to combine them.

Here's how many elite nights you'll earn with each Marriott cobranded card:

*The information for these cards has been collected independently 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 can earn Silver Elite status with 10 elite qualifying nights. The status tier is included with the following cards:

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.

The tier includes enhanced amenities such as space-available room upgrades, a welcome gift and 25% more points back (available for qualifying rates). Gold Elite status can go a long way, even if you are an infrequent guest at Marriott properties.

Travelers can achieve Marriott Gold status through numerous credit cards, including:

Related: Guide to Marriott and Hilton elite status with the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum

Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite

Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite is the third tier in the Bonvoy program, and you can reach it after passing 50 elite qualifying nights in a calendar year.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant cardholders receive complimentary Platinum Elite status, unlocking premium perks without the stay requirement. With elite perks such as annual Choice Benefits, enhanced room upgrades, a dedicated support line and free breakfast at select properties, one can quickly come out ahead with money and time saved.

There are two ways to earn Platinum Elite status by holding a credit card: Hit spending thresholds or be a Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express cardmember.

Related: Marriott Platinum Elite benefits, and how you can earn this valuable status

Spending on the Bonvoy Boundless card

One final way to earn elite qualifying nights through credit cards is to reach higher spending on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card.

For every $5,000 spent on the card, you can accrue 1 elite qualifying night. While $5,000 is a lot, it may help if you are close to your next status before your next trip. It also should be noted that there are no caps on this perk, so you can spend your way to Titanium Elite status if you have enough expenses.

Paired with a Bonvoy Business and Bonvoy Brilliant card, you could spend $175,000 on your Bonvoy Boundless card to earn Titanium Elite status. That's a lot of spending, but it could make sense if you have a lot of reimbursable business expenses or otherwise need to spend a lot of money on a credit card.

However, there's a large opportunity cost associated with spending on the Boundless card. For example, spending $5,000 earns just 10,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, worth $70 per TPG's June 2025 valuations. By comparison, if you put that same spend on a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to earn 2 Capital One miles per dollar spent, you'd earn 10,000 Capital One miles, worth $185 according to our valuations.

With that in mind, you should only spend on your Boundless card if you're just a few nights short of the next elite status tier. Otherwise, you might be giving up significant value.

It's also worth noting that the Marriott Bonvoy Premier Credit Card — no longer open to new applicants — earns 1 elite night credit per $3,000 spent.

Related: Marriott Bonvoy: How to earn and redeem points, elite status and more

Other ways to earn Marriott elite nights

Don't forget — award nights and free night certificates also count toward elite status.

So, whether you redeem Marriott points or use the free night certificates included with many cobranded credit cards, every night moves you closer to your desired elite status tier.

So, when mapping out your Marriott elite status qualification strategy, be sure to factor in any free night awards you plan to use. If you have three free night certificates from various Marriott cobranded credit cards, consider that three nights closer to your next Marriott elite status tier.

Related: Comparing the best hotel elite status tiers and how to earn them in 2025

Bottom line

Starting the year with zero elite qualifying nights can feel daunting, but it doesn't have to be — by strategically holding Marriott cobranded credit cards, you can start each year with up to 40 elite qualifying nights in your account.

While that may require paying a few annual fees, the perks and savings unlocked through elite status can easily outweigh the cost, potentially saving you thousands of dollars each year.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Business Platinum card, click here.