How do I use a Marriott free night certificate?

Marriott points expire after 24 months of inactivity. That means two consecutive years without earning or redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points will result in the loss of any unredeemed points.

You can check to see when your Marriott points will expire by signing into your Marriott Bonvoy account and looking up Account Activity. Clicking on “Latest Activity” will tell you the date of your last qualifying transaction. Just add two years to that date to find your Marriott points expiration date.… read full answer

Once points have expired, they cannot be reinstated. But Marriott rewards members can earn new points after losing some to expiration.

To keep your Bonvoy points from expiring, you only need one qualifying activity every two years. Fortunately, there are many qualifying activities that require minimal effort or cost. Read on to learn more about how you can keep your Marriott Bonvoy account active and make sure you don’t lost your hard-earned points.

Here are some ways to keep Marriott Bonvoy points from expiring:

• Stay at any Marriott hotel. Earning or redeeming points at a Marriott hotel is one of the most straightforward ways to keep your account active.
• Make a purchase with a Marriott co-branded credit card at least once every 24 months.
• Transfer points to airline miles. Converting your points to miles or converting miles to points with any of Marriott’s 40+ airline partners will count as a qualifying activity.
• Earn Marriott points with program partners like Hertz or Cruises Only.
• Book an activity through Marriott, such as a culinary experience or tour.
• Book a qualifying event or meeting through the Rewarding Events Program.
• Donate points to eligible charitable organizations.
• Purchase points.

While it is fairly easy to keep your Marriott account active through these qualifying activities, there are a few activities that will not reset your points expiration date. These activities include gifting or transferring points to other Marriott members, receiving points as a transfer or gift, and earning points through social media programs/promotions, such as #BonvoyPoints.

Marriott Bonvoy members earn 10 points per $1 spent on stays at most Marriott properties. A $100 hotel stay earns 1,000 Marriott points, for example. There are some exceptions to this rate, however. Members earn 5 points per $1 spent during stays at Element, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites properties. Plus, staying at Marriott Executive Apartments and Execustay will earn you 2.5 points per $1 spent and one elite night credit for every three nights stayed.… read full answer

You can earn even more points per night if you have Marriott Bonvoy Elite status. The higher the status tier, the more bonus points you earn.

Marriott rewards points earned per night by status tier:

• Members: 10 points per $1 spent
• Silver Elite: 11 points per $1 spent
• Gold Elite: 12.5 points per $1 spent
• Platinum Elite: 15 points per $1 spent
• Titanium Elite: 17.5 points per $1 spent
• Ambassador Elite: 17.5 points per $1 spent

Those earning rates apply to most Marriott Bonvoy brands. It's also worth noting that Bonvoy members don’t just earn points on the cost of a room. You can also earn points on qualifying hotel purchases, such as dining, beverages, rounds of golf, and spa services. And all the points you earn on your stays can be applied to your next Marriott stay – free nights start at 5,000 points.