Best Marriott Credit Cards

Yes, a Marriott credit card is worth getting if you're a frequent traveler who mainly uses Marriott hotels as accommodation. These cards offer the highest rewards rate for Marriott stays and their points are worth more when they are redeemed for Marriott reservations.

If you're not a frequent Marriott guest, though, you can apply for a good overall travel rewards credit card instead.

Marriott points are worth 0.91 cents each, on average. That means 10,000 Marriott points have a value of about $91. Plus, Marriott points are worth about the same amount as the average hotel points, which are worth roughly 0.95 cents each.

It's important to remember that the value of Marriott points depends on how they are redeemed. They have the most value when used for Marriott Bonvoy hotel reservations. You can easily calculate the value of Marriott points for any redemption method, though.

How to Earn More Marriott Points

One of the best ways to increase the number of Marriott points that you earn is to apply for a Marriott credit card. That can also help you reach a higher status tier in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, further boosting your earning potential.

Marriott Points vs. The Competition

How to Calculate the Value of Marriott Points

The easiest way to calculate the value of Marriott points is to determine the dollar value of what you're redeeming for, minus any taxes and fees that you'll still have to pay, and then divide that amount by the number of points you're required to redeem. For your convenience, here's the formula:

Dollar Value of Redemption Item / Number of Marriott Points Needed = Marriott Point Value

The credit score you need  for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card is 700+. That means people with good credit or better have a shot at getting approved for this credit card.

You should note that while your credit score is an important factor, there are plenty of other things that will impact your chances of being approved for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, too. Some other key criteria include your income, existing debt load, number of open accounts, recent credit inquiries, employment status and housing status.

Since all these criteria are taken into consideration, you might be able to get approved with a slightly lower credit score. But it's best to wait to apply until you meet the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit score requirement. You can check your credit score for free on WalletHub.

50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points are worth an average of $455, according to WalletHub data. You will get the best value for your Marriott Bonvoy points when you redeem them for Marriott reservations, but you can also redeem them for flights, car rentals, cruises and others.

How Much Marriott Bonvoy Points Are Worth

You can see the point values for these specific redemption options on any given day by logging in to your Marriott Bonvoy account and clicking on “Redeem Points.”

Keep in mind that Marriott has the ability to change the value of your Marriott Bonvoy points at any time. To minimize the risk of having a large number of points devalued, you should aim to redeem them often.

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.

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.

The American Express Platinum card Marriott benefit offers complimentary Gold Elite Status in the Marriott Bonvoy hotel loyalty program, giving American Express Platinum card cardholders extra bonus points during each stay, complimentary room upgrades (when available), 2 p.m. late checkout (when available) and more.  American Express Platinum card cardholders must activate the Gold Elite Status upgrade in order to be eligible for the benefits.

Here's how the American Express Platinum card Marriott benefit works:

• What you get: Complimentary Gold Elite Status in the Marriott Bonvoy hotel loyalty program. This comes with extra bonus points during each stay, room upgrades (when available), 2 p.m. late checkout (when available), complimentary in-room fast internet access, welcome gift of points at arrival, and more.
• How to get it: You must enroll in the program and activate the Gold Elite Status upgrade to be eligible for the benefits. To activate, log in to your online account and, from the benefits tab, click the Marriott Bonvoy benefits page. When prompted, enter your Marriott account information. If you don't have a Marriott account, you can create one for free on the Marriott Bonvoy Once you've verified the information is correct, the benefit will be activated immediately. To earn points, you must book stays directly with Marriott.
• Expiry: You will maintain Gold Elite Status without needing to meet required criteria asl long as your American Express Platinum card account is open and American Express continues to offer this benefit.

The American Express Platinum card Marriott benefit is quite valuable if you stay at Marriott properties more than a few times a year. The benefit also includes both the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) and Ritz-Carlton Rewards programs. Without the benefit, you'd need to spend at least 25 nights at Marriott hotels to qualify for Gold status. Just bear in mind that cardholders must book stays directly with Marriott, not through a third-party website, to earn Gold status benefits.

The American Express Platinum card is a great travel credit card with travel perks that go beyond Marriott properties. If you're a frequent traveler who favors Marriott, feel free to also take a look at our editors' picks for some of the best Marriott credit cards.

The credit score needed for a Marriott credit card is in the 700 to 850 range. This means applicants need good to excellent credit to be approved for a Marriott credit card. The higher your credit score is, the better your approval odds will be.

Credit Score Needed for a Marriott Credit Card:

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Good credit
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: Good credit
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Good credit
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Good credit
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card: Good credit

It is worth noting, though, that your credit score isn't the only thing that the issuer will take into account while considering your application. Several other factors like your credit history, your income and any potential debt you might have will ultimately determine your creditworthiness.

No, there is no Sheraton credit card. However, there are credit cards that offer rewards on Sheraton stays, such as the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. This card offers 6 points / $1 spent on Sheraton purchases. The card also offers 3 Free Nights for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. Sheraton is a Marriott property, as is SPG. Plus, the rewards you earn with any of the Marriott-affiliated credit cards can get you free nights at Sheraton hotels.

While those are valuable benefits for frequent Sheraton guests, you may get more value overall with a general travel rewards card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

Some of the best credit cards for Sheraton stays:

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card offers 6 points / $1 spent on Sheraton/Marriot/SPG purchases and 2 points / $1 on all other purchases. In addition, you can earn 3 Free Nights for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.

The card comes with a $0 foreign transaction fee and a $95 annual fee. You need at least good credit for approval.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers 60,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. Points are  transferrable to Marriott Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. In addition, you can earn 5 points per $1 spent on travel purchased through Chase, 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases, 3 points per $1 on dining and online grocery purchases, 3 points per $1 on select streaming services, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.

The card comes with a $0 foreign transaction fee and a $95 annual fee. You need at least good credit for approval.

The Capital One Venture Card offers 75,000 miles for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. In addition, you can earn 5 miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per $1 on all other purchases.

The card comes with a $0 foreign transaction fee and a $95 annual fee. You need at least good credit for approval.

The Marriott Bonvoy Business Credit Card offers 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. In addition, you can earn 6 points per $1 spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, 4 points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and U.S. gas stations, 4 points per $1 on U.S. wireless phone services and U.S. shipping, as well as 2 points per $1 on all other purchases.

The card comes with a 0% foreign transaction fee and a $125 annual fee. You need at least Good credit for approval.

What to know before applying for a hotel credit card:

Any of the Marriott cards can function well as a Sheraton credit card because they provide big initial bonus offers, a free night each year, and a high rewards rate on Sheraton purchases.

If you're going to use your credit card for international travel, you'll want a card that's widely accepted worldwide. Mastercard and Visa cards, including some Marriott cards and both Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture, are accepted in more than 200 countries.

You can use your Marriott free night certificate to pay for a stay at a participating Marriott property online. All you have to do is log in to your Marriott Rewards account and follow the on-screen instructions. Just note that you only have 12 months to use a Marriott free night certificate before it expires.

How to Use a Marriott Free Night Certificate

1. Log in to your Marriott Rewards account. 
2. Fill out your destination, select your travel dates, and the number of rooms and guests.
3. Check the "Use Points/Awards " box if it's not automatically selected.
4. Click on "Find Hotels".
5. Select your desired hotel by clicking the "View Rates" option.
6. Select your desired room.
7. Under "Review Reservation Details" you will be given the option to select any available free night certificate(s).
8. Review your reservation details and click "Book Now" to confirm your reservation.

There are no blackout dates for Marriott free night certificates. But if a problem occurs during your booking, you can always call the number on the back of your Marriott credit card for help.

Notable Marriott Credit Cards that Offer Free Night Awards

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card gives 3 Free Nights for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, it offers another free night certificate (valued up to 35,000) every account anniversary.

The card's annual fee is $95 and it requires at least good for approval.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card offers a free night award certificate (valued up to 85,000 points) every account anniversary. The card's annual fee is $650 and it requires at least good for approval.

The Marriott Bonvoy Business Credit Card offers a free night award certificate (valued up to 35,000 points) every account anniversary, plus an additional one for spending $60K in purchases in a calendar year. The card's annual fee is $125 and it requires at least good for approval.

Ultimately, it is worth mentioning that you can use your free night certificate at any hotel or resort participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, including a portfolio of 30 brands worldwide. Just keep in mind that it takes 8-12 weeks for the certificate to be deposited into your Marriott Bonvoy account.

The best hotel credit card with no annual fee is the IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card because it offers 2 - 5 points per $1 spent on purchases. You can also earn an initial bonus of 80,000 points for spending $2,000 in the first 3 months with this card. Plus, the IHG Traveler Card has a $0 foreign transaction fee, in addition to its $0 annual fee.

Best Hotel Credit Cards with No Annual Fee

Initial bonus: 80,000 points for spending $2,000 in the first 3 months

Ongoing Rewards: 5 points per $1 spent at IHG hotels, 3 points per $1 at gas stations and restaurants, utilities internet, cable, phone services, select streaming services, as well as 2 points per $1 on all other purchases

Other perks: Receive automatic Silver Elite status. Also, get the 4th night free when you book a standard room for 4 or more consecutive nights at IHG hotels with points.

Credit requirement: At least good credit (700+ credit score recommended)

Initial bonus: 70,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points and a Free Night Reward after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months

Ongoing Rewards: 7 Hilton Honors Bonus Points $1 spent at hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio, 5 points per $1 at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations, and 3 points per $1 on all other purchases

Other perks: Receive complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status. Spend $20,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year to earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.

Credit requirement: At least good credit (700+ credit score recommended)

Initial bonus: 30,000 points for spending $1,000 in the first 3 months

Ongoing Rewards: 3 points per $1 spent at participating Marriott hotels, 2 points per $1 on other travel purchases, 1 point per $1 on all other purchases

Other perks: Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatically qualifying you for Silver Elite status.

Credit requirement: At least good credit (700+ credit score recommended)

Initial bonus: 45,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days

Ongoing Rewards: 5 points per $1 spent on Wyndham hotel purchases and gas purchases, 2 points per $1 spent on dining and groceries, and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases

Intro APR on Purchases: 0% for 6 months, 20.74% - 29.99% (V) APR after that

Intro APR on Balance Transfers: 0% for 15 months, 20.74% - 29.99% (V) APR after that. There's a 5% (min $5) balance transfer fee.

Other perks: Automatically receive a Wyndham Rewards Gold membership. Also, get free nights faster with a 10% discount on reward nights.

Credit requirement: At least good credit (700+ credit score recommended)

Initial bonus: 40,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months

Ongoing Rewards: 3 points per $1 spent on Best Western purchases and 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases

Other perks: Automatically receive Best Western Rewards Gold Status.

Credit requirement: At least good credit (700+ credit score recommended)

How to Choose the Best Hotel Credit Card

To choose the best hotel credit card, you will first need to decide on your preferred hotel chains, then compare offers affiliated with those chains. If you don't want to be tied to specific hotel brands, compare general travel rewards credit cards instead.    

In either case, it's a good idea to compare the value of cards' rewards and other benefits with their fees. Opting for a hotel credit card or general travel rewards card with no annual fee could help you save hundreds of dollars per year, but you might be able to save even more with a card that offers higher rewards rates and charges a fee. Ultimately, the best card for you depends on how much you spend overall, what your top spending categories are, and how much cards with and without fees are likely to save you as a result.