Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, I may receive a small commission (for which I am very grateful for) at no extra cost to you.

As we are wrapping up the end of the year, you might be taking a look at your airline and hotel status and wondering if it is worth it to push to the next level before the year end. For Marriott status in particular, this could mean the difference between lounge access and not which can make a huge difference for most. In this blog post we will cover how to earn Marriott status outside of just staying at the hotels.

For those of you that are new to the concept of hotel and airline status, airline status tends to be more intuitive as to why you might want it. For hotels however, you get upgraded rooms, additional perks, and the ability to earn more points per dollar spent. This gets you to your next free vacation faster. It definitely helps being loyal.

Let’s start with the basics

1. Join the Marriott Bonvoy Rewards Program through a Referral

Now you are probably reading this article as someone already signed up for the Marriott Bonvoy Rewards Program, but if you are not yet signed up, this is your first step to learn how to earn Marriott status. If you are referred by someone who is already a member, you are eligible to receive 2,000 bonus points for your first 5 paid stays. The person who referred you is also eligible for 2,000 bonus points for each of your first 5 paid stays as well. This is a win-win for you and the person who referred you. Looking for someone to refer you? Reach out to me via email (found under “Contact US” on this website and I would be happy to refer you.

2. Refer your friends to Marriott Bonvoy

If you skipped #1 as you are already a Marriott Bonvoy member, know that you can refer up to 5 friends per calendar year to the Marriott Bonvoy program. While step #2 is not going to help you with how to earn Marriott status, it will help you gain points.

Here’s how the Reward a Friend program works:

• Send invitations to your friends.
• They receive 2,000 points per stay, up to 10,000 Marriott points
• You receive 2,000 points for each time they stay, up to 10,000 Marriott points for a maximum of 5 referrals per year. That’s 50,000 extra Marriott points!

3. Get a Marriott Co-Branded credit card

If you are looking for how to earn Marriott status, the quickest way will be via a Marriott credit card. Although it isn’t a requirement for travel hacking it is one of the easiest ways to boost your points account. Many travel hackers have maintained excellent credit scores while applying for and being approved for multiple cards per year.

The card that I have personally is the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card by Chase. The current deal is that after spending $3,000 in the first three months, you would earn 3 free night stays. This credit card also gets you automatic Silver Status with Marriott which helps you earn points at a higher rate and it also gets you 15 elite night credits which are critical for obtaining higher tier Marriott status.

DISCLAIMER: I do get a referral if you click on the link to sign up for this card, but it does not change your bonus points you earn, so hey I would appreciate it!

4. Plan a meeting at Marriott

Getting down to crunch time and still trying to figure out how to earn Marriott status? Plan a meeting,

These meetings are called Marriott Rewarding Events and will get you 10 free elite nights with your first planned event.

5. Choosing Elite Nights as a Choice Benefit

One of the perks when Marriott and Starwood merged that Marriott adopted was the Choice Benefits. Depending on the status you are going for this can put you over the edge to hitting your next status level.

You get to make a choice benefit both when you hit 50 nights (Platinum) and 75 nights (Titanium). This can be especially relevant if you hit 50 nights but have a hard time hitting 75.

If your goal is Titanium but you are at Platinum, choosing an extra 5 elite nights may be the way you find out how to earn Marriott status.

Are you a Marriott Bonvoy Elite member? Where is your status taking you next?

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