Marriott Rewards
Marriott Rewards is the loyalty (“rewards”) program offered by Marriott International, Inc. It provides exclusive membership privileges and opportunities to earn benefits for staying at Marriott brand hotels worldwide. Members receive benefits such as priority check-in, member-only specials and reward points or air miles that can be earned at all participating Marriott brand hotels.
Frequent travelers also can earn “elite level” benefits with Marriott Rewards, including upgrades, bonuses, special gifts and other exclusive privileges. There are four “elite” levels -- Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum Premier (the highest level) -– based on the number of nights stayed at Marriott hotels each year. Platinum Premier, although not officially listed, is said to be the top 3% of Marriott Rewards Platinum members based on the number of nights stayed at Marriott hotels each year and tenure in the Marriott Rewards program.
In addition to earning either points or miles for hotel stays, members can also receive Rewards points through partners such as SkyMall, Hertz, FTD.com and others. Members who apply for a Marriott Rewards VISA card earn points based on the amount they spend too, and are automatically upgraded to the Silver elite level.
Rewards points can be redeemed for any of over 250 reward options, including future hotel stays at Marriott brand hotels, merchandise, cruises, spa or golf packages, and more. Members who choose to earn miles can redeem them with over 30 U.S. and international airlines.
As of January 15, 2009, Marriott has eliminated blackout dates at nearly 2,900 Marriott hotels worldwide, which gives members flexibility to redeem points for hotel stays when and where they want.,
In 2009, Marriott Rewards earned 9 Freddie Awards, including Best Hotel Rewards Program. The Freddie Awards are hosted by Inside Flyer magazine, and recognize excellence in frequent traveler programs globally. Results are determined by reader surveys.