If you’re planning a trip, whether it’s to a major city, a small town or an international destination, odds are good you’ll have the option to stay at a Marriott property. There are over 7,000 Marriotts in over 130 countries around the world, which makes it a smart move to get and keep elite status in Marriott's rewards program, called Bonvoy.

In addition to some fairly standard benefits, Bonvoy also offers unique and under-the-radar opportunities that can really help you maximize your points. Here are some of the best Marriott Bonvoy benefits.

Best Marriott Bonvoy perks

1. Elite status levels are rewarding from the moment you sign-up

One of the best ways to make your overall travel experience more enjoyable is to earn elite hotel status. The benefits of Marriott Bonvoy elite status start immediately upon sign-up and get more valuable and luxurious as you move up through the five levels.

Member:

Free to join.

Earned by simply signing up.

Highlights include free Wi-Fi and access to discounted member rates.

Silver Elite:

Earned after staying 10 qualifying nights in a year.

Highlights include free Wi-Fi, a 10% points bonus on stays and priority late checkout.

Gold Elite:

Earned after staying 25 qualifying nights in a year.

Automatically earned with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card or The Platinum Card® from American Express. Terms apply.

Highlights include complimentary enhanced Wi-Fi, a 25% points bonus on stays, 2 p.m. priority late checkout (based on availability), an elite reservation line, space-available upgrades (excluding suites) and a welcome gift of extra points.

Platinum Elite:

Earned after staying 50 qualifying nights in a year.

Automatically earned with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. Terms apply.

In addition to Gold Elite benefits, highlights include an increase to a 50% points bonus on stays, 4 p.m. priority late checkout, space-available upgrades (including suites), lounge access, a reservation guarantee, an annual Choice Benefit, and a welcome gift of points, a breakfast offering or an amenity.

Titanium Elite:

Earned after staying 75 qualifying nights in a year.

In addition to Platinum Elite benefits, highlights include an increase to a 75% bonus on stays, a second annual Choice Benefit and United Airlines Premier Silver Status.

Ambassador Elite

Earned after spending 100+ nights in a year and $20,000 at qualifying Marriott properties.

In addition to Titanium Elite benefits, highlights include Ambassador Service (a benefit that allows you to get personal service with your stays) and Your24 concierge services, the ability to check in any time you want and check out 24 hours later.

2. Points are easy to earn

As a Bonvoy member, you’ll earn a generous amount of points on paid stays, from a 10% bonus as a Silver Elite to a 75% bonus as a Titanium or Ambassador Elite.

In addition, there are several Marriott branded credit cards that can boost your points-earning power: the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card all offer welcome bonuses in addition to points-earning each time you spend on the card. Terms apply.

To round out the points in your Bonvoy account, you can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards® points and AmEx Membership Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy.

3. Points are easy to use

Marriott has a wide range of properties worldwide, from luxury to budget-friendly, so it’s likely you’ll find something that’s just right for you. Also, since award nights start at just 5,000 points per night, you can snap up an award stay fairly easily.

4. You can exchange points for airline miles

You can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to over 40 airline partners across every major alliance. Points transfer at a 3:1 ratio for most programs, so if you transfer 3,000 Marriott points, you’ll get 1,000 airline miles.