Elite members in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program enjoy perks like free room upgrades, late checkout, bonus points and sometimes, free breakfast. But how do you become an elite member? Staying several nights in hotels to earn “elite night credits” — the most common way to earn status — isn’t an option for less-frequent travelers.

You don’t have to be a road warrior to earn status in Marriott Bonvoy. That’s because booking hotel rooms isn’t the only way to earn elite night credits. For instance, you can earn elite night credits by using a qualifying credit card, among other activities.

Here’s what you need to know about elite night credits and qualifying for elite status with Marriott.

An overview of Marriott elite night credits

Elite night credits qualify you to become an elite member in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program at one of the different tier levels, and can be earned by staying at participating properties. For example, if you stay one night at a participating Marriott hotel, you'll earn one elite night credit.

Earn 10 elite night credits and you become a Silver Elite member of the Bonvoy program. Stays paid for with points or cash earn elite night credits.

How many elite night credits do I need to earn status?

Marriott Bonvoy members can qualify (or requalify) for elite status by staying a certain number of nights per year (from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31) at Marriott family properties.

Silver Elite: 10 nights per year.

Gold Elite: 25 nights per year.

Platinum Elite: 50 nights per year.

Titanium Elite: 75 nights per year.

Ambassador Elite: 100 nights per year + $20,000 in qualifying spend.

The higher your elite status, the bigger the benefits. For example, Gold Elite members get a 25% bonus on the number of Marriott Bonvoy points they earn on paid stays. But Titanium Elite members get a 75% bonus.

Elite night credits also help you qualify for Bonvoy Lifetime Elite status, which means the Bonvoy points you earn never expire and you keep your elite status forever without having to requalify every year.

Here are the milestones for reaching Lifetime Elite status:

Lifetime Silver Elite: 250 lifetime nights + five years as Silver Elite status or higher.

Lifetime Gold Elite: 400 lifetime nights + seven years as Gold Elite status or higher.

Lifetime Platinum Elite: 600 lifetime nights + 10 years as Platinum Elite status or higher.

In 2020 and in 2021, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Marriott helped its existing elite members requalify for status by depositing elite night credits into their Bonvoy accounts. Members automatically got 50% of the credits they needed to maintain their previous year’s elite status. The spending threshold required for reaching Ambassador Elite status has been reduced to $14,000 in 2021 as well.

How to earn Marriott elite night credits

Besides staying at Marriott family hotels, there are several ways you can earn Marriott elite night credits.

Hold a co-branded credit card — or two

One of the easiest ways to earn Marriott elite night credits is by holding one or two of its co-branded credit cards, issued by American Express and Chase. All but one of these Marriott co-branded credit cards come with 15 elite night credits that are deposited to your account at the beginning of every calendar year automatically (the premium Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card card comes with 25). See below for options

Better yet, if you hold one personal credit card and one business card, you can get elite night credits from each card and earn up to 40 elite night credits total — enough to qualify out-right for Marriott Gold Elite status. Terms apply.