Late checkout can really make a difference whether you have a late flight or just want to squeeze in another day of sightseeing before heading home. However, late checkout availability can be unpredictable. At many hotels, the decision is left up to the front desk. Even for top-tier elite status members of certain hotel loyalty programs, late checkout can be subject to availability.

Marriott is one of a few hotel brands that offer late checkout for all elite members. Best of all, travelers can lock in a guaranteed 4 p.m. Marriott late checkout after spending as few as 20 hotel nights at Marriott hotels or $75,000 on certain Marriott credit cards.

Let's dig into how Marriott late checkout works and how to get one of the best hotel elite perks available.

When Marriott late checkout can really help

Each traveler's reason for caring about Marriott's late checkout can be different. Perhaps you'd like to use a late checkout to let your family enjoy the hotel pool before driving home. Or perhaps you want to take a shower after maximizing an extra day of sightseeing before taking an evening flight home.

For intercontinental travelers, late checkout can help them avoid spending more time at the airport and potentially help them adjust to a new timezone. For example, many flights to Asia from the U.S. West Coast depart late in the evening. Similarly, flights returning to the U.S. from southern South America are typically red-eye flights departing late in the evening.

In each case, late checkout can mean sleeping longer in a comfortable bed before taking a red-eye flight.

How Marriott late checkout works for Bonvoy elites

Marriott offers all of its Bonvoy elite members a chance at late checkout. However, you'll need to achieve at least Platinum Elite status before earning guaranteed late checkout at Marriott.

Silver Elite members are offered priority only when requesting late checkout. That means the decision is still up to the hotel front desk, but you at least have a better chance than if you didn't have status at all.

Gold Elite members get a 2 p.m. late checkout. While at least Marriott publishes this time — unlike the Silver Elite benefit — this perk is still based on availability.

Platinum Elite status is the real sweet spot. Once you reach this tier of elite status, you're guaranteed a 4 p.m. late checkout at Marriott hotels — with a couple of important exceptions. Resorts, convention hotels and Design Hotels don't have to honor Marriott's late checkout guarantee. At these properties, late checkout is subject to availability.

The only way to get an even later checkout at Marriott hotels is to reach Ambassador Elite status. After earning 100 Elite Night Credits and spending $20,000 in qualifying spend in a calendar year, Bonvoy members earn Ambassador Elite status and the "Your24" perk. This benefit lets Ambassador Elite members choose a specific check-in time with checkout set for the same time on the day of departure. That means members can choose to check in at 6 p.m. and check out at 6 p.m. on their day of departure.

Brand exceptions to Marriott late checkout

Some Marriott brands don't participate in the Bonvoy program. That's a nice way of saying that they don't provide all of the perks of Bonvoy elite status.

Some of these exceptions are understandable, such as any "residences" properties. Since these aren't traditional hotel rooms, owners need to prepare the residence for the next guests. That means granting late checkout to elite members could limit the next guest's ability to check-in.

Other Marriott late checkout brand exceptions include:

Marriott Vacation Club.

Marriott Grand Residence Club.

Vistana Network properties.

Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties.

How to shortcut your way to Marriott elite status

Marriott provides plenty of shortcuts to Bonvoy elite status. Simply by being a holder of certain cards, you can get Silver Elite or Gold Elite status. Even Platinum Elite status is achievable through spending on certain cards.

You can get Silver Elite status by being a cardmember of one of the following Marriott co-branded cards:

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card.

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card.

To get Marriott Gold Elite status, become a cardmember of one of the following AmEx cards:

The Platinum Card® from American Express.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card.

Only one card gives cardmembers Platinum Elite Status: the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.

Just keep in mind that enrollment is required for certain AmEx cardmember benefits. Terms apply.

Get guaranteed Marriott late checkout with Platinum Elite status

If you want to guarantee 4 p.m. late checkout at Marriott, you need to get at least Marriott Platinum Elite status. Doing so requires earning 50 Elite Night Credits.

Spending 50 nights in hotels may seem out of reach for many travelers. However, you don't actually need to spend 50 nights in a Marriott hotel to earn Platinum Elite status. Travelers can use Marriott co-branded credit cards to shortcut their way to this goal — or earn Platinum Elite status from spending alone.

Shortcut your way to Platinum Elite status

In addition to automatic elite status, Marriott co-branded credit cards offer 15 Elite Night Credits as a benefit of being a cardholder. These Elite Night Credits can help boost you toward an even higher elite status level. Unfortunately, this benefit isn't stackable. You can't sign up for three Marriott cards and get 45 Elite Night Credits.

However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Marriott changed the rules to allow Bonvoy members the chance to earn up to 30 Elite Night Credits from credit cards if the member holds both a personal and a business co-branded card. That means you can get the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card and a personal Marriott co-branded card — such as the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card — to earn a total of 30 Elite Night Credits.

Then, you just need to earn 20 nights from Marriott hotel stays to earn Platinum Elite status. By taking advantage of promotions offering double elite nights, you can earn those credits in even fewer nights. Terms apply.

Spending your way to Platinum Elite status

Only one Marriott co-branded card that's currently available to new cardholders lets you spend your way to Platinum Elite status. Cardholders of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card will earn Platinum Elite status after making $75,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year.

Likewise, cardholders of the no-longer-available Ritz-Carlton Card will earn Platinum Elite status by spending $75,000 in a calendar year.

If you want to get Marriott late checkout

Bonvoy elite status is the key to getting late checkout at Marriott properties. Entry-level Silver Elite members get priority late checkout. Gold Elite travelers are eligible for 2 p.m. late checkout when available, and you can get Gold Elite status as a perk of several premium credit cards.

To guarantee late checkout at most Marriott hotels, you'll want to earn at least Platinum Elite status. This 50-night elite status level may seem out of reach at first, but travelers can shortcut their way to this status by using Marriott co-branded credit cards.

Information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.