Marriott Free Night Certificates: How 35K, 50K and 85K Awards Work
Updated · By the WanderWise editorial team
A Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Award — usually called a certificate — pays for one night at a hotel whose points price is at or below the certificate's level: 35,000, 50,000 or 85,000 points. Since March 12, 2026 you can add up to 25,000 points to one, up from 15,000 (One Mile at a Time, NerdWallet).
The three certificates
| Certificate | Books nights up to | With 25K top-off | Points it replaces* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35K certificate | 35,000 points | 60,000 points | $245–$315 |
| 50K certificate | 50,000 points | 75,000 points | $350–$450 |
| 85K certificate | 85,000 points | 110,000 points | $595–$765 |
*What the certificate's full points level would be worth at our 0.7–0.9¢ valuation, if you use it on a night priced right at that level. Use it on a cheaper night and it is worth less: a certificate covers one night and gives no change.
How you earn a certificate
| Card | Annual fee | Certificate | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless (Chase) | $95 | 35K | Every account anniversary (One Mile at a Time) |
| Marriott Bonvoy Business (Amex) | $125 | 35K | Every account anniversary, plus a second award after $60,000 in purchases (The Points Guy) |
| Marriott Bonvoy Bevy (Amex) | $250 | 50K | After $15,000 in purchases in a calendar year (One Mile at a Time) |
| Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful (Chase) | $250 | 50K | After $15,000 in purchases in a calendar year (One Mile at a Time) |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant (Amex) | $650 | 85K | Every account anniversary (One Mile at a Time) |
| The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card (Chase) | — | 85K | Every year after the account anniversary (Chase says allow up to 8 weeks) (Chase) |
Elite status: a free night award is one of the Choice Benefit options when you reach 75 elite nights in a year (One Mile at a Time); Frequent Miler reported those as 40,000-point certificates (Frequent Miler). Welcome offers: co-branded card sign-up bonuses are sometimes paid as certificates — The Points Guy's July 2026 Bonvoy guide described a Boundless offer of three free night awards worth up to 50,000 points each (The Points Guy). Offers change often; check the issuer's current terms.
The rules that matter
- Top-off: up to 25,000 points. Raised from 15,000 on March 12, 2026, for all free night awards — card, promotion and Choice Benefit certificates alike (One Mile at a Time).
- Expiry: about 12 months, no extensions. Certificates are generally valid for a stay within 12 months of issue; the stay date must fall before expiry, and the expiration can't be extended (One Mile at a Time). Marriott has changed certificate expiry dates without notice before, so check yours in the account (Frequent Miler).
- Cancellation: the same policy as a points booking at that hotel (One Mile at a Time). Because expiry can't be extended, a cancellation close to the expiry date can leave you with a certificate you no longer have time to use.
- One night each. A certificate can't be split across two cheaper nights. Several certificates can cover back-to-back nights on one reservation (One Mile at a Time), and you can mix certificates and points on one stay (The Points Guy).
- Fifth night free doesn't apply to certificate nights. You need at least five nights paid with points on the reservation to get the cheapest night free (The Points Guy).
- Someone else's stay: a card-issued certificate can't be transferred or gifted and is meant for the primary cardmember's stay (One Mile at a Time). Frequent Miler says award reservations can be put in another guest's name by booking and then calling Marriott (Frequent Miler). Confirm with Marriott before relying on it.
- Resort fees still apply (The Points Guy).
Getting the most from any certificate
Marriott has had no award chart since 2022, so a certificate's value depends entirely on the night you put it on. Search your dates with points pricing turned on and use the certificate on the most expensive night in your stay that it (plus a top-off) can cover. Points you add are worth 0.7–0.9¢ each, so a top-off makes sense when it unlocks a night worth noticeably more than the points you spend.
Holding points to top one off? See what your balance adds: 10,000, 16,000, 20,000 or 25,000 points.
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Frequently asked questions
How much can you top off a Marriott free night certificate?
Up to 25,000 points per certificate since March 12, 2026, up from 15,000. One Mile at a Time reports the change applies to all free night awards, including those from co-branded cards, promotions and Choice Benefits. A 35,000-point certificate can then book a night up to 60,000 points, a 50,000-point certificate up to 75,000, and an 85,000-point certificate up to 110,000.
Do Marriott free night certificates expire?
Yes. One Mile at a Time says they are generally valid for a stay within 12 months of the date they were issued, the stay (not just the booking) must happen before the expiration date, and the expiration cannot be extended.
Do free night certificates count toward Marriott's fifth night free?
No. Marriott's Stay for 5, Pay for 4 terms, quoted by The Points Guy, exclude award stays using free night awards. You can still use certificates on the same reservation, but you need at least five nights paid with points to get the cheapest of those nights free.
Do Marriott free night certificates cover resort fees?
No. The Points Guy notes that if a hotel charges a resort fee, you still pay it on a night booked with a certificate.
More Marriott tools and guides:
- Marriott Points Value Calculator — value any balance by redemption type
- Marriott points value by balance — every balance page, 500 to 136,000 points
- How much are Marriott points worth? — our complete Bonvoy guide
- Marriott points redemption chart 2026 — why there is no chart, and the real ranges