Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to redeem booking-platform rewards at checkout
Booking-platform rewards are the points or credits held in a travel or hotel loyalty account that you apply to a booking at the point of payment, either as a part-payment against the cash price or by choosing an award rate in the search results. American Express Travel applies Membership Rewards through Pay with Points, which has a minimum redemption of 5,000 points and issues a statement credit for the dollar amount the points cover. [7] Marriott Bonvoy applies rewards during booking through Cash + Points rates, PointSavers rates and free-night awards at participating hotels. [4]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- There are two redemption routes: a part-payment applied after the booking is priced, and an award rate selected in the search results before checkout. [4] [7]
- On American Express Travel, Pay with Points has a minimum redemption of 5,000 points, and any part of the price the points do not cover stays on the card. [7]
- Marriott Bonvoy's Cash + Points and PointSavers rates are picked from hotel search results that display those rates, while free-night awards are applied during booking. [4]
- Not every booking qualifies: non-prepaid hotels and non-prepaid car rentals fall outside Pay with Points on American Express Travel. [7]
How do you pay with points at checkout?
Membership Rewards Pay with Points is used by charging an eligible purchase through American Express Travel to a Membership Rewards programme-enrolled American Express Card. [7] Points are then debited from the Membership Rewards account, and a credit for the corresponding dollar amount is issued to the card account used for the booking. [7] If the points redeemed do not cover the entire amount, the balance of the purchase price remains on the card account. [7] The minimum redemption is 5,000 points. [7]
A separate route is Insider Fares, which appear in AmexTravel.com search results only when an eligible Card Member is logged in and holds enough Membership Rewards points for the entire fare; otherwise the publicly available fares display. [7] These fares are available on select flights only, and the whole purchase must be covered with points. [7] The fare amount is charged to the card and a credit for the same amount is issued, while the required points are deducted from the Membership Rewards balance. [7]
How do Cash + Points and award rates work on hotel bookings?
Marriott Bonvoy lets members redeem points for stays, experiences and other rewards at participating locations across more than 30 hotel brands and 10,000 destinations. [4] For a Cash + Points booking, the steps are fixed: select "Use Points/Awards" in the hotel search, look for participating hotels that display available Cash + Points rates, then select the "Cash + Points" rate from the list to book the stay. [4]
PointSavers works the same way but offers up to 20% off at participating hotels, and the rate is selected from the list of hotels showing PointSavers availability. [4] Free Night Awards are redeemable at thousands of properties worldwide with varying point values and are applied during booking; free-night stays start at 12,000 points per night as of 18 October 2026. [4]
Upgrades follow two different timings. Room upgrades bought with points or cash are available at select hotels and resorts and the award is applied during booking. [4] A Nightly Upgrade Award is requested after booking from the Confirmation or Reservation Details page and is available to Gold Elite members and above. [4]
What minimums and exclusions apply?
Thresholds and eligible bookings are set per programme, so a rule that applies to one route does not carry over to another. [4] [7]
| Redemption route | Programme | Stated condition |
|---|---|---|
| Pay with Points | American Express Travel | Minimum 5,000 points; non-prepaid hotels and non-prepaid car rentals are excluded [7] |
| Insider Fares | AmexTravel.com | Entire fare must be covered with points; shown only when logged in with sufficient points [7] |
| Cash + Points rate | Marriott Bonvoy | Available at participating hotels that display a Cash + Points rate [4] |
| PointSavers rate | Marriott Bonvoy | Up to 20% off at participating hotels [4] |
| Free Night Award | Marriott Bonvoy | Stays starting at 12,000 points per night, with point values varying by property [4] |
Exceptions and limits
- Excluded booking types. Pay with Points applies to eligible purchases through American Express Travel, and non-prepaid car rentals and non-prepaid hotels are expressly excluded. [7]
- Point earnings on redeemed spend. Any portion of a charge covered through redemption of points is not eligible to receive points. [7] Eligible travel purchases on AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App earn at least one additional Membership Rewards point per dollar, but Corporate Card Members are not eligible for that additional point, and Platinum and Business Platinum Card Members receive only one additional point on cruise reservations. [7] Additional points are credited 10-12 weeks after final payment. [7]
- Non-cash, non-combinable hotel benefits. Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated, and they must be used during the stay booked. [7]
- Award availability varies. Marriott's free-night awards carry varying point values across properties, and room upgrades bought with points or cash are offered only at select hotels and resorts. [4]
Frequently asked questions
Can you pay only part of a booking with points?
Yes on American Express Travel: if the points redeemed do not cover the full amount, the remaining balance stays on the card account, subject to the 5,000-point minimum. [7] Marriott Bonvoy offers a comparable part-payment structure through Cash + Points rates at participating hotels. [4]
Do you earn points on the part of a booking paid with points?
No. Any portion of a charge that you elect to cover through redemption of points is not eligible to receive points. [7]
Can Insider Fares be booked with a partial points balance?
No. Insider Fares require enough Membership Rewards points for the entire fare and are available on select flights only; without sufficient points the publicly available fares display instead. [7]
When do you apply a hotel award — during or after booking?
Cash + Points rates, PointSavers rates, free-night awards and room upgrades bought with points or cash are applied during booking, while a Nightly Upgrade Award is requested afterwards from the Confirmation or Reservation Details page. [4]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Marriott Bonvoy and American Express Travel are covered here; One Key, Trip.com and Agoda Rewards are not covered.
- Marriott Bonvoy: Redeem your points, Cash + Points, PointSavers and free nights, checked 18 October 2026
- American Express Travel: Pay with Points, Insider Fares and hotel programme terms, checked 18 October 2026