Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to book Marriott Bonvoy Cash + Points awards
Marriott Bonvoy Cash + Points is a Marriott Bonvoy award rate that lets a member pay for part of a hotel stay in cash and part with points at participating hotels that display a Cash + Points rate in a points-and-awards search [4]. The cash and points amounts that apply are the ones shown for the specific hotel and dates being booked [4].
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Cash + Points is a bookable rate: search with "Use Points/Awards", find a participating hotel showing cash + points availability, then pick the "Cash + Points" rate from the list [4].
- The cash and points figures are property- and date-specific; they are the amounts shown for that hotel in that search [4].
- The rate appears only where a participating hotel displays available cash + points rates [4], and some brands and properties do not take part in Marriott Bonvoy at all [1].
- An award stays valid unless it is cancelled after the points expiration date, and accounts need Qualifying Activity at least once every 24 months to keep points and awards [1].
What are Marriott Bonvoy Cash + Points awards?
Marriott Bonvoy is the loyalty programme of Marriott International, and Cash + Points is one of the ways members redeem Bonvoy points [1] [4]. In a Cash + Points booking, cash and points are used together on the same stay, which Marriott presents as a way to make a points balance go further [4].
It is one option among several on Marriott's redemption page. The same points-and-awards search also surfaces Free Night Awards, redeemable at thousands of properties with varying point values, and PointSavers rates advertised at up to 20% off at participating hotels [4]. Room upgrades can be bought with points or cash at select hotels and resorts, and Nightly Upgrade Awards are available to Gold Elite members and above by request after booking [4]. Cash + Points is the option that applies cash and points to the stay itself rather than to an upgrade [4].
The same points balance has other outlets: Bonvoy points can be transferred to airline programmes at a 3-to-1 ratio with most partners, in daily amounts of 3,000 to 240,000 points [3].
How do you book a Marriott Bonvoy Cash + Points stay?
Marriott sets out the Cash + Points booking path in three steps [4]:
- Select "Use Points/Awards" in the hotel search [4].
- Look for participating hotels displaying available cash + points rates [4].
- Select the "Cash + Points" rate from the list to book the stay [4].
Availability is therefore visible in the rate list for the destination and dates being searched, and the amount to pay is attached to the rate a member selects [4]. Membership itself is free and open to individuals who are at least 18 years old, or the age of majority in their jurisdiction, and accounts are individual: points, awards and benefits belong to the member named on the account and cannot be shared or transferred except where the rules allow [1].
What happens to a Cash + Points award if it is cancelled?
Award bookings stay valid unless they are cancelled. Marriott's program rules, updated October 2026, say an award redeemed before point forfeiture remains valid unless it is cancelled after the points expiration date [1]. If an award is cancelled after that date and the member has not completed Qualifying Activity to extend it, the points used for the award expire [1].
Account activity therefore decides how much room a member has. Qualifying Activity is required at least once every 24 months to retain accumulated points, awards and other benefits [1]. It includes earning or redeeming points or miles, purchasing points, completing a Qualifying Stay, or converting points or miles with designated partners, while gifting, transferring or receiving points from another member does not count [1]. An account without Qualifying Activity for 24 consecutive months forfeits its points and awards, which cannot be reinstated, and an account inactive for five consecutive years may be deactivated [1]. Points in Lifetime Elite Status accounts are not currently subject to expiration, though Marriott says it may apply an expiration policy to those accounts in future [1].
Exceptions and limits
- Not every property participates. Marriott's rules list non-participating brands and properties, including Bulgari Hotels and Resorts at all locations and The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, which take part only where expressly stated [1].
- Limited-participation hotels can narrow what an award covers. At Atlantis, Paradise Island, award redemption stays include the standard room rate and room tax only; extra-person charges, resort fees, service charges and other property charges stay with the member [1].
- Some brands join on special terms. Design Hotels, MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy and Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy participate in a limited or unique capacity under their own terms [1].
- A property leaving the programme ends award validity. If a participating property exits, its awards and offers stop being valid after the exit date, even for reservations made earlier [1].
- The programme can change the structure. Marriott may change redemption structures, redemption levels and award availability with or without notice, even where a change affects the value of points [1].
- The rate list is the price. Cash + Points amounts are displayed per property and per stay, so the figure that applies is the one shown for the hotel and dates being booked [4].
Frequently asked questions
Do all Marriott hotels offer Cash + Points?
No. Marriott's booking instructions direct members to participating hotels that display available cash + points rates [4], and some brands and properties do not participate in Marriott Bonvoy at all [1].
How many points does a Cash + Points stay require?
The points figure is the one displayed with the Cash + Points rate for that hotel and those dates [4]. For comparison, Marriott advertises free night awards from 12,000 points a night, with point values varying by property [4].
Is Cash + Points the same as PointSavers?
No, they are separate options in the same points-and-awards search: PointSavers is a discounted award rate advertised at up to 20% off at participating hotels [4].
What happens if my hotel leaves Marriott Bonvoy?
Marriott's rules say a member will not earn points or qualifying nights for elite status at a property after it exits the programme, and its awards and promotions stop being valid after the exit date, even if the reservation was made before it [1].
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Cash + Points at other hotel programmes, including Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt and IHG One Rewards, is not covered here.
- Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program Terms & Conditions, checked 18 October 2026
- Marriott Bonvoy: transfer points to airline miles, checked 18 October 2026
- Redeem Marriott Bonvoy points (Cash + Points, PointSavers and other awards), checked 18 October 2026