Marriott is mid-transition from an eight-category chart to dynamic pricing, so the old category numbers are becoming unreliable. What still works: off-peak dates at Category 1 to 4 properties from about 5,000 to 17,500 points, the fifth night free on every award stay, and luxury brands during high cash periods where the points price lags the rate. Around 0.8 to 1.0 cents a point is a normal result. Figures are as of 2026; confirm current rates at Marriott.
Marriott Bonvoy is the largest hotel program in the world and the hardest to summarise, because it is actively dismantling the structure that made it predictable. The category system with off-peak, standard, and peak pricing still describes most properties, but Marriott is moving toward pricing that moves in real time with demand, and award charts are being retired.
Where the value still is
| Redemption | Typical points per night | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 to 4 off-peak | About 5,000 to 17,500 | Fairfield and Courtyard properties at the bottom of the range |
| Luxury brands at peak cash rates | Varies, often 60,000 to 100,000 | Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and Edition when cash rates spike |
| Any five-night award stay | Four nights of points | The fifth night free, a flat 20 percent discount |
The fifth night free
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Every award stay of five nights or more gets the fifth night free, and it repeats on each subsequent fifth night. There is no status requirement, which makes Marriott more generous here than Hilton, where you need Silver at minimum.
It stacks with off-peak pricing, so a five-night off-peak stay at a low-category property is the single most efficient thing you can do with Bonvoy points. Splitting that into two shorter reservations throws the discount away.
Off-peak is the lever
Off-peak pricing can run 30 to 40 percent below peak at the same property. Because Marriott sets those calendars per hotel rather than globally, shifting a trip by a week can move a property between bands. Check the points calendar before fixing dates, not after.
What to avoid
Top-tier properties on peak dates have breached 150,000 points a night, well above what the old Category 8 ceiling of 100,000 implied. At that price the cash rate has to be extraordinary for the redemption to make sense, and usually it is not.
Marriott points are also among the weakest to transfer in from bank programs, since most partners send them at ratios that make the effective value worse than earning elsewhere. Treat Bonvoy as a currency you earn through stays and co-branded card spend rather than one you buy into.
Related guides
- Best hotel credit cards
- Best Marriott credit card
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless benefits
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant benefits
- IHG One Rewards sweet spots
- Hotel points through bank programs
FAQ
Does Marriott still have an award chart?
Partly. The eight-category structure with off-peak, standard, and peak pricing still describes most properties, but Marriott is moving to dynamic pricing and retiring published charts, so category numbers are becoming less reliable.
How does the Marriott fifth night free work?
Any award stay of five or more nights gets the fifth night at no points cost, repeating every fifth night. No elite status is required, unlike Hilton.
What are Marriott points worth?
Roughly 0.8 to 1.0 cents each in normal use. Luxury brands at high cash rates can reach 1.0 to 1.2 cents; peak nights at expensive properties fall well below.
How many points is a Marriott free night?
From about 5,000 at a Category 1 property off-peak to 100,000 at the top of the old chart, with some properties exceeding 150,000 on peak dates. Confirm your dates at Marriott.
Last reviewed September 2026. We verify every rule, ratio, and figure against issuer terms and current reporting, and date each one. See our editorial standards for how we research and correct guides.
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