Marriott Bonvoy Raises Free Night Award Top-Off Limit to 25,000 Points

Marriott Bonvoy has increased the top-off limit on Free Night Awards from 15,000 to 25,000 points, effective March 12, 2026. This change gives co-branded credit card holders significantly more flexibility when redeeming their annual free night certificates at higher-category Marriott properties.

What Changed

Free Night Awards are annual certificates earned through Marriott's co-branded credit cards with Chase and American Express. Previously, cardholders could add up to 15,000 Bonvoy points on top of their certificate's base value to book a more expensive property. The new limit of 25,000 points represents a 67% increase in top-off capacity.

For example, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card earns a Free Night Award worth up to 35,000 points each account anniversary. With the old 15,000-point top-off, cardholders could book properties costing up to 50,000 points per night. Under the new limit, that same certificate can now be used at properties costing up to 60,000 points per night, opening the door to a wider range of hotels including many Category 6 properties.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express card, which provides a Free Night Award worth up to 85,000 points, can now be topped off to cover stays at properties costing up to 110,000 points per night — putting some of Marriott's most luxurious resorts within reach.

Which Cards Are Affected

The change applies to Free Night Awards earned through all three Marriott co-branded credit cards:

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless (Chase) — Free Night Award up to 35,000 points, now tops off to 60,000
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant (American Express) — Free Night Award up to 85,000 points, now tops off to 110,000
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold (Chase) — Free Night Award up to 35,000 points, now tops off to 60,000

Why This Matters

Marriott's dynamic pricing model means that popular properties and peak dates can cost well above their historical category caps. The increased top-off limit helps bridge the gap between a certificate's base value and real-world redemption costs, making Free Night Awards more practical for premium stays.

This is particularly valuable for Brilliant cardholders, who pay a $650 annual fee and rely on the Free Night Award as a major source of value. Being able to reach 110,000 points per night instead of 100,000 expands the pool of eligible properties at top-tier brands like The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and W Hotels.

How to Use the Top-Off

To use the top-off feature, cardholders simply search for an eligible property on Marriott's website or app and select a Free Night Award as the payment method. If the nightly rate exceeds the certificate's base value but falls within the new 25,000-point top-off range, Marriott will automatically deduct the additional points from the member's Bonvoy account. Members must have sufficient points in their account to cover the difference.