Ep 012 – Shortcuts to Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status

/ Podcast / Ep 012 – Shortcuts to Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status

In Episode 12 of Miles Ahead: The Canadian Points Podcast, Daniel, Josh, Jeff, and Andy from FrugalFlyer.ca cover all the details as to how to shortcut your way to Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status.

The team reviews the various levels of Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status, focusing on the most valuable and meaningful levels of Platinum Elite status and Titanium Elite status. They share the benefits they receive from their status, how they earn it, and why it is worth the time for Marriott Bonvoy members to chase status to improve their hotel stays.

The episode wraps up with questions from listeners about credit cards with no foreign transaction fees and which cards to use when traveling abroad.

(01:31) Guess That Card!

Danny shares hints about a certain credit card, while the rest of the team attempts to guess the card that he is thinking of.

(07:52) Keeping You Miles Ahead: Miles & Points News

There are a few news pieces that are worth digging into in the world of miles and points:

  • Air Canada Aeroplan will move towards dynamic pricing on United Airlines and other partner airlines on March 25, 2025
  • American Express Canada is running an authorized user promotion until March 31, 2025, where cardholders can earn extra points by adding authorized users and completing a spending requirement
  • BMO & Porter Airlines will be launching co-branded Porter Airlines credit credits at some point this year. Information is limited at this point, but we hope to have more details to share soon.
    • Reserve your spot on the waitlist here to be eligible for an additional 10,000 VIPorter points as part of the welcome offer.

(18:05) Main Event: Shortcuts to Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status

All Frugal Flyer team members on this episode hold Titanium Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy. Let’s dig into how they obtain their status and what tips and tricks they use, plus the benefits they receive.

(26:42) Unlocking Platinum Elite Status with Marriott Bonvoy

Platinum Elite status is the status sweet spot in the Marriott Bonvoy program as it is relatively achievable and comes with some excellent benefits, including complimentary breakfast, suite upgrades, and more.

(28:26) Unlocking Titanium Elite Status with Marriott Bonvoy

Benefits are mostly similar to Platinum Elite status, but the points per dollar earning rate increases, an annual choice benefit, plus a status match to Aeroplan 25K Status and United Airlines Silver Elite status.

(36:07) How We Achieve 75 Elite Qualifying Nights & Titanium Elite Status

The Frugal Flyer team shares their journey to earning 75 Elite Qualifying Nights to obtain Titanium Elite Status.

  • Jeff
    • Starts the year with 40 elite qualifying nights as a result of the Bonvoy Brilliant & Bonvoy Business (US) card combination.
    • 21 elite qualifying nights earned through cash stays, and 14 elite qualifying nights earned through points redemptions and promotional bonuses.
    • Focus on weekend getaways and overnight layovers, with a focus on keeping it reasonably priced when paying cash rates.
  • Josh
    • Starts the year with 40 elite qualifying nights as a result of the Bonvoy Brilliant & Bonvoy Business (US) card combination.
    • Around 15 nights of actual stays with a greater focus on points redemptions.
    • Heavy usage of the “Edmonton’s Best Hotels” promotion to earn extra nights during the double elite qualifying night promotion.
  • Danny
    • Starts the year with 40 elite qualifying nights as a result of the Bonvoy Brilliant & Bonvoy Business (US) card combination.
    • 29 elite qualifying nights earned through cash stays, and 59 elite qualifying nights earned through points redemptions and promotional bonuses.
  • Andy
    • Focuses a lot on local weekend trips and benefitting from the double elite qualifying nights promotion.
    • Aim to earn Titanium Elite status one year, and hope for a soft landing to Platinum Elite status the following year, and then earn Titanium Elite status again the following year. Soft status landing is never guaranteed, but it has happened consistently the last few years. 

(43:23) Promo or No’mo: Double Elite Qualifying Night Promotion

One of the best loyalty program promotions is back until the end of April. Marriott Bonvoy members will earn double elite qualifying nights on paid stays, plus an additional 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for each night of their stay. Taking advantage of this promotion is one of the best ways to reach Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.

(46:16) Question of the Month #1: No Foreign Transaction Fee Cards with No Annual Fees

Michelle asks what is the best credit card that has no foreign transaction fees as a benefit, while charging no annual fees.

(49:09) Question of the Month #2: What Card to Use in Europe?

Andre asks which card he should use abroad for purchases in Europe.

(55:52) Conclusion

If you have any episode-specific questions, leave a comment below. If you have any questions you would like us to answer on Miles Ahead, submit them here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a like or a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Join us for the next episode, where we will be exploring everything you need to know about the frequent flyer and hotel loyalty program partners of American Express Canada.

Listen to Miles Ahead Deep Dive: Episode 13 – American Express Canada Transfer Partners.

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2 comments on “Ep 012 – Shortcuts to Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status”

  1. Some feedback on the most recent episode of Miles Ahead: One of the hosts mentioned converting CAD to USD through Wise, and specifically called out having to pay Wise small fees to transfer into & out of Wise. These fees are avoidable!!

    If you enable “account details” on your Wise balances (both CAD & USD), you can initiate transfers into & out of Wise from your bank account, and the transfer will be free. In my case, I generally send CAD from my Wealthsimple Cash account to Wise, then converted to USD in Wise, then initiate a transfer into my TD Bank US checking account from TD’s side. As a result, the fees I pay to convert currency is limited to the fee Wise takes on the conversion itself, and I avoid any transfer fees.

    I initially had some difficulty enabling account details for my USD Wise balance, but I was able to resolve this by contacting their support and re-initiating the KYC process using a passport instead of a Canadian drivers license. There is currently some limitation which restricts this feature for anyone who completed KYC on a Canadian DL.

    Hope this is useful!

    Reply

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. For complete and current information, please consult the entity's website.