8 Creative Ways to Use Your Travel Credit Card Beyond Points

The points you’ve earned with your travel rewards credit card are adding up, and it’s time to decide how to maximize them in a way that best suits your interests.

Before you start redeeming your points, take stock of exactly how many points you have, especially if you have a couple of rewards credit cards in your wallet. Tracking can be as simple as using a spreadsheet to see what’s where.

Here, we take a look at eight creative ways Marriott Bonvoy travel rewards credit cards can be useful beyond accumulating points.

Free Night Awards

Free night awards may be a perk for holding onto your travel rewards card. For example, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card each give One Free Night Award every calendar year or after your Card renewal month. Terms apply.

Add that night to any you’ve already accrued and you may have a nice getaway in your future. Of course, certain hotels may have resort fees.

Free Night Awards are easy to use, too: When searching for hotels in your destination, check the “Use Points/Awards” box and see what pops up. Keep in mind that Free Night Awards start at a redemption value of 35,000 points, but certain cards have a wider range of value.

Fly and Drive with Points

Did you know that you can fly using your Marriott Bonvoy points? Simply search for flight options and car rentals with more than 200 global airlines and car rental agencies to find the itinerary that works best for you, and reserve using rewards points.

Or, if you want to keep more rewards points in your account, you can reserve using a combination of points and cash — it’s up to you.

If you’re a frequent flyer, you may want to convert Marriott Bonvoy points into air miles to benefit you at 30,000 feet. More than 40 domestic and international airlines participate in the program. As an added bonus, Marriott Bonvoy will add 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points transferred to airline miles.

Cruise with Points

Not only can you book flights and rental cars using Marriott Bonvoy points, but you can sail away, too. Wherever you want to go in the world, there are sure to be voyages to fit your time frame and preferred cruise line.

Set your sights on the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Hawaii or pretty much anyplace else in the world, pack your bags and set sail.

As an added bonus, not only can you use rewards points to book your cruise, but you may earn Marriott Bonvoy points, too.

Travel Benefits Beyond Points

Beyond accruing and using travel rewards points, Marriott Bonvoy’s co- branded credit cards include benefits that could enhance your next trip so you can travel with confidence.

These benefits can include enhancing your stay with Silver, Gold, or Platinum member status (depending on the card), which gives you benefits like Priority Late Checkout so you can enjoy your travel destination a little bit longer. Benefits are only available for qualifying rates and subject to availability.

In addition, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Credit Card include Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance. With Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Credit Card, you can also receive a Fee Credit every 4 years for Global Entry or 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck® to help you bypass airport security lines. Keep in mind that terms will apply.

Shop with Points

Whether you’re shopping for the latest fashion trends, highest tech, or gifts for friends and family, consider using your Marriott Bonvoy points to cover the cost.

Shop thousands of brand names like Apple, Betsey Johnson, Cuisinart, Ray-Ban, TaylorMade and Tumi and turn points into tangible items. Or, if you can’t find just the right thing, transfer points into just-the-right-size presents: gift cards.

Exclusive Experiences

Members of Marriott Bonvoy can use points for exclusive experiences curated just for them. Whether your interests are culinary- or outdoors-focused, or you’re a sports or live music enthusiast, find what appeals to you and make it happen using your points.

It’s also possible to search for experiences by destination, making travel planning even easier.

Share Points

If you’ve got points to spare, why not share? It’s easy to transfer points to another Marriott Bonvoy member and boost their account. Transferring points is as easy as calling Marriott Bonvoy, providing your and your friend’s membership numbers, and determining the amount of points to share. Voila — it’s done!

Donate Points

Points can be donated to national and global organizations that are working to make our world a better place. Donations start at 2,500 points and go upward from there.

Choose from more than 30 worthy organizations, like the American Red Cross, World Central Kitchen, National Park Foundation, WWF, Asian University for Women, Prince’s Trust Canada, the Matthew Shepard Foundation and the NAACP, to name a few.

The ways in which you can redeem Marriott Bonvoy points are seemingly endless, and there’s no need to choose just one. Make your points work for you and reap the rewards.