Marriott Bonvoy® is one of our favourite hotel programs in Canada.
That’s because there are so many ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy® points in Canada. Plus, plenty of hotels worldwide where you can redeem those points for nearly free stays.
One of the biggest reasons we keep our Marriott Bonvoy® credit cards in Canada is the annual Free Night Certificate.
You’ll earn a 35,000 points Free Night Certificate every year after your card anniversary with the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card.
It’s even more valuable since you can top it up with up to 15,000 points. That lets you redeem at hotels costing up to 50,000 points.
You’ll find plenty of choices across 8,000 properties, 30 brands and more than 130 countries. Saving you money for nearly free stays instead of paying cash.
Here’s how to earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy® Free Night Certificates for maximum value.
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Fuel your adventures with points
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The AWP Newsletter
Fuel your adventures with points
Sign up to get your free guide. Get our newsletter with credit cards and points tips. See how easy it is to travel for nearly free.
How to Earn Free Night Certificates in Canada
One of the best benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card is the annual Free Night Certificate.
You’ll earn the Marriott Bonvoy® Free Night Certificate every year when your card renews. For us, its value alone outweighs the cost of the annual fee.
The certificate is worth a one-night hotel stay up to 35,000 points. You can top it up with up to 15,000 points to stay at hotels up to 50,000 points.
Your Free Night Certificate is valid for one year, so your stay has to be completed by the expiry date.
It’s usually deposited within 4 to 8 weeks of renewal. You’ll receive an email from Marriott Bonvoy® letting you know that you’ve received a Free Night Award.
Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Cards
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Welcome Points: 60,000
Welcome Value: $750
Annual Fee: $150
We find the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Cards incredibly valuable for our household.
My spouse and I each have the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card.
So we both earn a Free Night Certificate every year. Two certificates each year give us excellent value as a family.
How to Locate Your Free Night Certificates
Once your annual Free Night Certificate is issued, you’ll find it in your Marriott Bonvoy® account.
On a browser, simply:
In the Marriott Bonvoy® app:
You’ll see a handy listing of all your Free Night Awards with their expiry dates, making it easy to plan your stay.
Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Cards
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Best Marriott Bonvoy® Card
$500 Annual Value
Annual Fee: $120
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Best Business Marriott Bonvoy® Card
$500 Annual Value
Annual Fee: $150
How to Redeem Your Free Night Certificate
The exciting part of the Marriott Bonvoy® Free Night Certificate is when you redeem it for a free hotel night.
You can use a certificate for a standard room worth up to 50,000 points at thousands of Marriott hotels around the world. There’re no blackout dates.
Your Free Night Certificate covers a one-night stay worth up to 35,000 points. It’s a one-time certificate, so if you book a night priced under 35,000 points you won’t get any points back.
You can top up any night costing more with up to 15,000 of your points for a stay worth up to 50,000 points.
You’ll see the top-off option automatically when it applies. Taxes and resort fees are extra when you redeem a certificate.
It’s an incredible way to save money and enjoy nearly free travel. It is easy to find redemptions that are worth well over the $120 and $150 annual fees of the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card or the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card.
There’re plenty of great options whether it is a weekend getaway, a family trip or part of an adventure abroad.
The best value is often at luxury resorts or during busy travel times when cash rates are high.
How to Book with Your Free Night Certificate
To redeem your Marriott Bonvoy® Free Night Certificate
You can see in this example that there’re many available dates at the JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa in May 2026, including a few weekends
It this example, a stanart room is avilable at the the JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa on Sunday, May 17.
The JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa is one of our favourite Free Night Certificate redemptions.
It feels like a true resort, not far from home. It’s a lakefront property with multiple pools and kitchenettes, perfect for our family.
How to Cancel or Modify Your Free Night Certificate Booking
You can change your plans and still keep your certificate. You can cancel or modify your stay online before the hotel’s deadline. The certificate and associated top up points usually go right back into your Marriott Bonvoy® account.
Most hotels have a 48 hour policy, though some can require more notice. You’ll see the cancellation deadline in your reservation details and in your confirmation email.
Your certificate will keep its original expiry date. It doesn’t reset or extend when it is returned.
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If your night drops in points, modifying your reservation is a great way to get back some of your top-up points.
You can simply change your reservation before the deadline and the points difference returns to your account.
If the price falls under 35,000 points, there won’t be any change since no top-up points are needed.
Beginner’s Guide
From points newbie to booking your first trip.
Learn how easy it’s for Canadians to earn and redeem points with the best reward credit cards and programs. Make your first redemption for almost free travel in no time.
Beginner’s Guide
From points newbie to booking your first trip.
Learn how easy it’s for Canadians to earn and redeem points with the best reward credit cards and programs. Make your first redemption for almost free travel in no time.
How to Maximize the Value of Free Night Certificates
Marriott Bonvoy® uses dynamic pricing, so there isn’t one fixed value for your points. The value depends on how you redeem them.
You can generally expect around 1 cent per Marriott Bonvoy® point in value when you redeem for hotel stays. That means your 35,000 point certificate is worth at least around $350 dollars for a free night.
Higher end properties, luxury resorts or peak travel dates can deliver even more value. That is where these certificates can save you the most money compared to paying cash.
When you top up your certificate with up to 15,000 points, your options expand a lot.
For example, one certificate can get you a free night at amazing resorts like the JW Marriott in Muskoka or Cancun. You will also find strong value at many high end hotels in Europe.
Here is just one example where you can use your Free Night Certificate plus 13,000 points at JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa instead of paying $495 USD out of pocket.
As long as your redemption saves more than the annual fee, you are winning. Combining certificates from multiple cards in the same household makes it even easier to stay longer.
Check out some of our favourite hotels to redeem Free Night Certificates.
Bottom Line
The Marriott Bonvoy® Free Night Certificate lets you redeem for nearly free stays at thousands of Marriott hotels and resorts worldwide.
With the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card or the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express® Card, you’ll get one every year after your first renewal.
You can easily get $350 or more in value from a single certificate, especially when you use the 15,000 points top-up or redeem during peak travel periods. It covers the annual fee and gives you more ways to enjoy great stays for less.
That’s why both my spouse and I keep these cards in our wallets. Having two certificates means more chances to enjoy family travel for nearly free.
