Marriott gift cards
The short answer
A Marriott gift card pays for rooms, restaurants, the spa and golf at most Marriott hotels, even if you aren’t staying. It can’t hold or prepay a booking. A gift card you buy never expires. A promo card Marriott sends you, like a birthday card, expires on the date shown on it. Tell the staff you’re paying with one before you order.
- 34
- Marriott brands that take them
- 9
- brands that don't
- Never
- when a bought gift card expires
01
Tell the hotel before you order
We paid with a $25 birthday eGift card from Marriott at Pattaya Marriott Resort and Spa. The staff weren’t sure how to take it and had to check. We waited about 15 minutes to settle a $25 bill, which is not how you want a meal to end.
Marriott’s own advice is the fix: “Please contact the hotel directly about acceptance guidelines prior to your visit or stay.” In practice:
- Say you’re paying with a Marriott eGift card when you sit down or check in, not with the bill.
- Have the card open in the Marriott Bonvoy app, or the original email.
- For a birthday or promo card, the person named on it has to be there to use it.
02
What can a Marriott gift card pay for?
Rooms, dining, the spa, golf and more at participating hotels. You don’t need to be staying, so a card can pay for dinner at a hotel restaurant near home.
It can’t guarantee a reservation, prepay an advance purchase rate, pay a deposit or cover a cancellation charge. Book with a credit card, then pay with the gift card when you settle the bill.
Shops and cafes inside a hotel that Marriott doesn’t run may not take it. How to book a stay with points instead.
03
Which hotels take them?
34 brands, from AC Hotels, Aloft, Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy and Autograph Collection to Westin and W Hotels. These 9 don’t:
- Bvlgari Hotels and Resorts
- Design Hotels
- Four Points Flex by Sheraton
- Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy
- MGM Collection
- Postcard Cabins
- The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club
- The Ritz-Carlton Residences
- The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
04
Do Marriott gift cards expire?
A gift card you buy doesn’t. A promo eGift card, the kind Marriott sends some members on their birthday, expires at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the date shown on it, and Marriott won't extend it. Whatever is left after that is lost, so spend it in time. Your app shows the date under the card.
Marriott doesn’t publish who gets a birthday card or how much it’s worth. Ours was $25.
05
Can you use a US dollar card abroad?
Yes. Cards come in USD or CAD. When the bill is in another currency, Marriott converts it with no conversion fee, at a rate that can differ from the rate on the day you pay.
Questions
Can I use a Marriott gift card to book a room?
Not to hold or prepay one. Marriott's terms say gift cards can't guarantee a reservation, pay a deposit or prepay an advance purchase rate. Use the card to pay the bill at the hotel.
Do I have to be staying at the hotel to use a Marriott gift card?
No. Marriott's FAQ says you can use one for dining, spa, golf and more without staying.
Does the Marriott birthday gift card expire?
Yes. Promo eGift cards expire at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the date on the card, and Marriott won't extend them.
Can someone else use my birthday gift card?
No. Marriott's promo terms say only the person named on the card can use it, and it can't be transferred or sold.
How much can a Marriott gift card be?
Bought cards come in any amount from $25 to $2,000, in US or Canadian dollars.
Can I use a Marriott gift card at an MGM or Bvlgari hotel?
No. Marriott's terms list both among the brands that don't accept them: Bvlgari Hotels and Resorts, Design Hotels, Four Points Flex by Sheraton, Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, MGM Collection, Postcard Cabins, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, The Ritz-Carlton Residences and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
Sources: Marriott gift card FAQ, Marriott GiftCard terms, Marriott Promo eGift Card terms. Program rules change, so confirm with Marriott before you rely on one. Award Escape is independent of Marriott.