The newly combined Marriott loyalty program features multiple co-branded credit cards that offer a free award night worth a variety of points for each annual card renewal after the first year. These certificates really help offset the cost of the annual fee — assuming you put them to good use. The following cards all offer a certificate worth 35,000 Marriott points each year:
Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Credit Card Marriott Rewards Business Premier Plus Credit CardA 35,000-point Marriott certificate is nice, but what’s even nicer is the 50,000-point certificate you get at each renewal with the brand new Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card. (The Ritz-Carlton Rewards card also offers the same 50,000-point certificate, but that card is no longer available to new applicants).
The new SPG Luxury Card comes with a $450 annual fee, but the annual 50,000-point award night, combined with the annual $300 statement credit to use at SPG and Marriott properties, help recoup that cost. If you value the $300 statement credit at roughly face value and you can get more than $150 from your annual free night award, then the card quickly becomes a long-term keeper.
For the rest of 2018, you can use these 50,000-point certificates at any Category 1–6 Marriott or SPG hotel with standard award availability. However, when peak and off-peak pricing is introduced in 2019, the certificates won’t be valid during peak Category 6 dates but will be valid during off-peak Category 7 dates. Marriott has not yet announced the parameters of peak and off-peak times, but here’s the complete chart:
TPG just did a story on “7 Great Ways to Redeem the SPG Luxury 50,000-Point Free Night Certificates,” and they’re fabulous uses of these annual free nights. But they aren’t all practical for families, so with spring breaks, winter breaks and long weekends in mind, here are 10 of the best uses of the Marriott 50,000 point certificates for families.
Note: Be aware that many of these resorts do charge resort fees in addition to the annual award certificate.
The Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa
The Westin Grand Cayman. (Photo courtesy of the hotel)
Standard points rate: Category 6 — 50,000 points per night
The Westin Grand Cayman is located on world-famous Seven Mile Beach, which is basically a perfect destination for families. The sand is soft, the water is calm and it’s so clear it almost looks like a swimming pool. The hotel itself has been recently renovated and has rooms with two double beds that can sleep four people. If you want to save a bit on meal costs, head across the street to the nondescript strip mall for some very good and affordable restaurants.
If the Westin Grand Cayman isn’t available for your dates, try the nearby Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, which is also 50,000 Marriott points per night.
Atlantis, Royal Towers, Autograph Collection
The Atlantis resort complex. (Photo courtesy of the hotel)
Standard points rate: Category 6 — 50,000 points per night
While Atlantis isn’t my own personal favorite destination, my girls love it. There’s a 141-acre Aquaventure water park, 11 pools, five miles of beaches, a casino and lots of (expensive) dining options. The less-expensive Atlantis Coral Towers is a category 5 property that costs 35,000 points a night, meaning you can use your regular SPG Amex or Marriott Premier Plus free nights to stay there. But the nicer Royal Towers will require a 50k Marriott certificate, and cash rates for this particular tower can reach $400+ per night. (If you want to get Atlantis wristbands without actually staying there, here’s my #1 tip.)
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
The Walt Disney World Swan. (Photo courtesy of the hotel)
Standard points rate: Category 6 — 50,000 points per night
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin have skyrocketed in the number of points per night required in recent years and now cost 50k Marriott points per night, though paid rates can hit $300+ on peak nights. There are many less expensive award options in the Disney area, but if you want to actually be on Walt Disney World property while still using hotel points, these resorts may be your best bet. From the Disney Swan and Dolphin you can walk (or take a boat) to EPCOT or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (If this property doesn’t work for your Disney vacation, here are some other nearby spots you can use your hotel points and still get some Disney perks.)
Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance
The Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance. (Photo courtesy of the hotel)
Standard points rate: Category 6 — 50,000 points per night
You might be confused why a Courtyard by Marriott property is on my list of recommended places to use an annual award night worth 50k Marriott Rewards points. The short answer is that this hotel is just across from the gates of Disneyland, gets great reviews, sells for over $300+ on peak dates, features a waterpark/pool area that kids would love and has rooms with bunkbeds that sleep six. If you’re looking for Disneyland convenience for your family, I don’t think there’s a better use of a 50,000-point Marriott certificate.
SpringHill Suites Springdale Zion National Park
The Springhill Suites Zion National Park, (Photo courtesy of the hotel)
Standard points rate: Category 6 — 50,000 points per night
In what may be another surprising inclusion on this list is the Springhill Suites Marriott Zion National Park. Whether you’re on a cross-country family road trip visiting national parks or just visiting Zion, this property looks like a winner. It’s very close to the entrance of Zion National Park, has rooms that sleep five, features free breakfast, gets rave reviews and paid rates during peak season can be over $300+ per night for this very modern-looking SpringHill Suites.
A room at the Springhill Suites Zion National Park, (Photo courtesy of the hotel)
Hotel Talisa, Vail
The Hotel Talisa Vail. (Photo courtesy of the hotel)
Standard points rate: Category 6 — 50,000 points per night
The Hotel Talisa in Vail was modernized from top to bottom in a multi-year renovation before opening under the SPG/Marriott flag in 2018. This luxurious ski-friendly hotel is ski-in and lift-out as long as your crew can handle tougher green or easy blue runs. Otherwise, you can take the free hotel shuttle a few minutes to the base of Vail to catch up with the ski-school or take the gondola up the mountain. If you want to be right next to the base of Vail, you can use 60,000 Marriott points per night to stay at the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort (or hope that off-peak dates where you’d be able to use a 50k certificate include some portion of the winter), but we loved our time at the Hotel Talisa last ski season.
Sheraton Waikiki
The Sheraton Waikiki. (Photo courtesy of the hotel)
Standard points rate: Category 6 — 50,000 points per night
Waikiki is a logical entry point for a trip to Hawaii, and while I don’t recommend spending your whole Hawaiian vacation on Waikiki, a night or two in the neighborhood can make a whole lot of sense. The Sheraton Waikiki is close to famous and beautiful Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head and a ton of shops and restaurants. The Sheraton Waikiki has an infinity pool, a Club Lounge and a third-party child care center located within the hotel. Or if you want another 50k Marriott option on Waikiki, you can check out the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa.
The Westin New York Grand Central
Standard points rate: Category 6 — 50,000 points per night
New York City hotels can be very, very expensive — $300 to $400 per night is far from unheard of for mid-range hotels in Manhattan. The Westin Grand Central isn’t anything particularly special, but it’s consistent and can meet the needs of a family visiting the Big Apple. The hotel is located close to Grand Central and has rooms with two double-beds that can sleep a family of four. Some other 50k Marriott Rewards properties in NYC include…
Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel The Westin New York at Times Square New York Marriott MarquisBelieve it or not, there are also some decent options in Manhattan if you want to use a 35k Marriott certificate.
The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island. (Photo courtesy of the hotel)
Standard points rate: Category 6 — 50,000 points per night
This list of the best places for families to use the Marriott 50,000-point certificate from the SPG Luxury Card is not all SpringHill Suites and Courtyard level properties. There’s also The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, which you can book with your free night certificate instead of paying rates that can creep close to $500 per night!
This Northern Florida beachfront resort has a kids club, family pool and even a pirate-themed tent for “camping” in the room! Ritz-Carlton resorts also usually have fabulous Ritz Kids programs that allow them to make family getaways extra special for the little travelers.
Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino
The Marriott Aruba Resort & Stellaris Casino. (Photo courtesy of the hotel)
Standard points rate: Category 6 — 50,000 points per night
Last but far from least on the list of the best places for families to use 50,000-point Marriott certificates is the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino. Aruba’s Palm Beach is picture-perfect for families, and this Marriott resort has pools and kid-friendly activities to help take things up to the next level. If you want a few minutes away from the kids, there’s also an adults-only pool area and, of course, the casino.
Bottom LineRemember, if you and/or your partner both have an SPG Luxury Card, you could string together a multi-night stay using one certificate for each night of your vacation. Personally, the Sheraton Waikiki is on our short-list of choices for a night on Waikiki during our next Hawaiian adventure, but I’d love to hear where your family plans to use your Marriott 50,000 point annual credit card certificates!
Featured image of the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino courtesy of the hotel.
Americans spend more on entertainment each year than they do on gas or clothing. They spend nearly as much on entertainment as they do on health insurance costs and dining out. In other words, amusing ourselves is a big part of the typical household budget.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average US household spent $2,913 on entertainment purchases in 2016, the last year for which data is available.
Entertainment is a pretty broad spending category. The federal government has a typically wordy definition, which we’ll boil down to the following: fees and admission charges; television, sound equipment and musical instruments; pets, toys, hobbies and playground equipment; and sports equipment and recreational boats.
There’s no one credit card you can use to maximize points on all this varied spending, but we’ll focus on what the government says more than half of entertainment spending goes toward — admission charges and in-home amusements. We’ve already covered the best credit cards to pay for streaming services and sporting events, so here we’ll discuss more general entertainment uses.
Among the seven cards on this list, Citi’s line of three ThankYou cards are included because they all offer identical rewards on a broad array of entertainment spending. Here’s a quick look at what you’d earn per dollar spent on entertainment purchases.
| Category Bonus | Value of the Rewards | Total Earned per Dollar Spent | Annual Fee | |
| US Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card | 5% cash back | 1 cent | 5 cents | $0 |
| Sony Card from Capital One | 5x | 1 cent or less | 5 cents or less | $0 |
| Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card | 4% cash back | 1 cent | 4 cents | $95 (waived the first year) |
| Citi ThankYou Premier Card | 2x | 1.7 cents | 3.4 cents | $95 (waived the first year) |
| Citi Prestige | 2x | 1.7 cents | 3.4 cents | $450 |
| Citi ThankYou Preferred | 2x | 1.7 cents | 3.4 cents | $0 |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | 1.5x | 2.1 cents (when paired with a UR card) | 3.15 cents | $0 |
As you can see, the US Bank Cash+ Visa has the greatest return per dollar spent. But it does carry some restrictions. Let’s look at those and at each card more in-depth.
US Bank Cash+ Visa Signature CardRewards: 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in eligible net purchases each quarter on the combined two categories you choose, 2% cash back on your choice of one everyday category, like gas stations or grocery stores and 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases. The 5% categories that would fall under entertainment purchases include movie theaters and electronics stores.
Welcome bonus: Earn $150 after you spend $500 in eligible net purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
Keep in mind: You must enroll each quarter into the categories of your choice to earn 5% cash back. US Bank says category options are subject to change quarterly. Although most Americans probably don’t have to worry about the quarterly spending cap, the most you could earn with the 5% bonus is $100 per quarter.
Sony Card from Capital OneRewards: Earn 5x points for entertainment purchases and for purchases of Sony products at authorized retailers and 1x points for all other purchases. Entertainment purchases are defined as “music downloads and record stores, motion picture theaters and tickets, sports, theaters, bands, orchestras, video game amusement supply and arcade, continuing subscription services, digital games, digital books, digital movies, digital music, and select merchants that provide digital TV/radio services.”
Welcome bonus: Earn a $50 statement credit after making your first purchase.
Keep in mind: Points can only be redeemed for Sony products, gift cards and other items available at SonyRewards.com. Points are typically worth 1 cent apiece or less depending on your redemption choice.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Rewards: Earn 4% cash back on dining and entertainment purchases, 2% at grocery stores and 1% on everything else. Capital One defines entertainment purchases pretty broadly. They include tickets to “a movie, play, concert, sporting event, tourist attraction, theme park, aquarium, zoo, dance club, pool hall or bowling alley. Also, making purchases at record store and video rental locations.” Digital streaming and subscription services, however, will not be eligible for the bonus category rewards.
Welcome bonus: Earn $500 cash back after spending $3,000 in the first three months.
Keep in mind: Capital One only allows you to carry two personal Capital One cards at a time and also tends to restrict you to one new card every six months, including both business and personal cards. If you’re interested in this card, keep these restrictions in mind as you plan an application strategy.
Citi ThankYou Premier Card
(Photo by Eric Helgas for The Points Guy)
Rewards: Earn 3x points on travel, 2x points on dining and entertainment purchases and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 within the first three months of account opening. That bonus is worth $1,020, according to TPG’s latest valuations.
Keep in mind: Boost your redemption rate by transferring your ThankYou Points to one of 15 travel partners.
Citi PrestigeRewards: Earn 3x points on all airfare and hotel purchases, 2x points on all dining and entertainment purchases and 1 point per dollar on everything else. For all of the ThankYou cards, Citi defines entertainment purchases as “including live entertainment, live theatrical productions, concerts, live sporting events, movie theaters, amusement parks (including zoos, aquariums, circuses and carnivals), tourist attractions (including museums, and art galleries), record stores, video rental stores and on-demand internet streaming media.”
Welcome bonus: N/A (the Citi Prestige is currently not available to new applicants, though it’s expected to return at some point)
Keep in mind: This card is known more for its travel perks than for its rewards on entertainment spending. It comes with a 4th Night Free Benefit, a $250 air travel credit, a Priority Pass Select membership and a $100 Global Entry application fee credit.
Citi ThankYou PreferredRewards: Earn 2x points on dining and entertainment purchases and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
Welcome bonus: None
Keep in mind: There’s only one transfer partner associated with this card (JetBlue), so to get the full estimated TPG valuation, you’ll also need to hold either the Citi Prestige or the Citi ThankYou Premier.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Rewards: Earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases or 1.5 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent.
Welcome bonus: Earn $150 after spending $500 in the first three months of account opening. There’s also an additional $25 bonus available if you add an authorized user and have them make a purchase within the first three months.
Keep in mind: To boost the rewards value from a just-OK 1.5 cents per dollar spent to 3.15 cents per dollar, you’ll need to pair this card with one of the Ultimate Rewards cards in Chase’s lineup, the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. Otherwise, the return from this card can be beaten by other flat-rate credit cards.
Bottom LineCiti nearly has the market cornered on offering rewards for entertainment spending, but you’ll have to decide if one of those cards is worth it if you already have a top travel rewards credit card in your pocket. There is at least one other card that offers a specific category for entertainment spending — the Expedia+ Voyager Card from Citi— but with an estimated 0.7-cent redemption rate on hotel reservations, its 2x rewards aren’t good enough to top any of the cards on our list. If you’re looking for a simple return on your entertainment dollar, the Citi Double Cash Card might be a good option as well. You’ll earn 1% cash back when you make a purchase and another 1% when you pay your bill.
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