Award System
Marriott Bonvoy
Point Transfer Options
Transfer To Spouse/Partner Yes
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Travel Partner Transfers
Marriott Bonvoy Outside Point System
The Highlights
Their poor points redemption value leaves Bonvoy near the bottom of our rankings.
- There are multiple cards with great point transfer options. In theory, this is good.
- Finding a solid value for a Marriott stay is a challenge. A one night stay at desirable destinations can match the number of points from one card bonus.
- Values can be found, but they can be frustrating to find, so it isn’t a terrible system. It just doesn’t have the usefulness of many of the other hotel systems.
What to Know About This Point System
Bonvoy holds a unique place in this hobby. That’s because the points are a solid value for hotel reservations at the world's largest hotel chain AND Bonvoy points transfer to other point systems. In fact, Bonvoy has more transfer partners than Amex, Citi and Chase combined!!
This creates a unique situation, similar to Chase Ultimate Rewards points. There are nearly no flight or hotel situations that Bonvoy can’t solve. For this reason, we tend to use other hotel points (Hilton in particular) and save our Bonvoy points for unique situations, especially if you want to travel to any exotic locations.
The challenge is the value isn't great on transfers. We'll generally only use transfers for a points top off to buy a flight. Otherwise, we'll use our Bonvoy points for hotel rooms, especially in those hard to book places since Marriott has the most hotels globally.
How to Redeem
Redeem for Marriott Stays
Using your Bonvoy points to stay at a Marriott property will almost always give you the best value. To search for stays using points, log in to your Bonvoy account, click “Use Points/Awards,” and enter your city and dates.
- For the lowest-cost redemptions, keep your dates and property choices flexible.
- Use the “Flexible Dates” toggle to view prices by month. Award rates can vary significantly day to day.
Airline Partners
Marriott has nearly 40 airline transfer partners, more than American Express, Citi, and Chase combined. Unfortunately, the transfer ratios are poor and rarely offer good value.
- Most partners transfer at a 3:1 ratio.
- Transfers of 60,000 points earn a 5,000-mile bonus with most airlines (effectively making it 3:1.25)
- Transfers to United earn a 10,000-mile bonus.
- No bonuses for American, Avianca, or Delta
Because of these weak ratios, we strongly recommend redeeming Bonvoy points for Marriott stays instead of transferring to airlines. Only consider a transfer for a small top off when no other options are available.
Other Options
There are a few other ways to use your points, but none are high value uses of them.
Visit Marriott Bonvoy
Status Levels Explained
Marriott Bonvoy offers five elite status tiers above basic membership, which is free to join. Basic members receive:
- Free standard Wi-Fi
- Discounted member rates
- Mobile Check-In and Mobile Key
- Points and elite night credits on paid stays
- Fifth night free on award stays
You can earn elite status by staying a certain number of nights each calendar year. Some Marriott credit cards fast-track you toward the next tier, and others provide status as a built-in perk. Paid, award, and free night certificate stays all count toward elite night credits, as long as you book directly through Marriott.
What to Know Before Canceling
Before opening a Marriott Bonvoy credit card, it’s crucial to understand the maze of rules, especially if you plan to earn signup bonuses from multiple cards. When you’re ready to cancel a card, make sure you know which cards you are and aren’t eligible for next, as well as any welcome offers you may or may not qualify for.
Fortunately, any points you earn from a Marriott Bonvoy card are safe for at least 24 months. Any earning or spending activity will reset the clock, but gifting or transferring points, as either the sender or the recipient, does not count as qualifying activity
Breaking Points
February 13, 2023
Mini Points - January 2023
- Hilton Honors Amex Surpass card, limited time offer of 150,000 points after spending $3000 in 6 months, $95 annual fee.
- Hilton Honors Amex Business card, limited time offer of 165,000 points after spending $5000 in 3 months, $95 annual fee.
- Hilton Honors Amex, limited time offer of 100,000 points after spending $2000 in 6 months, no annual fee.
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, limited time offer of 100,000 bonus points after spending $3000 in 6 months, $95 annual fee.
-Marriott Bonvoy Bold card, limited time offer of 60,000 bonus points after spending $2000 in 6 months, no annual fee.
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September 22, 2022
New Marriott Card through Chase - Limited Offer
Chase Limited Time Offer - Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful, earn 125,000 points after spending $4000 in 3 months, $250 annual fee not waived.
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Limited Time offer - Amex Marriott Business Card
Score Marriott points with this Amex card - Marriott Bonvoy Business, earn 100,000 points after spending $4000 in 3 months, $125 annual fee not waived.
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