Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your Marriott Bonvoy points? This isn't just about free hotel stays—it's about transforming your travel dreams into reality, from luxurious beachfront getaways to unforgettable VIP experiences. Your hard-earned points are a powerful currency, and with this comprehensive guide, you'll learn exactly how to use them to their maximum value.
Whether you have a few thousand points or a massive stockpile, this step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of redeeming your points effectively. We'll cover everything from booking your next hotel stay to exploring unique experiences and even transferring your points to airline partners. Let's get started and turn those points into priceless memories!
Step 1: Understand Your Point Balance and Account
Before you can redeem your points, you need to know what you're working with. This initial step is crucial for planning your redemptions.
A. Log in to Your Marriott Bonvoy Account
First things first, head to the Marriott Bonvoy website or open the mobile app. You'll need to sign in with your member number or email and password. Once logged in, your account dashboard is your command center.
B. Locate Your Point Balance
On your dashboard, you'll see your current point total displayed prominently. This number is your key to all the redemptions we're about to explore. You might also see your Elite Status level (e.g., Silver, Gold, Platinum), which can offer additional perks and benefits during your stays.
C. Get Familiar with Your Account Activity
Take a moment to review your recent point activity. You can see how many points you've earned from past stays, co-branded credit card spending, or other promotions. This helps you keep track of your point accrual and ensures everything is being credited correctly.
A quick tip: Make sure your personal details are up to date! This includes your email and phone number, which are essential for receiving booking confirmations and important updates.
Step 2: Redeem Points for Hotel Stays (The Most Popular Option)
This is the most common and often the most valuable way to use your Marriott Bonvoy points. A free hotel night is the classic reward, and Marriott offers a wide range of properties, from budget-friendly hotels to ultra-luxury resorts.
A. Search for a Hotel with Points
When you search for a hotel on the Marriott website or app, be sure to select the "Use Points / Awards" option. This will show you the number of points required per night instead of the cash price.
B. Understand Dynamic Pricing
Marriott moved away from a fixed award chart, so the number of points needed for a room is now dynamic. This means the point price can fluctuate based on demand, season, and the cash rate of the room. It's a good idea to be flexible with your dates to find the best point deals. Look for the "Flexible Dates" option when searching to see a calendar view of point prices.
C. Consider the "Fifth Night Free" Benefit
This is one of the best perks of the Marriott Bonvoy program! When you book a stay of five consecutive nights using only points, the lowest-priced night is free. This effectively gives you a 20% discount on a five-night redemption. This is a powerful way to stretch your points and is especially valuable for longer vacations.
For example, if a five-night stay costs 25,000 points per night, you would normally need 125,000 points. With the fifth night free, you'll only be charged for four nights, costing you 100,000 points!
D. Explore "Cash + Points" Options
If you don't have enough points for a full stay, or if the cash rate for a particular night is surprisingly low, you can use the Cash + Points option. This allows you to pay for part of your stay with points and the rest with cash, offering greater flexibility. When searching, if this option is available, it will appear alongside the full points and cash rates.
Step 3: Transfer Points to Airline Miles
Do you have a large number of points and an upcoming flight you'd rather book with miles? Marriott Bonvoy has a wide network of airline partners.
A. The Standard Transfer Ratio
The standard transfer ratio for most airline partners is 3 Marriott Bonvoy points to 1 airline mile. This means for every 3,000 points you transfer, you'll receive 1,000 airline miles.
B. The "Bonus Miles" Perk
Here's where the value gets even better. When you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, you'll receive a 5,000 bonus miles. This boosts your effective transfer ratio, making it a much more attractive option. For example, 60,000 Bonvoy points transfer into 25,000 airline miles (20,000 miles from the 3:1 ratio + 5,000 bonus miles).
C. The Process of Transferring
To transfer your points, you'll need to go to the Marriott Bonvoy website, find the "Transfer Points to Miles" section, and select your desired airline. You must have a frequent flyer account with the airline, and the names on both accounts must match exactly. Be aware that transfers can take a few business days to process.
It's important to remember that hotel redemptions often provide the best value for your points. However, transferring to a specific airline to book a high-value first-class or business-class flight can sometimes be a fantastic use of your points.
Step 4: Discover Unique Experiences with Marriott Bonvoy Moments
Beyond hotel stays and flights, your points can be your ticket to exclusive and unforgettable events through the Marriott Bonvoy Moments program.
A. What Are Bonvoy Moments?
Marriott Bonvoy Moments offers curated, once-in-a-lifetime experiences that you can redeem using your points. These can range from VIP concert packages and private culinary classes with celebrity chefs to attending major sporting events from a luxury suite.
B. How to Redeem Points for Moments
There are two ways to redeem points for these experiences:
Fixed-Price Experiences: These have a set point value, and you can redeem them instantly on a first-come, first-served basis.
Auction-Style Experiences: For highly exclusive events, you can bid with your points. The highest bidder at the end of the auction wins the package.
Check the Marriott Bonvoy Moments website regularly as the packages are constantly updated and vary by location and time of year.
Step 5: Consider Other Redemption Options (with Caution)
While the options above generally offer the most value, there are other ways to use your points. It's important to be mindful of the value you're getting.
A. Cruises, Car Rentals, and Travel
You can use your points to book cruises, car rentals, and other travel activities through the Marriott Bonvoy travel portal. While convenient, the value per point is often lower than redeeming for hotel stays.
B. Shopping and Gift Cards
Marriott also allows you to redeem points for merchandise and gift cards through its online store. This is generally considered the lowest-value use of your points. The return on your points is significantly less than what you would get from a free night at a hotel. This option should only be considered if you have a small number of points you can't use otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to book a hotel stay with my Marriott points?
To book a hotel stay with your points, log into your Marriott Bonvoy account, search for your desired destination and dates, and check the "Use Points / Awards" box. The search results will display the point cost per night for each hotel.
How to get the most value from my Marriott points?
The most valuable way to use your points is typically for hotel redemptions, especially for luxury properties where the cash rate is very high. The "fifth night free" benefit for a five-night points stay also significantly increases the value of your points.
How to find out how many points I need for a stay?
The number of points required is dynamic and varies. To find out, you must search for your specific hotel and dates with the "Use Points / Awards" box checked on the Marriott website or app.
How to use a Free Night Award certificate?
If you have a Free Night Award certificate (often from a co-branded credit card), you can apply it during the booking process. When you search for a stay with "Use Points / Awards," if a certificate is eligible for that property, it will be an option to use during checkout.
How to transfer my Marriott points to an airline?
You can transfer your points to over 40 airline partners directly from your Marriott Bonvoy account online. The standard ratio is 3 Bonvoy points to 1 airline mile, with a bonus of 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points transferred.
How to book with a mix of cash and points?
After searching for a hotel, if the Cash + Points option is available, you will see it listed as a rate option. This allows you to pay for part of your stay with a lower point amount and the rest with cash.
How to redeem points for unique experiences?
Visit the Marriott Bonvoy Moments website. You can either bid on auction-style packages or instantly redeem points for fixed-price experiences like concerts, sporting events, and exclusive tours.
How to use points for flights and car rentals?
You can use your points for flights and car rentals through the dedicated Air + Car portal on the Marriott Bonvoy website. However, be aware that the value per point is generally lower than for hotel stays.
How to merge multiple Marriott accounts to combine points?
If you have multiple accounts under your name, you can contact Marriott Bonvoy customer service to have them merged. This will combine your point balances into one single account.
How to know if my points are about to expire?
Marriott Bonvoy points expire after 24 months of inactivity. An "activity" is any qualifying earning or redemption transaction. To keep your points from expiring, make sure you have at least one eligible transaction every two years.
