Oh, hello there, fellow travel enthusiast! Are you looking to maximize your Marriott Bonvoy points for that dream vacation, a weekend getaway, or perhaps even a fancy flight? You've come to the right place! Transferring Marriott Bonvoy points can unlock incredible value, but it's essential to understand the ins and outs to make the most of your hard-earned rewards.
Let's dive in and unravel the mysteries of Marriott point transfers, step by step!
The Art of Transferring Marriott Bonvoy Points: Your Comprehensive Guide
Marriott Bonvoy offers a lot of flexibility when it comes to your points. You can transfer them to another member, combine them with points from a co-branded credit card, or even convert them into airline miles. Each option has its own set of rules and benefits, so let's explore them thoroughly.
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| How Do I Transfer Marriott Points |
Step 1: Understand Your "Why" - Why Are You Transferring Points?
Before you even think about clicking "transfer," ask yourself: What's my goal here?
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Are you pooling points with a friend or family member for a larger redemption, perhaps for a high-value hotel stay?
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Do you have multiple Marriott Bonvoy accounts under your name and want to consolidate them?
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Are you looking to convert your hotel points into airline miles for a flight award?
Your "why" will dictate which transfer method is best for you and will help you avoid any unnecessary hurdles. Knowing your objective from the outset will make the entire process smoother and more rewarding.
Step 2: Transferring Marriott Bonvoy Points to Another Member
This is a fantastic option for families, couples, or friends who want to combine their points for a more significant redemption, especially for those aspirational stays that require a large sum of points. The good news? Marriott makes this process surprisingly easy, and there are no fees involved!
Sub-heading: Eligibility and Rules for Member-to-Member Transfers
Before you initiate a transfer, make sure both accounts meet the following criteria:
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Account Age: Both the transferring and receiving Marriott Bonvoy accounts must have been active for at least 30 days with qualifying activity (like earning or redeeming points), or 90 days without any qualifying activity. This is a crucial detail to prevent abuse of the system.
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Minimum Transfer: You must transfer a minimum of 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.
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Transfer Increments: All transfers must be in increments of 1,000 points. So, you can transfer 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, etc., but not 1,500.
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Annual Transfer Limit (Giving): You can transfer a maximum of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per calendar year to other members. This limit applies to the total points you give out, regardless of how many different members you send them to.
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Annual Receiving Limit: A member can receive a maximum of 500,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per calendar year from other member accounts. This is a generous limit, allowing for significant point pooling.
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Transaction Limits: There's also a limit of 6 transfer transactions per calendar year, with a maximum of 2 transfer transactions per month. This is important to keep in mind if you plan on making multiple small transfers.
Sub-heading: Step-by-Step Online Transfer Process
Tip: The middle often holds the main point.
Gone are the days of needing to call Marriott customer service for member-to-member transfers! You can now do this conveniently online.
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Log In: Go to the official Marriott Bonvoy website and log in to the account of the person who will be transferring the points. This is important – the sender initiates the process.
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Navigate to the Transfer Page: Once logged in, you'll need to find the specific "Transfer Points" page. You can often find this under "My Account" or "Redeem Points." Many users report that navigating directly to the transfer page link (which can be found through a quick search for "Marriott Bonvoy transfer points to another member") is the easiest way.
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Enter Recipient Details: On the transfer page, you'll be prompted to enter the full name and Marriott Bonvoy member number of the person you are transferring points to. Ensure these details exactly match how they appear on the recipient's Marriott Bonvoy account to avoid any issues.
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Specify Transfer Amount: Enter the number of points you wish to transfer, keeping in mind the minimum and increment rules (1,000 points minimum, in 1,000-point increments).
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Verify Your Identity: For security purposes, Marriott will likely ask you to verify your identity, often through a text message or email containing a verification code. Enter this code to proceed.
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Review and Confirm: Double-check all the information you've entered – the recipient's details and the transfer amount. Read and agree to the terms and conditions.
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Initiate Transfer: Click "Transfer Now" or the equivalent button.
Sub-heading: What to Expect After Transferring Points to Another Member
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Processing Time: While Marriott states it can take up to 24 hours for the points to appear in the recipient's account, many transfers are instantaneous. If the points don't show up immediately, have the recipient try logging out and back into their account.
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Confirmation: You should receive a confirmation message on the screen, and often an email, confirming your transfer request.
Step 3: Combining Multiple Marriott Bonvoy Accounts Under Your Own Name
Sometimes, members might inadvertently create multiple Marriott Bonvoy accounts. This can happen due to different email addresses, booking methods, or simply forgetting an existing account. Combining these accounts is a smart move to centralize your points and elite night credits.
Sub-heading: Important Considerations for Combining Accounts
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Individual Accounts Only: Marriott's policy is generally one account per person. You can only combine accounts that are in your own name. You cannot combine accounts belonging to different individuals, even family members, using this method.
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Name Match: The name on all accounts you wish to combine must match exactly.
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Account Age: If any of the accounts are less than 30 days old, you might need to wait until they are 30 days old before requesting a combine.
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One-Time Process: Combining accounts is a one-time, irreversible process. Once merged, you cannot undo it.
Sub-heading: Step-by-Step Guide to Combining Your Accounts
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Access the Combine Accounts Form: Marriott has a dedicated online form for combining duplicate accounts. You'll typically find this by searching for "Marriott Bonvoy combine accounts" or looking in the "Help" or "FAQ" section of the Marriott Bonvoy website.
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Log In: Log in to the primary account you wish to keep and have all points and activity transferred into.
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Fill Out the Form: The form will usually pre-populate information from your logged-in account. You will then need to enter the details (member number, name) of the second account you wish to merge.
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Select Primary Account: You'll be asked to select which account's information (e.g., address, contact details) you wish to keep as the primary.
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Acknowledge and Submit: Review all the details, check the acknowledgment box, and submit your request.
Sub-heading: What to Expect After Combining Your Accounts
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Processing Time: Most account merges are completed within 14 days of your request.
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Consolidated Information: Once combined, all points, elite night credits, and stay history from the secondary account(s) will be consolidated into your chosen primary account.
Step 4: Converting Marriott Bonvoy Points to Airline Miles
This is where the magic truly happens for those looking to maximize their travel flexibility! Marriott Bonvoy has an extensive list of airline partners, allowing you to convert your hotel points into airline miles for flight redemptions.
Tip: Review key points when done.
Sub-heading: Understanding the Transfer Ratios and Bonuses
The standard transfer ratio for most airline partners is 3 Marriott Bonvoy points to 1 airline mile. However, there's a fantastic bonus that makes this even more appealing:
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The 5,000 Mile Bonus: For every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer, Marriott will add an additional 5,000 bonus miles to your transfer! This effectively means 60,000 Marriott points become 25,000 airline miles (20,000 base miles + 5,000 bonus miles). This sweetens the deal significantly and is a key reason many savvy travelers convert points in 60,000-point increments.
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United Airlines Bonus: United MileagePlus is a unique case. Thanks to a special partnership, when you transfer 60,000 Marriott points to United, you receive an even better bonus of 10,000 United miles, making it a 60,000 Marriott points to 30,000 United miles transfer.
Sub-heading: Key Rules and Restrictions for Airline Transfers
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Minimum Transfer: Generally, you need to transfer a minimum of 3,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for an airline transfer.
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Maximum Daily Transfer: You can transfer a maximum of 240,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per day to airline partners. This limit is across all airlines, not per airline.
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Name Match: The name on your Marriott Bonvoy account must exactly match the name on your airline loyalty program account. Any discrepancy can cause delays or failure of the transfer.
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Irreversible: Once you transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to an airline program, the transfer is final and irreversible. You cannot get the points back to your Marriott account.
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No Bonus for Certain Airlines: While most airlines receive the 5,000-mile bonus per 60,000 points, some partners like American Airlines, Avianca LifeMiles, and Delta SkyMiles do not offer this bonus. Always check the specific airline's transfer details.
Sub-heading: Step-by-Step Guide to Converting to Airline Miles
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Log In to Your Marriott Bonvoy Account: Go to the Marriott Bonvoy website and log in.
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Navigate to the Transfer Points to Miles Section: Look for "Redeem Points" or "Use Points" and then find the option to "Transfer Points to Miles."
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Select Your Desired Airline Partner: From the extensive list of Marriott's airline partners, choose the airline loyalty program you want to transfer your points to.
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Enter Your Airline Loyalty Program Number: Provide your frequent flyer number for the chosen airline.
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Specify Transfer Amount: Enter the number of Marriott Bonvoy points you wish to transfer. Remember the 60,000-point increments for the maximum bonus!
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Review and Confirm: Carefully review the transfer details, including the number of Marriott points being transferred and the estimated number of airline miles you will receive. Agree to the terms and conditions.
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Initiate Transfer: Confirm your transfer request.
Sub-heading: What to Expect After Converting to Airline Miles
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Processing Time: Transfers to airline partners can take anywhere from 24 hours to up to 5 business days (or sometimes even longer for less common partners). It's rarely instant, so plan accordingly if you have an urgent flight redemption in mind.
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Confirmation: You'll receive a confirmation of your transfer request from Marriott. Once the miles appear in your airline account, you can proceed with your flight booking.
Step 5: Leveraging Marriott Bonvoy Co-Branded Credit Cards
While not a direct "transfer" in the same way as the above, co-branded Marriott Bonvoy credit cards are incredibly powerful tools for accumulating points rapidly, which then become readily available in your Marriott Bonvoy account.
Sub-heading: How Credit Cards Boost Your Point Balance
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Welcome Bonuses: Many Marriott Bonvoy credit cards offer substantial welcome bonuses after meeting certain spending requirements. These can instantly inject tens of thousands of points into your account.
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Everyday Spending: You earn Marriott Bonvoy points on all your eligible purchases, with accelerated earning rates at Marriott properties and on specific spending categories.
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Annual Free Night Certificates: Many Marriott Bonvoy credit cards come with annual free night certificates, which can be combined with points for longer stays or used independently.
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Elite Status Boost: Holding a Marriott Bonvoy credit card often grants you automatic elite status, providing benefits like bonus points on stays, late checkout, and more.
If you're serious about maximizing Marriott Bonvoy points, a co-branded credit card is almost a necessity for accelerating your earnings and unlocking additional perks.
Step 6: Important Tips and Best Practices for All Transfers
Tip: Don’t overthink — just keep reading.
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Double-Check Everything: Before hitting that final "confirm" button, triple-check all names, member numbers, and transfer amounts. Transfers are often irreversible!
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Plan Ahead: Especially for airline transfers, don't wait until the last minute. Give yourself ample time for the points to post, as processing times can vary.
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Understand the Value: While transferring points can be great, always compare the value you're getting. Sometimes, using points for a hotel stay might yield more value than converting them to airline miles, or vice-versa. Do a quick calculation of cents per point (CPP) if you want to be precise.
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Keep Records: Save confirmation emails or screenshots of your transfer requests. This can be helpful if any issues arise.
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Stay Active: Ensure your Marriott Bonvoy account remains active to prevent point expiration. Earning or redeeming points at least once every 24 months generally keeps your account active.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 10 common "How to" questions related to transferring Marriott Bonvoy points, with quick answers:
How to check my Marriott Bonvoy point balance?
You can check your Marriott Bonvoy point balance by logging into your account on the Marriott Bonvoy website or through the Marriott Bonvoy mobile app. Your point total will be prominently displayed on your account dashboard.
How to find my Marriott Bonvoy member number?
Your Marriott Bonvoy member number is usually displayed on your online account profile, within the Marriott Bonvoy app, and on any communication you receive from Marriott Bonvoy (like emails). You can also use a "lookup member number" tool on the Marriott website if you forget it.
How to transfer Marriott points without a fee?
You can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to another Marriott Bonvoy member without any fee directly through the Marriott Bonvoy website's "Transfer Points" section.
How to transfer Marriott points instantly?
While transfers to another Marriott member can often be instant, Marriott officially states up to 24 hours. Transfers to airline partners typically take longer, from 24 hours to 5 business days, and are rarely instant.
Tip: Compare what you read here with other sources.
How to transfer Marriott points if the names don't match?
For member-to-member transfers, the names must match exactly on both accounts. For airline transfers, your Marriott Bonvoy account name must match your airline loyalty program account name. If there's a discrepancy, you'll need to contact Marriott Bonvoy customer service to update your profile before attempting the transfer.
How to get the 5,000 bonus miles when transferring Marriott points to airlines?
To get the 5,000 bonus miles, you must transfer Marriott Bonvoy points in increments of 60,000 points to eligible airline partners. For every 60,000 points converted, you receive an additional 5,000 miles.
How to transfer Marriott points if one account is new?
If an account is new, it generally needs to be active for at least 30 days with qualifying activity (or 90 days without activity) before it can transfer or receive points.
How to cancel a Marriott point transfer?
Generally, once a Marriott Bonvoy point transfer is initiated (especially to another member or an airline), it is final and irreversible. Always double-check details before confirming.
How to transfer Marriott points to United Airlines for the best value?
To get the best value when transferring to United Airlines, aim for transfers in increments of 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. For every 60,000 points, you'll receive a special 10,000 United miles bonus, resulting in 30,000 United miles.
How to know if a specific airline is a Marriott Bonvoy transfer partner?
You can find the most current and comprehensive list of Marriott Bonvoy's airline partners on the official Marriott Bonvoy website, typically within the "Redeem Points" or "Transfer Points to Miles" section. The website will list all eligible partners and their respective transfer ratios.
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