Have you ever dreamt of maximizing your travel rewards and sharing the joy of luxurious stays with your loved one? If you're a Marriott Bonvoy member, you're likely aware of the fantastic benefits the program offers, from free nights to elite status perks. But what about your spouse? How can you ensure they also reap the rewards and contribute to your shared travel goals? This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about "adding your spouse to Marriott Bonvoy" – which, as you'll soon discover, isn't quite as straightforward as a direct "add spouse" button, but rather a strategic approach to leveraging the program for shared benefits!
Understanding the Marriott Bonvoy Landscape: Individual Accounts & Point Sharing
Before we dive into the "how-to," it's crucial to understand a fundamental aspect of the Marriott Bonvoy program: Marriott Bonvoy memberships are for individuals only. This means you cannot create a joint account or directly "add" your spouse to your existing Bonvoy account in the way you might add an authorized user to a credit card. Each person must have their own individual Marriott Bonvoy membership.
However, this doesn't mean you can't share the benefits and work together to achieve your travel dreams! Marriott Bonvoy offers excellent provisions for sharing points, and strategic planning can ensure both you and your spouse benefit significantly.
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| How To Add Spouse To Marriott Bonvoy |
Step 1: Ensure Your Spouse Has Their Own Marriott Bonvoy Account
This is the absolute foundational step! Without an individual account, your spouse cannot accrue points, earn elite night credits, or enjoy member benefits.
Sub-heading: How to Join Marriott Bonvoy
If your spouse isn't already a member, getting them signed up is quick and free.
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Visit the Marriott Bonvoy Website: Head to
marriott.com/loyalty/createAccount/createAccountPage1.mi -
Fill in the Details: They'll need to provide basic information like their name, email address, and create a password.
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Agree to Terms and Conditions: Make sure they read and agree to the program's terms.
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Confirm Registration: They'll likely receive a confirmation email. Clicking the link within will activate their account.
Pro Tip: Encourage your spouse to sign up even if they don't travel frequently on their own. Having an account is essential for any future point transfers or shared benefits.
Step 2: Strategizing Point Accumulation and Sharing
This is where the magic happens for couples! While you can't have a joint account, you can effectively pool your points.
Tip: Reading in chunks improves focus.
Sub-heading: Understanding Marriott Bonvoy Point Transfers
Marriott Bonvoy allows members to transfer points to other Bonvoy members. This is the primary method for "adding" your spouse's points to yours, or vice-versa, for larger redemptions.
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Eligibility for Transfers:
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Both Marriott Bonvoy accounts must be in good standing.
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Both accounts must have been open for at least 30 days with qualifying activity (earning or redeeming points) or 90 days without any qualifying activity. This is important to note for new accounts!
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You can transfer a maximum of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points per calendar year from your account.
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A member can receive up to a maximum of 500,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points per calendar year from other member accounts.
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The minimum transfer amount is 1,000 points, and transfers must be in increments of 1,000 points.
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There are no fees for transferring points between Marriott Bonvoy members.
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Sub-heading: Step-by-Step Guide to Transferring Points Online
This is the most common and convenient way to combine points with your spouse.
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Log In to Your Marriott Bonvoy Account: Go to marriott.com and log in with your credentials (the account you want to transfer points from).
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Navigate to the Points Transfer Tool: You can often find this under the "Earn & Redeem" or "My Account" section. A direct link is usually available on the Marriott website for point transfers.
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Enter Recipient Details: You will need your spouse's:
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Full Name (as it appears on their Bonvoy account)
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Marriott Bonvoy Member Number
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Amount of Points to Transfer (in increments of 1,000)
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Crucial: Ensure these details are absolutely accurate! A mismatch can delay or prevent the transfer.
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Confirm and Initiate Transfer: Review all the details, agree to the terms and conditions, and click "Transfer Now" or a similar button.
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Verification (if prompted): Marriott may require a security verification, such as a text message code to your registered phone number or an email confirmation.
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Confirmation: You should receive a confirmation that your transfer request has been made. While Marriott states transfers can take up to 24 hours, they are often instant. If points don't appear immediately in your spouse's account, have them try logging out and back in.
Styling Tip: Consider transferring points to the account with the highest elite status if you're aiming for specific benefits like complimentary breakfast, lounge access, or enhanced room upgrades on a redemption stay. This allows you to leverage the better perks for your joint trip.
Step 3: Leveraging Elite Status Benefits for Couples
While individual accounts are key, your elite status can often extend benefits to your traveling companion, including your spouse.
Sub-heading: Direct Benefits Extended to a Companion
Many elite status benefits apply to the room you book, regardless of who else is staying in it.
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Complimentary Wi-Fi: All Marriott Bonvoy members enjoy complimentary in-room Wi-Fi, and this extends to everyone in the room.
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Late Checkout: Depending on your elite status (Gold Elite and above), you can request late checkout, which applies to your room.
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Enhanced Room Upgrades: If you receive an upgrade based on your elite status, your spouse will naturally enjoy this improved room with you.
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Lounge Access (Platinum Elite and above): If you have Platinum Elite status or higher and book a room at a participating brand with a lounge, you and one guest staying in the same room typically receive complimentary lounge access and breakfast.
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Welcome Gift: At check-in, elite members often receive a welcome gift. If it's a food and beverage credit or points, you can use these for shared experiences.
Sub-heading: Gifting Elite Status (Annual Choice Benefit)
If you achieve certain elite status tiers, you might have the option to gift elite status to someone else, including your spouse.
QuickTip: Slow down if the pace feels too fast.
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50 Elite Night Credits (Platinum Elite): Upon achieving 50 Elite Night Credits in a calendar year, you can choose from various Annual Choice Benefits. One of these options is to gift Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite Status to a family member or friend.
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75 Elite Night Credits (Titanium Elite): If you reach 75 Elite Night Credits, you get an additional Annual Choice Benefit, which includes the option to gift Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status to a family member or friend.
Note: These gifted statuses are a fantastic way to give your spouse some basic benefits, even if they don't travel enough on their own to earn them.
Step 4: Maximizing Earnings Together
Beyond sharing points, consider how you can both contribute to earning points efficiently.
Sub-heading: Marriott Bonvoy Co-Branded Credit Cards
Many Marriott Bonvoy credit cards offer generous welcome bonuses and accelerated earning rates on Marriott stays and everyday purchases.
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Individual Applications: Both you and your spouse can apply for separate Marriott Bonvoy credit cards. This allows each of you to earn separate welcome bonuses and benefit from the card's perks, like automatic elite status (e.g., Silver Elite with some entry-level cards, Gold Elite with others), and annual free night certificates.
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Authorized Users: While the primary cardholder's Bonvoy number is linked to the credit card, you can often add your spouse as an authorized user to your credit card. While authorized user spending typically accrues points to the primary cardholder's account, it contributes to overall spending for meeting minimum spend requirements for bonuses and can help you reach higher spending tiers for additional benefits.
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Important: Points earned by an authorized user's spending on the Marriott co-branded credit card will be credited to the Primary Cardmember's Marriott Bonvoy Member Account.
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Sub-heading: Booking Stays
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Who Books? When booking a stay, the reservation should be under the name of the Marriott Bonvoy member who will be staying and whose elite status you wish to leverage. For example, if you have Platinum Elite and your spouse has Silver Elite, you should book the room under your name to enjoy benefits like lounge access and potential upgrades.
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Two Rooms, One Member: If you need two rooms (e.g., traveling with children), and only one of you has elite status, you can sometimes book both rooms under the elite member's name (check specific hotel policies, as some benefits might only apply to the elite member's room).
Step 5: Coordinating Award Redemptions
When it comes to using your hard-earned points for free nights, coordinating is key.
Sub-heading: The Power of Pooling for Free Nights
Once you've transferred points between your accounts, or if one person has enough points for a desired redemption, you can proceed with booking.
QuickTip: Pause to connect ideas in your mind.
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Booking Online: Simply log into the account that holds enough points for the redemption.
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Adding Your Spouse to the Reservation: When booking a room for an award stay, you can typically add your spouse's name as an additional guest. This ensures they are recognized at check-in.
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Fifth Night Free: Remember Marriott's excellent "Fifth Night Free" benefit on award stays. If you book four consecutive nights using points, the fifth night is free! This is a fantastic way to stretch your pooled points even further.
Remember: While you can't truly "add your spouse to Marriott Bonvoy" in terms of a shared account, the ability to transfer points, extend elite benefits to companions, and strategically earn points individually makes it incredibly easy for couples to maximize their travel rewards together.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to my spouse?
You can transfer points online through the Marriott Bonvoy website. Log into your account, go to the points transfer tool, and enter your spouse's full name and Marriott Bonvoy member number.
How to get my spouse Marriott Bonvoy Elite status?
You can gift Silver Elite status after earning 50 Elite Night Credits, or Gold Elite status after earning 75 Elite Night Credits, as part of your Marriott Bonvoy Annual Choice Benefit.
How to ensure my spouse gets Marriott Bonvoy benefits when we travel?
Book stays under the name of the spouse with the highest elite status. Most elite benefits, like late checkout and lounge access, apply to the room the elite member is occupying.
How to combine Marriott Bonvoy points with my spouse?
Marriott Bonvoy allows you to transfer points between individual accounts online, effectively combining them for larger redemptions.
QuickTip: Don’t ignore the small print.
How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points faster as a couple?
Both spouses can apply for separate Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit cards to earn individual welcome bonuses and accelerate point accumulation through spending.
How to add my spouse to a Marriott Bonvoy reservation?
When making a reservation online or over the phone, you can typically add your spouse's name as an additional guest to the booking.
How to share a Marriott Bonvoy credit card with my spouse?
You can add your spouse as an authorized user to your Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit card. Note that points earned from their spending will typically go to the primary cardholder's account.
How to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for a trip with my spouse?
Once enough points are accumulated in one account (through earning or transfers), log into that account on the Marriott website and book your desired award stay, adding your spouse as a guest.
How to find my spouse's Marriott Bonvoy member number?
Your spouse can find their member number by logging into their Marriott Bonvoy account on the Marriott website or mobile app, or it may be on past reservation confirmations.
How to deal with points expiring in my spouse's Marriott Bonvoy account?
You can transfer a small amount of points (e.g., 1,000) to or from your spouse's account, as point transfer activity counts as qualifying activity and resets the 24-month expiration clock.
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