Have you ever found yourself with a stash of Marriott Bonvoy points, perhaps from a business trip or a credit card sign-up bonus, but not quite enough for that dream vacation? Or maybe a friend or family member is just a few thousand points short of a fantastic award night? The good news is, Marriott Bonvoy offers incredible flexibility when it comes to managing your points, allowing you to transfer them to another member's account or even convert them into airline miles. This detailed guide will walk you through every step of the process, ensuring you can maximize the value of your hard-earned points.
Unlocking the Power of Your Marriott Bonvoy Points: A Comprehensive Guide to Transfers
Marriott Bonvoy's points transfer system is a powerful tool for maximizing your travel rewards. Whether you're pooling points for a grand family vacation, helping out a friend, or converting them for air travel, understanding the nuances of these transfers is key. Let's dive in!
Before You Begin: Important Considerations for Point Transfers
Before you initiate any transfer, it's crucial to understand a few key policies and requirements:
Account Eligibility: Both the sending and receiving Marriott Bonvoy accounts must be in good standing. For point transfers between members, the accounts must have been open for at least 30 days with qualifying activity (earning or redeeming points) or 90 days without qualifying activity.
Transfer Limits (Member to Member):
You can transfer a maximum of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per calendar year from your account to other members. This is an aggregate limit, meaning it applies to all transfers you make, regardless of how many recipients.
You can receive a maximum of 500,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per calendar year from other members.
Transfer Increments (Member to Member): Points must be transferred in increments of 1,000 points. The minimum transfer amount is also 1,000 points.
Fees: There are absolutely no fees when transferring Marriott Bonvoy points to another Marriott Bonvoy member's account. This is a fantastic perk that many other loyalty programs do not offer!
Processing Time (Member to Member): While Marriott states transfers can take up to an hour, many users report them being instantaneous. Sometimes, simply logging out and back into the recipient's account will show the updated balance.
Name Match (Airline Transfers): When transferring to airline partners, ensure the name on your Marriott Bonvoy account exactly matches the name on your airline frequent flyer account. A slight mismatch could cause significant delays or even a rejected transfer.
Now that we've covered the essentials, let's get to the step-by-step guides!
Step 1: Decide Your Transfer Goal – Member to Member or to Airline Miles?
This is your first critical decision! Your path will differ depending on whether you want to share points with another Marriott Bonvoy member or convert them into airline miles for a flight.
Engage User: Think about your travel goals. Are you planning a big family trip where pooling points would be ideal, or are you eyeing a specific flight redemption that requires airline miles? Your answer will determine which path you take in the next steps!
Path A: How to Transfer Marriott Bonvoy Points to Another Member
Transferring points to another Marriott Bonvoy member is incredibly useful for combining points for a larger award stay, especially if one person has higher elite status and can secure better benefits.
Step 2: Access the Marriott Bonvoy Points Transfer Tool Online
Unfortunately, as of the current information, the Marriott Bonvoy app does not offer point transfer functionality. You'll need to use the website.
Log In: Go to the official Marriott Bonvoy website and log in to your account (the account that will be sending the points).
Navigate to the Transfer Page: While you might find options for "How to Use Points/Certificates" or "Share your Points" within your account, the most direct way is to go to the dedicated Marriott Bonvoy points transfer page. Bookmark this link for future reference! (You can usually find it by searching "Marriott Bonvoy transfer points to another member" on Google and looking for the official Marriott link or a reputable travel blog's direct link).
Step 3: Fill Out the Transfer Details Accurately
Once you're on the transfer page, you'll see a form to complete.
Your Current Balance: You should see your current Marriott Bonvoy point balance displayed.
Recipient's Information: This is where precision is paramount. You'll need to enter the following details for the person receiving the points:
First Name: Enter their first name exactly as it appears on their Marriott Bonvoy account.
Last Name: Enter their last name exactly as it appears on their Marriott Bonvoy account.
Marriott Bonvoy Member Number: Double-check this number to ensure it's correct.
Transfer Amount: Enter the number of points you wish to transfer. Remember the rules:
Minimum: 1,000 points
Increments: In multiples of 1,000 points
Maximum (outgoing): 100,000 points per calendar year
Confirm Details: Carefully review all the information you've entered. A single typo could cause the transfer to fail or send points to the wrong person.
Agree to Terms and Conditions: Read the terms and conditions related to the transfer. This typically includes acknowledging that you're relinquishing ownership of the points once transferred.
Initiate Transfer: Click on the "Transfer Now" or similar button to proceed.
Step 4: Verify Your Identity
For security purposes, Marriott will likely ask you to verify your identity.
Verification Method: You'll typically receive a verification code via text message to the phone number associated with your Marriott Bonvoy account or to your registered email address.
Enter Code: Input the verification code into the provided field on the website.
Confirm: Once confirmed, you should receive a message indicating that your transfer request has been made.
Step 5: Confirm the Transfer
While many transfers are instant, it's always a good idea to confirm.
Check Your Account: Your Marriott Bonvoy account activity should show the points deducted, often labeled as "Points Sharing."
Recipient's Account: Advise the recipient to log out and then log back into their Marriott Bonvoy account. The transferred points should appear in their balance. If not immediately, give it up to an hour or two.
Path B: How to Transfer Marriott Bonvoy Points to Airline Miles
Converting your Marriott Bonvoy points to airline miles can be a fantastic way to unlock aspirational flight redemptions, especially if you're looking for premium cabin travel. Marriott partners with over 40 airlines!
Step 2: Understand Transfer Ratios and Bonuses
This is where strategizing comes into play.
Standard Transfer Ratio: For most airline partners, the transfer ratio is 3 Marriott Bonvoy points to 1 airline mile.
The 5,000 Bonus Mile Perk: This is crucial! For every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer in a single transaction, Marriott will add an additional 5,000 bonus miles. This effectively makes a 60,000 Marriott point transfer yield 25,000 airline miles, improving the ratio to 2.4 Marriott points to 1 airline mile.
United Airlines Bonus: United MileagePlus is a special case. When you transfer 60,000 Marriott points to United, you receive a 10,000-mile bonus, resulting in 30,000 United miles. This makes it an even better value at 2 Marriott points to 1 United mile.
Exceptions: Be aware that a few airlines, like Air New Zealand, American Airlines, Avianca LifeMiles, and Delta SkyMiles, have different transfer ratios or do not offer the 5,000 bonus miles. Always verify the specific airline's transfer details on the Marriott Bonvoy website before initiating.
Step 3: Access the Marriott Bonvoy Transfer Points to Airlines Page
Log In: Go to the official Marriott Bonvoy website and log in to your account.
Navigate to the Airline Transfer Page: Look for "Redeem Points" or "Use Points" and then find the option to "Transfer Points to Airlines" or "Transfer Points to Miles." Marriott also has a dedicated page for this.
Step 4: Select Your Airline Partner and Enter Details
Choose Airline: From the list of Marriott's airline partners, select the frequent flyer program you wish to transfer your points to.
Enter Frequent Flyer Number: Carefully input your frequent flyer membership number for the selected airline. Ensure your name on both accounts matches perfectly.
Input Transfer Amount: Enter the number of Marriott Bonvoy points you want to transfer.
Minimum: Usually 3,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.
Maximum: 240,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per day.
Remember to aim for multiples of 60,000 to maximize the 5,000 bonus miles, unless you have a specific, smaller amount needed to top off an airline account.
Review and Confirm: Double-check all the details, especially the airline and your frequent flyer number. Once transferred, points cannot be reversed.
Agree to Terms: Accept the terms and conditions.
Initiate Transfer: Click the transfer button.
Step 5: Await Your Miles
Transferring points to airline partners is generally not instantaneous.
Processing Time: Most transfers take 2-7 business days to complete. Some can be faster (e.g., Delta often within 1 day, United 1-2 days), while others can take longer (e.g., Japan Airlines 7-14+ days, China Eastern and Frontier even longer, potentially over a month).
Monitor Your Airline Account: Keep an eye on your airline frequent flyer account for the points to post.
Award Holds: If you're transferring for a specific award redemption, check if the airline allows you to hold the award ticket while your points transfer. This can prevent the award space from disappearing.
Key Scenarios Where Transferring Marriott Points Shines
Consolidating Points for a Big Redemption: Got points spread across family members' accounts? Combine them into one to book that dream suite or extended stay.
Maximizing Elite Status Benefits: If one traveler in your party has higher Marriott Bonvoy elite status (e.g., Platinum, Titanium, Ambassador), transfer points to their account before booking so you can all enjoy benefits like complimentary breakfast, lounge access, or potential room upgrades.
Leveraging the 5th Night Free Benefit: Marriott Bonvoy offers a "Stay 5, Pay for 4" benefit on award stays. If you have enough points for two nights in one account and two in another, transfer them to a single account to book a five-night stay and get the cheapest night free!
Topping Off an Airline Account: You're just shy of enough miles for a fantastic flight redemption. Transferring Marriott points can be the perfect way to bridge that gap.
Accessing Unique Airline Partners: Marriott partners with several airlines that are not transfer partners with other major transferable points currencies (like American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards). This makes Marriott Bonvoy a unique gateway to these programs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to Transfer Marriott Points to Another Member's Account Online?
You can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to another member online by logging into your account on the Marriott Bonvoy website and navigating to the dedicated "Transfer Points" page. You'll need the recipient's full name and Marriott Bonvoy member number.
How to Transfer Marriott Points to Airline Miles?
Log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account on their website, go to the "Redeem Points" or "Transfer Points to Airlines" section, select your desired airline partner, enter your frequent flyer number, and specify the amount of points to transfer.
How to Check Marriott Bonvoy Points Transfer Limits?
You can transfer a maximum of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points out of your account per calendar year to other members, and you can receive up to 500,000 points per calendar year. For airline transfers, the maximum is 240,000 points per day.
How to Find the Marriott Points Transfer Page?
The easiest way is to log into your Marriott Bonvoy account on the official website and search for "Transfer Points" or look under "Use Points" or "My Account" sections. Many reputable travel blogs also provide direct links to the transfer page.
How to Transfer Marriott Points for Free?
Transferring Marriott Bonvoy points to another Marriott Bonvoy member is completely free of charge. However, transferring to airline partners does not incur a monetary fee, but it involves a conversion ratio (e.g., 3:1).
How to Ensure a Marriott Points Transfer is Successful?
Always ensure both accounts (sending and receiving) are in good standing, that the recipient's name and member number are entered exactly as they appear on their account, and that you adhere to the minimum and maximum transfer limits. For airline transfers, match names perfectly.
How to Speed Up a Marriott Points Transfer?
While member-to-member transfers are often instant, airline transfers have varying processing times. There isn't typically a way to "speed up" the process beyond initiating the transfer as early as possible. If you need miles for an immediate redemption, check if the airline allows award holds.
How to Get Bonus Miles When Transferring Marriott Points to Airlines?
Transfer your Marriott Bonvoy points in increments of 60,000 points to most airline partners. For every 60,000 points transferred in a single transaction, Marriott will add an additional 5,000 bonus miles, making 60,000 Bonvoy points equal to 25,000 airline miles. For United, it's a 10,000-mile bonus.
How to Transfer Marriott Points to Someone with a New Account?
The receiving Marriott Bonvoy account must be open for at least 30 days with qualifying activity or 90 days without qualifying activity to be eligible to receive points.
How to Reverse a Marriott Points Transfer?
Once Marriott Bonvoy points are transferred, either to another member or to an airline partner, the transfer is generally final and irreversible. Double-check all details before confirming the transfer.
