Oh, the allure of a free night at a luxurious Marriott Bonvoy property! Who hasn't dreamt of waking up to breathtaking views without the sting of a hefty cash bill? And often, buying Marriott Bonvoy points can be your secret weapon to unlock those dream stays. But before you dive in, it's essential to understand the cost, the strategy, and when it truly makes sense.
Let's embark on this journey together to uncover the ins and outs of purchasing Marriott Bonvoy points!
The Cost of Convenience: How Much Does It Cost to Buy Marriott Bonvoy Points?
The standard price for buying Marriott Bonvoy points is $12.50 USD per 1,000 points. This means each point, at its base price, costs you 1.25 cents.
Now, hold on a moment! Don't let that number scare you away immediately. While 1.25 cents per point is the regular rate, Marriott Bonvoy frequently offers promotions that can significantly reduce this cost. These promotions are where the real value lies for savvy travelers.
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| How Much Does It Cost To Buy Marriott Bonvoy Points |
Step 1: Are You Ready to Unlock Smart Travel?
Before we delve into the nitty-gritty of pricing, ask yourself: Are you intrigued by the idea of staying at a high-end Marriott property for less, or perhaps extending a trip without breaking the bank? If your answer is a resounding "Yes!" then you're in the right place. Understanding how to strategically buy points can transform your travel planning.
Step 2: Understanding the Standard Pricing Structure
As mentioned, the foundational price is straightforward:
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$12.50 USD for 1,000 points
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This translates to 1.25 cents per point (CPP).
You can typically purchase points in increments of 1,000. So, if you need 5,000 points, it would cost you $62.50 (5 x $12.50).
Step 3: The Golden Opportunity – Marriott Bonvoy Points Promotions!
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This is where buying points becomes a truly strategic move. Marriott Bonvoy regularly offers promotions, often in the form of a bonus on purchased points. These bonuses can range anywhere from 20% to 50% (and sometimes even higher!).
Sub-heading: What Does a Promotion Look Like?
Imagine a "Buy points and get a 40% bonus!" promotion. Here's how that changes the math:
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Original Purchase: Let's say you want to effectively get 14,000 points.
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Without Bonus: You'd pay $175 (14 x $12.50).
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With 40% Bonus: You'd purchase fewer points to reach your target. For example, to get 14,000 points with a 40% bonus, you'd technically need to purchase only 10,000 points (10,000 + 4,000 bonus = 14,000). The cost for 10,000 points at the standard rate is $125. With the 40% bonus, your effective cost per point drops significantly. In this example, 14,000 points for $125 brings your cost down to approximately 0.89 cents per point.
Sub-heading: When Do Promotions Usually Occur?
While there's no fixed schedule, Marriott Bonvoy tends to offer these promotions several times throughout the year. Keep an eye on their "Buy Points" page or subscribe to their email newsletters to be notified. They often coincide with holidays or specific travel seasons.
Step 4: Annual Purchase Limits – Don't Get Caught Off Guard!
Marriott Bonvoy imposes limits on how many points you can purchase in a calendar year. These limits can sometimes be increased during promotional periods.
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Standard Annual Limit: Historically, the standard annual limit for purchasing points directly was 100,000 points.
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Promotional Limit Increases: Marriott has been known to boost this limit to 150,000 points or even higher during certain promotions (e.g., 2025 saw a boosted limit of 150,000 points, and for some specific promotions, it went up to 210,000 points including the bonus).
Sub-heading: Important Considerations for Limits:
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Combined Limit: The annual limit applies to points you purchase for yourself and points you receive as a gift from another member who purchased them.
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Booking Path Purchases: You can sometimes purchase additional points (up to 100,000 annually) when you are actively booking a hotel stay through the reservation path on Marriott.com, even if you've hit your regular purchase limit. This is a great feature if you're just short for a specific redemption.
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New Member Restrictions: If you're a brand new Marriott Bonvoy member, you typically need to wait 30 days after enrollment before you can purchase points, provided you've had some qualifying activity.
Step 5: How to Determine If Buying Points is a Good Value for You
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This is the most crucial step! Buying points only makes financial sense if the cost of the points is less than the cash price of the hotel stay you intend to book.
Sub-heading: The "Cent Per Point" (CPP) Value Calculation
To figure this out, you need to calculate the effective cost per point when you buy them and compare it to the value you get when you redeem them.
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Calculate Your Purchase CPP:
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Cost of Purchase / (Points Purchased + Bonus Points) = Your Effective CPP -
Example: If you buy 100,000 points for $1,250 and get a 40% bonus (so, 40,000 bonus points, total 140,000 points), your calculation would be:
$1,250 / 140,000 = ~0.0089 USD per point (or 0.89 cents per point).
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Calculate the Redemption CPP:
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Find the cash price of the hotel stay you want.
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Find the points price of the exact same hotel stay.
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Cash Price (in cents) / Points Required for Redemption = Redemption CPP -
Example: A hotel costs $300 (which is 30,000 cents) or 35,000 points.
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30,000 cents / 35,000 points = ~0.85 cents per point.
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Compare!
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If your Redemption CPP (0.85 cents) is higher than your Purchase CPP (0.89 cents in our example), then it generally does not make sense to buy points for that specific redemption.
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However, if you can buy points at 0.86 cents per point (as seen in some promotions) and redeem for a value of 0.9 cents per point or more (NerdWallet's valuation), then you're generally coming out ahead. Many experts value Marriott Bonvoy points in the range of 0.7 to 0.9 cents per point, so aiming to buy at a lower effective cost is key.
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Sub-heading: When is Buying Points a Great Idea?
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To Top Off Your Account: You're just shy of enough points for a fantastic award stay. Buying a small amount at the standard rate might be worth it to unlock a valuable redemption.
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During a High-Bonus Promotion: When Marriott offers 40% or 50% bonuses, the effective cost per point drops significantly, making it a compelling option for more substantial purchases, especially if you have a high-value redemption in mind.
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For High-Value Redemptions: Some luxury properties have incredibly high cash rates, but their points rates can be surprisingly reasonable, leading to an "out-of-this-world" redemption value for your points.
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"Fifth Night Free" Benefit: Marriott Bonvoy offers a "Stay for 5, Pay for 4" benefit on award stays. If you're booking five nights with points, you only pay for four, which effectively increases the value of your points even further. This is a major factor to consider.
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Avoiding Peak Season Surcharges: Sometimes, cash prices during peak seasons or events skyrocket, while the points rates might remain more stable, presenting a significant saving opportunity.
Step 6: The Purchase Process – Where and How to Buy
Purchasing Marriott Bonvoy points is a straightforward process:
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Visit the Official Marriott Website: Go to Marriott.com and navigate to the "Buy Points" section (often found under "Marriott Bonvoy" or "Loyalty Program").
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Log In to Your Account: You'll need to be logged into your Marriott Bonvoy account.
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Select Amount: Choose the number of points you wish to purchase. If there's a promotion running, the bonus points will typically be displayed.
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Enter Payment Information: You'll use a credit card to complete the transaction. Important Note: Points purchases are often processed by a third-party vendor like Points.com, not directly by Marriott. This means the transaction may not code as a "travel" or "hotel" purchase on your credit card, so use a card that gives you good rewards on general spending.
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Confirm and Complete: Review your purchase details and confirm the transaction.
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Points Posting Time: Purchased points typically post to your account within 72 hours, though it can sometimes be quicker.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 10 related FAQ questions to help you further understand buying Marriott Bonvoy points:
How to calculate the effective cost per point when buying?
QuickTip: Don’t just scroll — process what you see.
You calculate the effective cost per point by dividing the total dollar amount you paid by the total number of points you received (including any bonus points). For example, if you paid $500 for 50,000 points and received a 20,000 bonus, your effective cost is $500 / 70,000 points = $0.00714 per point, or 0.714 cents per point.
How to find out about current Marriott Bonvoy point purchase promotions?
The best way to find out about current promotions is to visit the official Marriott Bonvoy "Buy Points" page on Marriott.com. You can also subscribe to Marriott Bonvoy email newsletters and follow reputable travel blogs that track loyalty program deals.
How to know if buying points for a specific redemption is a good deal?
Compare the cash price of the desired hotel stay with the points price for the same stay. Convert the cash price to cents, then divide it by the number of points required. This gives you the "redemption value" per point. If your calculated redemption value is higher than the effective cost per point you'd pay to buy them (especially during a promotion), then it's a good deal.
How to use the "fifth night free" benefit when redeeming points?
The "fifth night free" benefit is automatically applied when you book an award stay of five consecutive nights or more using points. Marriott will deduct the points for one night, effectively making the fifth night free. This significantly enhances the value of your points.
How to purchase additional points when booking a reservation?
When you are going through the online booking process on Marriott.com and you're short on points for an award stay, the system will often prompt you with an option to purchase the remaining points needed to complete your reservation.
Tip: Be mindful — one idea at a time.
How to gift Marriott Bonvoy points to another member?
You can gift Marriott Bonvoy points to another member through the "Gift Points" section on the Marriott.com website. You'll need the recipient's Marriott Bonvoy account number and name. Both the sender and recipient must be active members in good standing.
How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points without buying them?
You can earn Marriott Bonvoy points by staying at Marriott properties, using Marriott co-branded credit cards, dining at participating restaurants, booking car rentals, participating in Marriott Bonvoy Moments, and converting points from partners (like certain credit card loyalty programs).
How to track my Marriott Bonvoy points purchase history?
You can usually view your points purchase history by logging into your Marriott Bonvoy account on Marriott.com and navigating to your "Activity" or "Transaction History" section.
How to use a credit card effectively when buying Marriott Bonvoy points?
Since point purchases are often processed by third-party vendors (like Points.com), they typically won't code as a "travel" or "hotel" category for bonus earnings on your credit card. Therefore, use a credit card that offers a good flat-rate earning on all purchases or one where you're working towards a sign-up bonus.
How to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to airline miles?
Marriott Bonvoy points can be transferred to over 40 airline loyalty programs, generally at a 3:1 ratio (3 Marriott points for 1 airline mile). You also get an extra 5,000 bonus miles when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. This can be done through your Marriott Bonvoy account online.
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