Seamless Stays Await: Your Comprehensive Guide to Transferring Chase Points to Marriott Bonvoy
Have you ever dreamt of that perfect vacation, lounging by an infinity pool in Bali, or exploring the historic streets of Rome, all while enjoying the luxury of a Marriott property? What if I told you that the points you're diligently earning on your Chase credit cards could be your ticket to making those dreams a reality?
If you're a Chase Ultimate Rewards cardholder, you hold the key to a vast world of travel possibilities. Among its many valuable transfer partners, Marriott Bonvoy stands out as a highly sought-after option for hotel stays worldwide. While Chase Ultimate Rewards points offer incredible flexibility, knowing how to strategically transfer them to Marriott Bonvoy can unlock even greater value for your next hotel redemption.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step of the process, from understanding eligibility to confirming your transfer, ensuring a smooth journey to your next Marriott adventure.
Understanding the Landscape: Chase Ultimate Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of the transfer process, let's briefly understand the two key players:
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Chase Ultimate Rewards is one of the most flexible and rewarding credit card points programs available. Points earned on eligible Chase cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card can be redeemed for a variety of options, including cash back, gift cards, and direct travel bookings through the Chase Travel portal. However, for many savvy travelers, the most valuable redemption lies in transferring points to Chase's extensive network of airline and hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio.
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy is the loyalty program for Marriott International, boasting an impressive portfolio of nearly 8,900 hotels across 30 distinct brands worldwide. From luxury resorts like The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis to more budget-friendly options like Fairfield Inn & Suites and Courtyard, Marriott Bonvoy offers a wide range of choices for every traveler. Points earned within the Bonvoy program can be redeemed for free nights, room upgrades, and even unique "Marriott Bonvoy Moments" experiences.
The standard transfer ratio from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy is 1:1. This means 1,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points will become 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. While this is the standard, it's worth noting that Chase occasionally offers promotional transfer bonuses to Marriott Bonvoy, which can significantly increase the value of your transfer. Always keep an eye out for these special offers!
Step 1: Are You Eligible? Check Your Chase Card!
First things first, let's ensure you have the right kind of Chase card. Not all Chase cards earn transferable Ultimate Rewards points.
Engage with me here: Do you currently hold a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or an Ink Business Preferred credit card? If so, excellent! You're on the right track. If not, you might need to consider upgrading your card or applying for one of these to unlock the power of transferable points.
The following Chase credit cards are eligible for transferring points to travel partners:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: A fantastic entry-level premium travel card with a solid earning rate on travel and dining.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: The top-tier option, offering enhanced travel benefits and a higher redemption value for travel booked through the Chase portal, though transferring to partners can often yield even more value.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: An excellent choice for small business owners, earning bonus points on categories like travel, shipping, and advertising.
Note: While cards like Chase Freedom Flex® and Chase Freedom Unlimited® earn Ultimate Rewards points, these points are typically considered "cash back" points and are not directly transferable to travel partners unless you also hold one of the premium cards listed above. If you have both, you can combine your Freedom points with your Sapphire or Ink points to make them transferable.
Step 2: Ensure Your Marriott Bonvoy Account is Ready
Before you initiate any transfer, you'll need an active Marriott Bonvoy account.
Sub-heading: Don't Have a Marriott Bonvoy Account Yet? No Problem!
If you're new to Marriott Bonvoy, signing up is quick, easy, and free. Simply visit the Marriott Bonvoy website and follow the prompts to create your account. Make a note of your Marriott Bonvoy account number – you'll need it for the transfer.
Sub-heading: Verify Account Information
It is crucial that the name on your Chase Ultimate Rewards account exactly matches the name on your Marriott Bonvoy account. Even minor discrepancies can cause transfer delays or failures. If there are any differences, contact Marriott Bonvoy customer service to rectify them before you attempt the transfer.
Step 3: Access the Chase Ultimate Rewards Portal
This is where the magic begins!
Sub-heading: Logging In
Open your web browser and navigate to the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. You can typically find a link to it after logging into your Chase online banking account. You'll use your standard Chase login credentials.
Sub-heading: Navigating to the Transfer Section
Once logged in, you'll see your Ultimate Rewards points balance. Look for a navigation menu, usually at the top or side of the page. You're looking for a section related to "Redeem," "Earn/Use," or specifically "Transfer to Travel Partners."
Typically, you'll click on the "Travel" tab, and then from the dropdown menu, select "Transfer points to partners."
Step 4: Select Marriott Bonvoy as Your Transfer Partner
You'll be presented with a list of Chase's airline and hotel transfer partners.
Sub-heading: Finding Marriott Bonvoy
Scroll through the list until you find Marriott Bonvoy. It should be clearly listed among the hotel partners.
Sub-heading: Initiating the Transfer
Click on the Marriott Bonvoy logo or link to proceed with the transfer.
Step 5: Link Your Marriott Bonvoy Account
If this is your first time transferring points to Marriott Bonvoy, or if you haven't linked your account previously, you'll be prompted to do so.
Sub-heading: Entering Your Details
You will need to enter your Marriott Bonvoy account number and, potentially, the primary account holder's name. Double-check that the account number is correct to avoid sending your valuable points into the ether!
Chase will typically verify the account linkage instantly. If there's an issue with the name match, you might receive an error message.
Step 6: Determine the Number of Points to Transfer
Now for the main event: deciding how many points to move.
Sub-heading: Increments of 1,000
Chase Ultimate Rewards points can only be transferred in increments of 1,000. So, you can transfer 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, and so on. You cannot transfer, for example, 1,500 points.
Sub-heading: Strategic Transferring – Don't Over-Transfer!
This is a critical step. While it might be tempting to transfer all your points at once, it's generally recommended to only transfer the exact amount of points you need for a specific redemption. Here's why:
Transfers are irreversible: Once points are transferred from Chase to Marriott Bonvoy, you cannot transfer them back to Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Dynamic Pricing: Marriott Bonvoy uses dynamic pricing for award nights, meaning the number of points required for a stay can fluctuate based on demand, season, and property.
Point Value: While Chase Ultimate Rewards points are often valued at 1.5-2 cents per point (especially when redeemed for travel through the portal or transferred to high-value airline partners like World of Hyatt), Marriott Bonvoy points are typically valued lower, often around 0.7-0.9 cents per point. Transferring points without a specific redemption in mind could mean devaluing your points.
Before transferring, do your homework! Go to the Marriott Bonvoy website, search for the specific hotel and dates you're interested in, and see how many points are required for the award stay. Then, transfer just enough Chase points to cover that amount (in 1,000-point increments).
Step 7: Confirm Your Transfer
After entering the desired number of points, you'll be prompted to review and confirm the transfer.
Sub-heading: Final Review
Carefully review all the details on the confirmation page: the number of points being transferred, your Marriott Bonvoy account number, and the transfer ratio.
Sub-heading: Submitting the Request
Once you're satisfied everything is correct, confirm the transfer. You may receive an email confirmation from Chase.
Step 8: Wait for Points to Post and Book Your Stay
The final waiting game!
Sub-heading: Transfer Timeframe
Transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy are generally not instant. While some users report seeing points post within minutes or hours, Chase states that points will typically post within 4 days of your request. During promotional periods, it might even take a little longer.
Sub-heading: Checking Your Marriott Bonvoy Account
Periodically log into your Marriott Bonvoy account to check if the transferred points have arrived. Once they appear, you can proceed with booking your desired award stay on the Marriott Bonvoy website or app.
Pro Tip: If you need to book a stay quickly and the points haven't arrived, you can sometimes call Marriott Bonvoy customer service and explain that you've initiated a transfer from Chase. While not guaranteed, they may be able to see the pending transfer and assist you.
Maximizing Your Value: When to Transfer?
While transferring to Marriott Bonvoy is a solid option, it's not always the absolute best use of your Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Consider these scenarios:
High-Value Redemptions: Look for instances where the cash price of a Marriott hotel is exceptionally high, but the points cost is relatively low. This is where you can extract outsized value from your points.
Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status: If you have Marriott Bonvoy elite status (e.g., Platinum, Titanium, or Ambassador), you can enjoy benefits like complimentary breakfast, lounge access, and room upgrades, which further enhance the value of your points redemption.
Transfer Bonuses: As mentioned, always be on the lookout for Chase's occasional transfer bonuses to Marriott Bonvoy. A 20%, 30%, or even 50% bonus can significantly boost the value of your transfer. For example, a recent promotion offered a 50% bonus, meaning 1,000 Chase UR points became 1,500 Marriott Bonvoy points. However, even with a bonus, always calculate the per-point value to ensure it's a good deal for your specific redemption. NerdWallet estimates Marriott Bonvoy points are worth about 0.9 cents each, so even a 50% bonus might not always make it the best redemption compared to other Ultimate Rewards partners like World of Hyatt (valued at 2.2 cents per point by NerdWallet).
Top-Off Free Night Certificates: If you have a Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Award that's just shy of covering a desired hotel, you can use your transferred Chase points to "top off" the certificate, adding up to 15,000 points to meet the award night requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are 10 common questions about transferring Chase points to Marriott Bonvoy, with quick answers:
How to check my Chase Ultimate Rewards points balance?
You can check your Chase Ultimate Rewards points balance by logging into your Chase online banking account and navigating to the Ultimate Rewards portal.
How to find eligible Chase cards for point transfers?
Only the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (or older versions like Ink Plus® or JPMorgan Reserve®) allow direct point transfers to travel partners.
How to create a Marriott Bonvoy account?
Visit the official Marriott Bonvoy website and follow the "Join Now" or "Sign Up" prompts to create a free account.
How to ensure my name matches on both accounts?
Verify that the full name registered on your Chase Ultimate Rewards account precisely matches the full name on your Marriott Bonvoy account. Contact customer service for either program if there are discrepancies.
How to know if there's a transfer bonus from Chase to Marriott?
Chase will typically advertise any transfer bonuses directly on the Ultimate Rewards portal when you go to the "Transfer to Travel Partners" section. Keep an eye on points and travel blogs for announcements.
How to determine the number of Marriott Bonvoy points needed for a stay?
Go to the Marriott Bonvoy website, search for your desired hotel and dates, and select the "Use Points/Awards" option to see the points required for that specific stay.
How to cancel a Chase points transfer to Marriott?
Unfortunately, once a transfer of Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy has been submitted, it is irreversible and cannot be canceled or refunded.
How to track the status of my transferred points?
You can't directly track the transfer within Chase. The best way is to periodically log into your Marriott Bonvoy account and check your points balance.
How to use transferred Marriott Bonvoy points for a booking?
Once the points appear in your Marriott Bonvoy account, simply proceed to book your hotel stay on the Marriott Bonvoy website or app, selecting the "Use Points/Awards" option during the booking process.
How to maximize the value of my Marriott Bonvoy points?
Focus on redeeming points for high-cash-value stays, especially during off-peak seasons or at luxury properties where the cash price would be prohibitive. Utilize any elite status benefits and consider "topping off" free night certificates with transferred points.
