Marriott Bonvoy program: How to redeem points for hotel stays, airfare and more

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information.

Are you looking to maximize your Marriott Bonvoy points? Aside from redeeming these valuable hotel points for a “free” award stay at one of the program’s many properties around the world, it can sometimes make sense to transfer Marriott points to foreign airline programs.

This article will explore the various ways to use Marriott points, including hotel reservations, airline transfers, purchases through shopping portals and other redemption options.

How to use Marriott Bonvoy points for hotel stays

You can use your Marriott Bonvoy points to book rooms at Marriott properties worldwide, but the number of points required can vary. Marriott replaced its Category 1-8 award chart with dynamic award pricing in 2022, so it has become more difficult to predict the number of points needed for a specific hotel stay.

Marriott’s dynamic pricing model has its upsides, as some properties offer a better value than others, but many hotels now require more points than before.

For example, you can book a stay at a TownePlace Suites in Columbus, Ohio, for just $136 or 12,000 points per night on some dates, giving you a value of 1.1 cents per point. At The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, some dates cost $6,175 or 198,000 points per night, which comes out to over 3 cents per point.

Both options will give you well over TPG’s April 2025 valuation of 0.70 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point. We usually recommend redeeming points for a low-end or luxury hotel to get the best value.

In addition to standard redemptions, Marriott offers Cash + Points awards, which let you combine cash and points so you don’t have to use all of your points on your stay. The Cash + Points option also allows you to customize your stay by redeeming points for one night and paying cash for the next; this is useful when rates vary throughout your stay.

Finally, you can use your points in conjunction with free night certificates offered by specific Marriott credit cards. These awards are typically granted as part of a welcome offer or on your account anniversary (after paying the annual fee), and they cover award stays up to a set number of points — typically ranging from 35,000 to 85,000. However, you can combine these certificates with up to 15,000 additional points from your Marriott Bonvoy account to book higher-priced rooms.

For example, if the hotel you want to book has a nightly rate of 40,000 points and you have a 35,000-point award certificate, you can use your free night award to partially cover the cost of one night and pay an additional 5,000 points.

Related: Best hotels to maximize an 85,000-point Marriott award night certificate

Get a fifth night free

One great perk of the Marriott Bonvoy program is that if you book five consecutive nights on one reservation using points, the least expensive night is free. This free night is automatically reflected when you book online and applies to all of Marriott’s participating brands.

However, this gets tricky if you use Cash + Points or free night certificates. To get a fifth night free, you must book at least five nights of your stay with points. If you redeem points for four nights and use cash or certificates for additional nights, you won’t qualify for the fifth night free perk.

Read more: Can you mix hotel points and free night certificates for a fourth or fifth night free?

How to transfer Marriott points to airline partners

Marriott members can transfer points to 39 airline programs, including exclusive partnerships not available with other loyalty programs.

You can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to most airline partners at a 3:1 ratio, meaning 3 Marriott Bonvoy points yield 1 airline mile. You’ll also receive 5,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points transferred, which boosts your effective transfer ratio to 12:5. There are a few exceptions to this rule, though:

• Points transfer to Air New Zealand at a 200:1 ratio, with 75 bonus miles for every 60,000 you transfer.
• United Airlines provides 10,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points you transfer.
• American Airlines, Avianca and Delta Air Lines no longer offer 5,000 bonus miles.

While airline transfers may not give you as good of a deal as hotel stays, they can come in handy if you need to top up your miles balance or leverage more obscure points and miles that are harder to earn.

You can transfer up to 240,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to airlines daily; the minimum transfer amount is 3,000 points. Additionally, the name on your frequent flyer account typically needs to match the first and last name on your Marriott account. Finally, our previous tests have shown wide variation in how long these transfers take. So, consider placing an award ticket hold if you’re afraid the seats will disappear before the transfer is processed.

How to use points for Marriott Bonvoy Moments

Marriott Bonvoy Moments offers a range of destination-specific activities, such as concerts, sporting events and culinary experiences, in cities where Marriott hotels are located.

You can book these experiences using Marriott Bonvoy points. Some activities may not be available for cash purchase, making it hard to pinpoint their value. To explore these options, visit the Marriott Bonvoy Moments site.

Keep in mind that certain experiences have a fixed point cost, while others are auction-style. Review the terms and conditions before purchasing, as most are nonrefundable.

Related: Living out my ‘Fast & Furious’ fantasy in LA with Marriott Bonvoy Moments

How to use Marriott points for flights, car rentals and cruises

You can use Marriott points to book flights, car rentals and cruises and pay for TSA PreCheck through Marriott’s travel redemption page. However, this will not yield the best value for your points.

For example, we priced out a one-way flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on Alaska Airlines for $80 or 22,500 Marriott points. That’s a return of just 0.36 cents per Marriott point — roughly half our 0.70-cent estimate.

Redemptions on rental cars provide a similar return, with a sample one-day rental in Los Angeles coming in at $93.50 or 25,000 points.

You can also use Marriott points to book a trip using the Cruise with Points program or to book a voyage with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.

For most sailings, you can redeem points toward a cruise certificate for a dollar amount off your cruise booking. The minimum redemption is 63,000 points, which equates to a $250 certificate. If your points don’t cover the entire cost, you can pay out of pocket for the rest and earn 3 Marriott points per dollar spent. Unfortunately, you’ll only get around 0.4 cents per point in value this way.

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection requires at least 180,000 points, which you can redeem for $1,000 off your cruise fare. This provides a slightly better value of 0.55 cents per point, but you can still get far more from your points by redeeming them for hotel stays.

Related: How to book a cruise using points and miles

How to buy merchandise with Marriott Shopping

Finally, you can use your Marriott Bonvoy points for merchandise and gift cards — but we don’t recommend it.

Marriott offers a wide range of products on its web store, from Uber gift cards to Bose headphones and Bluetooth speakers. Redemption values vary, but they’re not usually the best use of your miles.

For instance, a Stanley Adventure Stacking Beer Pint cup, which retails for around $15, will set you back 12,500 Marriott Bonvoy points. That’s enough for a one-night stay at the TownePlace Suites in Columbus, Ohio, worth $136.

Related: How to use points and miles to give gifts with zero out-of-pocket cost

Best credit cards for booking Marriott hotels

It’s easy to earn enough Bonvoy points for your next redemption with a great range of cobranded credit cards packed with features. Here are some of our favorites, along with their current welcome offers:

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see rates and fees): Earn three free nights (each night valued at up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees. Plus, earn 50,000 points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (see rates and fees): Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $6,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Earn three Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of Card Membership. Each Free Night Award has a redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points, for a total potential value of up to 150,000 points, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees. Terms apply.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card: Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership.

Don’t forget you can transfer points to Marriott from three credit card programs: Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards. You can also boost your Marriott balance with the Eat Around Town dining program.

Bottom line

While Marriott Bonvoy points have been devalued in recent years, there are still plenty of great ways to maximize your points, whether at a luxurious all-inclusive resort or on a budget-friendly family trip (or both).

We recommend focusing on hotel stays or transferring points to airline partners. These options provide the best value for your points and allow you to explore the world affordably.