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If you are short on points for booking a hotel with Marriott or want to book a Marriott property with points, you might buy Marriott Points. Marriott is an enormous hospitality company that operates in over 133 countries and territories with more than 7,600 properties worldwide. The company has been around since 1927 and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Marriott Bonvoy Point is the reward currency for Marriott’s loyalty program, Marriott Bonvoy. As a member of the program, you can earn points not just for your stays at Marriott properties but also for your purchases made through Marriott’s partners, such as airlines, car rental companies, and credit cards.
And if you want to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points, you can redeem them for a variety of rewards, such as free hotel stays, travel packages, and gift cards, among others. The required number of points for each reward depends on the type of reward and the specific hotel or destination. Moreover, Marriott provides a fifth-night free benefit for members who redeem their points for a consecutive five-night stay, giving you even more value for your points.
How Much Marriott Bonvoy Points Are Worth
Before you buy Marriott Points, it’s important to know how much the points are worth. Generally speaking, the value of Marriott Bonvoy points varies depending on how you redeem them, which varies between 0.5 to 1.5. However, on average, Marriott Bonvoy points are worth about 0.8 cents each when redeemed. However, the value can be higher or lower depending on the specific hotel or destination, the time of year, and other factors.
You can calculate the per-point valuation of any program with the help of this
formula :
(Cost of the award in Dollars X 100) / Points required to redeem = Cents Per Point.
For Example, One night Stay at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón, will cost you a minimum of $769, and you can book this stay with 58,000 points, So according to our formula:
(769*100)/58000=1.3 cents per point.
(just an example, award and redemption value can change)
How Much It Cost To Buy Marriott Points
Generally, the cost of buying Marriott Bonvoy Points is 1.25 cents. However, this range can be changed to 0.83–1.25 cents with the Marriott Bonvoy bonus. Marriott often offers promotions where members can purchase points at a discounted rate or receive bonus points for buying a certain amount. It’s always a good idea to check for current promotions before purchasing points to maximize the value of your purchase.
There’s a limit up to you can buy Marriott Points; you can purchase a maximum of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per calendar year, excluding any bonuses. Additionally, Marriott Bonvoy allows you to transfer up to 100,000 points per year to another member, providing an opportunity to obtain additional points.
Is It Really Worth Buying Marriott Points?
In deciding whether to buy Marriott Bonvoy points, it depends on the personal needs of everyone. Are you buying them solely for a stay redemption, or are you buying them to top up your account when you’re short on points for a booking? Say if you are short points on booking a stay, it could be a great idea to buy Marriott points and book your stay.
Additionally, Marriott Bonvoy has 38 airline partners, and you can transfer your Bonvoy points to most airline miles at a rate of 3:1, with a 5,000-mile bonus for transferring in increments of 60,000 Bonvoy points for most airlines. So, if you’re looking to boost your airline miles, this could be another reason to consider buying Marriott Bonvoy points.
It’s true that getting only 0.8 cents in redemption value for Marriott points may not be the best deal out there, especially if you have other options for using your points. However, there are certain situations where buying Marriott points can make sense.
Ways To Earn Bonvoy Points Rather You Buy Marriott Points
The easiest and most direct method to accumulate Marriott Bonvoy points is simply by staying at Marriott hotels. Marriott offers a vast range of accommodation options, from luxurious properties to budget-friendly ones. Regardless of where you’re heading, there’s a good chance that Marriott has a property located at your destination.
Earn Points With Credit Cards
You can pay for your stay at Marriott with your spending; you may get a co-branded Marriott Bonvoy personal credit card through Chase or American Express. American Express offers a card for business owners, too. You may use any of these cards to earn Marriott Bonvoy points through category-based spending.
Credit cards that earn Marriott Bonvoy points:
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card
Transfer Points
You can transfer points from credit cards that earn American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards points. So, even if you don’t have one of these Marriott-branded credit cards, you can still transfer points at a ratio of 1:1. If you prefer more flexibility, you may consider getting a credit card that earns points you can transfer to Marriott Bonvoy.
Additionally, United Airlines MileagePlus members who hold Premier Silver status or higher can convert their United miles to Marriott Bonvoy points at a 1-to-1 rate through the joint loyalty program.
Credit Cards to earn American Express Membership Rewards:
- Amex EveryDay® Credit Card
- American Express® Green Card
- American Express® Gold Card
- American Express® Platinum Card
- American Express® Business Gold Card
- American Express Business Platinum Card
- American Express Blue Business® Plus Credit Card
- American Express Business Green Rewards Card
- Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card
Credit Cards to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Chase Freedom Flex℠
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Transfer Bonus
Wouldn’t it be great to get even more value out of your points? Well, sometimes, transfer partners offer bonuses that can make your points go even further. For instance, recently, Chase offered a 50% bonus when transferring Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy between March 1 and May 15, 2023. While these offers are limited time only, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye out for them to make the most out of your transfers and get maximum value for your points.
Other Ways To Earn Marriott Bonvoy Points
Marriott’s Eat Around Town dining program is a simple way to earn points while enjoying a meal out. All you have to do is sign up for the program, register your credit card, dine at a participating restaurant, and pay with the registered card to earn 4 Bonvoy points for every dollar spent. If you’re a Marriott elite member, you can earn even more, with 6 points per dollar spent at participating restaurants.
Another way to earn Marriott points is through their partnership with Uber. By linking your Marriott and Uber accounts, you can earn bonus points when you use Uber for rides or food orders through Uber Eats. Depending on the transaction, you can earn up to 6 Marriott points for every dollar spent.
Bottom Line
So, there isn’t any exact answer to the question; that whether you should buy Marriott Points or not. It all depends on the individual’s needs. Marriott Bonvoy points can be a valuable currency for hotel stays or airline mile transfers, depending on your needs and redemption goals. While the standard price to buy Marriott points is 1.25 cents each, there are promotions and bonuses that can bring down the cost per point.
Additionally, there are several ways to earn Marriott points, including through credit card spending, dining programs, and travel partners. Before you buy Marriott points, it’s important to do the math and compare the cost of buying points to the cost of paying for the stay outright.
Keep track of your spending categories and select a credit card that rewards you for your most frequent purchases. Sign up for our travel concierge service, and we will help you uncover the finest credit cards of 2023, as well as incredible travel deals and how to leverage your points for maximum value.
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