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Marriott just launched its latest point sale. With this buy points promotion, targeted Bonvoy members will receive a 40% bonus when they buy Marriott points. That brings the cost down to 0.89¢ per point. Here are the details of this promotion and some examples of times when buying Marriott Bonvoy points could be smart.
This promotion falls well short of the standard Marriott buy points promotion — which typically ranges from a 50-60% bonus. Marriott last offered a 60% bonus in November 2020. However, this promotion is still a solid rate for the right redemptions.
A Note on Buying Points
Before we get into the details of this promotion, let's point out that buying points generally isn't a great idea. Especially without a bonus or discount, the price to buy points is typically higher than the redeemable value they present.
With that said, there are two cases when buying miles can be a smart move. The first is when topping off your account balance for a specific redemption. The second is when the price to buy points for a redemption is cheaper than paying for the same product outright.
It's important to remember that Marriott Bonvoy started introducing dynamic pricing in March 2022. And all properties switched to dynamic pricing in 2023. We don't know how much this is going to affect the value of Marriott points, so you should have a plan to use any Bonvoy points that you purchase before then.
Key Terms of This Buy Marriott Points Promotion
- This promotion is valid through 11:59pm Eastern Time on April 3, 2023.
- The minimum purchase is 1,000 points
- Buy at least 2,000 Marriott points to receive any bonus.
- Members have an annual maximum of 100,000 points purchased or received from another member's purchase.
- It may take up to 72 hours for purchased points to post to your account.
- New Marriott Bonvoy members must wait 30 days before purchasing points.
This is a tiered promotion, with the following rates when you buy Marriott Bonvoy points:
- 1,000 — no bonus
- 2,000-100,000 points — 40% bonus (0.89¢)
Luxury Redemption Options
The Marriott Bonvoy program has emerged as a powerhouse in the hotel world, encompassing nearly 8,000 properties across 30 different brands. Among these are some of the most recognizable luxury hotel brands in the world — including Le Meridien, Bulgari, St. Regis, and Ritz Carlton.
With this in mind, we've picked a few of the most aspirational Bonvoy properties to demonstrate how you could save a bunch of money by buying points instead of paying the (often astronomical) cash rate.
Luxury in Kyoto
As the historic capital city of Japan, Kyoto is an incredible city rich in history and culture. Unfortunately, finding a place to stay there tends to be an expensive endeavor. For example, high-end properties such as the Westin can cost over $700 per night at the current exchange rate:
While Marriott has switched to dynamic pricing, it's harder to squeeze value out of Marriott Bonvoy points. Redemptions at the Westin Kyoto now range between 35k to over 145k Bonvoy points per night. If you buy Marriott Bonvoy points with a 40% bonus (0.89 cents per point), you could save a little by buying the required Bonvoy points for as low as $560 per night for the dates in our example.
Escape to Bora Bora
We refer to properties in Bora Bora a lot when lucrative promos like this pop up. Our reasoning is this: several of the world's largest hotel groups have ultra-expensive luxury properties in Bora Bora. While the cash rates for these places are mind-boggling, the award prices can be feasible — provided you can find availability. Marriott is no exception.
Recognizable as the filming location for the 2009 movie ‘Couples Retreat', the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort embodies the word ‘Eden', the name given to the property in the film. Unfortunately, the price of the resort can make a stay unmanageable for those of us who aren't A-list movie stars.
After adding in taxes and fees, you're facing a cost of over $3,500 per night (at the current exchange rate) to stay in Eden. However, you can snag some nights for as low as 120,000 points per night. If you buy Marriott points with a 40% bonus, you'll only have to pay $1,086. That's still a lot of money, but it's about $2,500 per night, less than the cash rates.
Since you're only allowed to buy 100,000 points per account per year, you'd have to transfer any remaining points from another Marriott account if you need more than 140,000 (100,000 purchased + 40,000 promo bonus) for a booking.
5th Night Free
Don't forget that Bonvoy loyalty members can effectively get up to 20% off five-night award stays, thanks to Marriott's 5th Night Free Benefit. This could make for a pretty lucrative opportunity if paired with this promotion and low points cost property.
For example, you could book a five-night stay at this Four Points in California for 19,200 Bonvoy points total. At 0.89¢ per point, you could buy all of the necessary points for only $178 — just $35 per night!
Safari in Southern Africa
If you're looking for a more luxurious low-points destination, Marriott has a few enticing properties in southern Africa.
For example, the Protea Hotel Lusaka Safari Lodge has its own game reserve on-site! You can pay as little as 5,000 points per night. For example, you can visit in March 2023 for just 24,500 points for a 5-night free stay. If you buy those points with a 40% bonus, you'll pay just $223 total (under $45 per night). That's less than the typical cost for just two nights at this property!
Buy Marriott Points to Mint Airline Miles for 2.15¢ Each
Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to 40 different airlines. Most of those transfer at a 3 to 1 transfer ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for transferring 60,000 points. That means that a 60,000-point transfer would yield 25,000 airline miles. This 40% bonus on buying Marriott points allows you to mint airline miles at 2.15¢ cents each.
For example, you can buy 60,200 Marriott points through this promotion for $537.50. If you transfer 60,000 Marriott points to most airlines (but not American, Delta, Korean, or Avianca), you'll end up with 25,000 miles. That's 2.15¢ per mile.
The rate is even better if you transfer to United MileagePlus. As part of United's partnership with Marriott, Bonvoy transfers to United get an additional 10% bonus. So, you'll end up with 27,500 United miles for every 60,000 Bonvoy points transferred. That means you can mint United miles for just 1.94¢ cents each through this Marriott buy points promotion.
Maximizing your Purchase
Unfortunately, Bonvoy point purchases are processed by Points.com — not Marriott directly. Thus, when you buy Marriott points, it most likely won't trigger the ‘travel' category bonus on any credit card. If you choose to buy Marriott points, your best options are to use the purchase to help qualify for a minimum spending requirementor use a cardoptimized for everyday spending. Some of our favorite options are:
- Citi® Double Cash Card
- The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Bottom Line
It bears repeating that buying miles isn't for everyone. For most people, it's a lot easier to accumulate Bonvoy points through a sign-up bonus on aMarriott co-branded credit card. However, this buy Marriott points promotion could be a terrific opportunity for folks with a plan to use points in a hurry.
Are you going to buy Bonvoy points with a 40% bonus?
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