Marriott Bonvoy has just launched its newest promotion on purchased points. This has the potential to be a great deal, so let’s go over all the details.
In this post:
Promotion on purchased Marriott Bonvoy points
Through Monday, December 23, 2024, Marriott Bonvoy is offering a bonus on purchased points. It’s possible that different members are eligible for different offers, though the accounts I manage all show a bonus of up to 40%, as long as you purchase at least 2,000 points in one transaction.
You’ll want to log into your account to see if that’s what you’re eligible for, as you may have a different offer.
How much does it cost to buy Marriott Bonvoy points?
Ordinarily you can buy Marriott Bonvoy points for 1.25 cents each, before any discounts or bonuses. If you were eligible for the 40% bonus and maximized the offer, you could receive a total of 210,000 Bonvoy points at a cost of $1,875, which comes out to 0.89 cents per point.
Typically when we see promotions from Marriott Bonvoy on buying points, the offer is somewhere in the range of a 30-50% bonus. So this is roughly average as far as promotions from the program go.
How many Marriott Bonvoy points can you buy?
Marriott Bonvoy ordinarily lets you buy up to 100,000 points per calendar year, before any bonuses. However, during this promotion, the cap has been increased by 50%, to 150,000 points, meaning you can buy more points than usual.
Do note that Marriott Bonvoy lets you share up to 100,000 points per year with another member, which could be an opportunity to potentially acquire even more points.
The terms suggest that it could take up to seven business days for purchased points to post. Furthermore, there are some eligibility restrictions to be aware of:
- A new member may purchase points 30 days after enrollment if they have some qualifying activity
- Without qualifying activity, a new member may purchase points only one year after enrollment
Which credit card should you buy Marriott Bonvoy points with?
Marriott Bonvoy points purchases are processed by points.com, meaning they don’t count as a hotel purchase for the purposes of credit card spending.
I’d recommend using a card with which you’re trying to reach a minimum spending requirement, or a credit card that maximizes your return on everyday spending, like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (review), Citi Double Cash® Card (review), or Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (review).
When in doubt, review which credit cards are best for buying points and miles.
- Earn 1% cash back when you make a purchase, earn 1% cash back when you pay for that purchase
- $0
- Earn 3% Cash Back on Dining
- Earn 3% Cash Back at Drugstores
- Earn 1.5% Cash Back On All Other Purchases
- $0
- Earn 2x miles per dollar on every purchase
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary
- $395
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Global Entry/TSA Pre-Check Credit
- $95
- 2x points on purchases up to $50k then 1x
- Access to Amex Offers
- No annual fee
Is buying Marriott Bonvoy points worth it?
While I’m not particularly loyal to Marriott as such, there’s no denying that Marriott Bonvoy has some phenomenal hotels around the world. At a low acquisition cost, there are situations where you can get outsized value for your Bonvoy points, especially if you’re topping off an account for a redemption.
Nowadays Marriott Bonvoy has dynamic award pricing, so there’s no longer an award chart that redemptions follow (though there is an unofficial award chart). However, there are still all kinds of properties where you can get a ton of value, ranging from the Ritz-Carlton Maldives, to many of the Luxury Collection properties in the Mediterranean in summer.
How many points do you need for a free night with Marriott?
In the past Marriott Bonvoy had an award chart, and hotels cost anywhere from 5,000 to 100,000 points per night, not factoring in a fifth night free when redeeming for five nights. Nowadays there are no longer maximum amounts that can be charged, though you will find that a vast majority of properties don’t charge more than what was previously in the pricing range.
Do Marriott Bonvoy points expire?
Marriott Bonvoy points don’t expire as long as you have at least some account activity once every 24 months. This could include any activity whereby you earn or redeem points.
How much are Marriott Bonvoy points worth?
Everyone will value points differently, but personally I value Marriott Bonvoy points at ~0.7 cents each, and I tend to value points pretty conservatively. The purchase price is a bit higher than what I value the points, though like I said, there are ways to get much more value.
Does Marriott Bonvoy have blackout dates?
Marriott Bonvoy doesn’t have blackout dates on award nights, but the program does have capacity controls on a limited number of dates. While on most dates all standard rooms will be available for redemptions, on some dates hotels can limit the number of standard rooms that they make available using points.
How else can you earn Marriott Bonvoy points?
Aside from outright buying points or staying at a Marriott, the best way to earn Bonvoy points is with a co-branded Marriott Bonvoy credit card. These cards offer big welcome bonuses and in some cases a decent return on spending.
Marriott Bonvoy is also transfer partners with Amex Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, though I tend to think there are better ways to redeem those points, given the amount of flexibility they offer.
Bottom line
Marriott Bonvoy is offering a promotion on purchased points. It appears to me that the standard offer is for up to a 40% bonus, which you can unlock as long a you purchase at least 2,000 points in one transaction. This is an opportunity to buy points for as little as 0.89 cents each. While I wouldn’t proactively pick up points without a specific use in mind, this has the potential to represent a good value.
Do you plan on purchasing Marriott points with a bonus?
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