Buy Marriott Bonvoy Points With A Bonus

Marriott Bonvoy has just launched its latest promotion on purchased points, which some members might find to be worthwhile.

Promotion on purchased Marriott Bonvoy points

Through Friday, July 15, 2022, Marriott Bonvoy is offering a bonus on purchased points. This is being marketed as a mystery bonus where you “spin the wheel,” though all five Bonvoy accounts that I have access to show the same 45% bonus as long as you buy at least 2,000 points in one transaction.

I’m not sure if that’s just the bonus for everyone, or if others are seeing different offers (please let me know in the comments).

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 45% bonus and maxed out the offer, you could purchase 100,000 Bonvoy points pre-bonus, and then you’d then receive a total of 145,000 points at a cost of $1,250. That’s a rate of 0.86 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point.

For context, up until now we’ve seen Marriott offer anywhere from a 25-30% discount on purchased points, or anywhere from a 45-60% bonus. At least we’re seeing an offer, though we’ve definitely seen marginally better promotions from the program in the past.

How many Marriott Bonvoy points can you buy?

Marriott Bonvoy lets you buy up to 100,000 points per calendar year, before any bonuses. 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.

Best cards for non-bonused spending:

• Citi® Double Cash Card
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Citi® Double Cash Card

Learn More Terms Apply.

• Earn 1% cash back when you make a purchase, earn 1% cash back when you pay for that purchase
• $0

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Learn More Terms Apply.

• Earn 3% Cash Back on Dining
• Earn 3% Cash Back at Drugstores
• Earn 1.5% Cash Back On All Other Purchases
• $0

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Learn More Terms Apply.

• Earn 2x Venture miles on every purchase
• No Foreign Transaction Fees
• 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary
• $395

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Learn More Terms Apply.

• Earn 2x Venture miles on every purchase
• No Foreign Transaction Fees
• Global Entry/TSA Pre-Check Credit
• $95

The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Learn More Terms Apply. | See Rates & Fees

• 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 an acquisition cost of 0.86 cents per Bonvoy point, there are all kinds of ways to get outsized value for your points, especially if you’re topping off an account for a redemption.

As of March 2022, Marriott Bonvoy introduced dynamic award pricing, so there’s no longer an award chart that redemptions follow. That being said, Marriott is rolling this out gradually, and for the remainder of 2022, a vast majority of hotels are still priced within the range of what was on the award chart.

There are 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.

Of Marriott’s entire portfolio, only around 40 hotels currently charge more than 100,000 points per night at some point during the year.

Do Marriott Bonvoy points expire?

Ordinarily 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. However, it’s even better than that right now — through December 31, 2022, Bonvoy points don’t expire at all, in light of circumstances.

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 has just launched its latest promotion on purchased points. While this is being promoted as a mystery bonus, all of the accounts that I manage show up to a 45% bonus. I certainly wouldn’t buy Bonvoy points speculatively. However, with a specific or immediate use in mind, this promotion could represent a great deal.

Do you plan on purchasing Marriott points with a bonus?