Marriott Bonvoy has just launched its latest promotion on purchased points, which some members might find to be worthwhile, especially ahead of the upcoming Marriott Bonvoy devaluation.
In this post:
Promotion on purchased Marriott Bonvoy points
Through Wednesday, December 8, 2021, Marriott Bonvoy is offering a 45% bonus on purchased points. You can unlock the 45% bonus as long as you purchase at least 2,000 points in one transaction. Note that those with a co-branded Marriott Bonvoy credit card will have an additional week to buy points, so for those members the promotion lasts through December 15.
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 maxed out this offer and purchased 100,000 Bonvoy points pre-bonus, you’d receive a total of 145,000 points at a cost of $1,250, which is 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. In terms of value, this is on the lower end of the promotions we’ve seen.
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 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 Venture miles on every purchase
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary
- $395
- Earn 2x Venture miles on every purchase
- 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 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.
Just to give an example of a great redemption, in the summer of 2020 I stayed at the Bodrum EDITION (which I loved). I paid 240,000 points for a five night redemption, which averages out to 48,000 points per night. At a rate of 0.86 cents per point, that’s like paying $413 per night, which is roughly a third of the normal rate in cash in peak season.
There are plenty of other hotels that offer similar 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?
Currently Marriott Bonvoy has an award chart with eight categories of hotels, and each hotel is priced as off-peak, standard, or peak. Redemption rates range from 5,000 to 100,000 points per night, and that doesn’t factor in a fifth night free when redeeming for five nights.
If staying in increments of five nights (which is the way to maximize Bonvoy points), that means you’ll pay anywhere from 4,000 to 80,000 points per night.
However, note that as of March 2022, Marriott Bonvoy will be eliminating its award chart, so there will no longer consistently be a minimum or maximum number of points that hotels can charge for awards. Between March 2022 and the end of 2022, award pricing at more than 97% of properties will continue to range between off-peak and peak award costs. However, after that there will be no limits on award pricing at any property.
This is a major development, and is terrible news for those looking to maximize their points for aspirational redemptions.
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 is offering a new bonus on purchased points. The program is offering a 45% bonus on purchased points, which is an opportunity to buy points for 0.86 cents each. I certainly wouldn’t buy Bonvoy points speculatively, especially in light of the upcoming devaluation. 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?
Ritz Carlton Fari Island Maldives for anyone looking for the first photo
wow thank you Marriott
Wish it was as generous as early October but still really nice they are offering a bonus
@Ben, could you please start captioning your main graphics, so we know what that's a picture of? Or am I just missing it?
I second this comment
My last Marriott redemption was about 1.9 cents per point - if you book pre March 2022, it is very easy to get 1.5 to 2 cents per point on Marriott redemptions if you take cash rates at face value. I may top off