Turn AMEX Membership Rewards into Marriott Bonvoy Points with a 35% bonus
Through December 31, 2024, you'll receive a 35% bonus on American Express Membership Rewards transfers to Marriott Bonvoy. Transfer bonuses, if you're unfamiliar with them, are promotions that incentivize you to exchange one point of currency for another. As one of the most versatile 'bank points,' AMEX Membership Rewards can be transferred to 21 programs, 18 airlines, and three hotel loyalty programs. This current transfer bonus with Marriott might be a good deal if you're seeking to top up your Marriott balance for an immediate redemption.
It's worth mentioning that Marriott Bonvoy Points habitually sells points at a bonus throughout the year (usually with 35-50%), so depending on your situation, it may make sense to purchase Bonvoy Points directly through the Marriott (via points.com) if you only need a handful. As Membership Rewards can be deployed in many different ways, there's a real opportunity cost to transfer them out when there are relatively frictionless alternatives. Dating back to 2019, the best transfer bonus we've seen between AMEX and Marriott is 50%, though that happened just once and most recent offers since have been at a lower rate than the current offer of 35%. AMEX and Marriott partner up to offer these transfer bonuses annually - you can expect them usually in Q3 or Q4.
How Do You Transfer Membership Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy?
Transferring your Membership Rewards points is simple:
- Start by logging into your AMEX account at americanexpress.com, then navigate to the Account Home page of one of your credit cards, and click on 'Rewards & Benefits.'
- Select the 'Transfer Points' option from the 'Earn and Redeem' sub-menu.
- Scroll down to the list of loyalty programs to find Marriott, and enter (or toggle the slider) the amount of points you'd like to transfer. Follow the prompts to complete the process.
What are Some Good Uses of Marriott Bonvoy Points?
Most Marriott properties participate in the chain's loyalty program so with over 8,700 properties worldwide you have many options to choose from. If you're a fan of luxury hotels, you'll find that redeeming points at some of the more upscale properties in Marriott's portfolio can net you significant savings off the cash rate.
How about the Ritz Carlton Nikko - one of my favorite hotels in the world?
Or maybe the JW Marriott Venice?
Conclusion
If you plan to take advantage of this 35% transfer bonus between AMEX Membership Rewards and Marriott, you have until the end of the year (please read that in the most dramatic Cinderella way).
Feel free to share your favorite redemption ideas in the comments!