Marriott’s Airline Transfer Partners

You probably know Marriott as one of the largest hotel chains in the world. Thus, the obvious use of Marriott points is to redeem them at Marriott properties. That said, you should not overlook the fact that Marriott’s loyalty program also allows members to transfer their points to one of many airline transfer partners.

Perhaps surprisingly, Marriott’s list of partners is far larger than any of those offered by major credit card rewards programs, including the likes of Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards. To help you navigate through these options, we’ll outline all of Marriott’s transfer partners in this article. That way, you can determine whether you should convert your Marriott points into an award seat in the sky.

Overview of Marriott’s Point Currency

Marriott’s loyalty program dates back to the late 1970s when the company introduced the Marriott Honored Guest Awards program. It focused on rewarding frequent guests with perks such as room upgrades and complimentary stays.

Following various rebrandings and mergers over the years, Marriott created a single, unified loyalty program called Marriott Bonvoy in February 2019. This gave members more opportunities to earn and redeem points across a vast portfolio of brands and properties.

Marriott Bonvoy also expanded its partnerships to give members the ultimate flexibility with their rewards. Partnerships with credit card issuers allowed members to transfer points into Marriott Bonvoy. Simultaneously, partnerships with 40 different airlines gave members the option to transfer points out of Marriott Bonvoy.

List of Marriott’s Airline Partners

Marriott currently has 40 airline transfer partners, summarized in the table below:

This list of partners, as well as their specific transfer ratios and transfer bonus offers, can change over time. For the latest information, refer to the official list provided by Marriott.

For most transfer partners, Marriott offers 5,000 bonus points for every 60,000 points that you transfer. For example, transferring 60,000 points to Air Canada Aeroplan results in 20,000 + 5,000 Aeroplan miles. The following are exceptions to this rule:

• Transfers to American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles and Delta SkyMiles do not earn a 5,000 bonus.
• Transfers to United MileagePlus earn 10,000 bonus points for each 60,000 Marriott points transferred. This means that 60,000 Marriott points converts to 30,000 United miles.
• For transfers to Air New Zealand, you get a 25 point bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred. This means that 60,000 Marriott points converts to 325 Air New Zealand miles.

Best Practices for Transferring Points

Before transferring any Marriott points, take note of these best practices first.

Confirm Award Availability First

Transferring your Marriott points to an airline partner is permanent. Once you convert your Marriott points to a specific partner’s currency, you cannot reverse this transaction.

Therefore, it’s essential to confirm award availability for your desired travel before proceeding with any transfer. Additionally, take into account any expiration policies enforced by certain partner airlines on their miles. For example, Emirates miles typically expire after three years.

As a general guideline, if award seats aren’t confirmed, refrain from transferring your Marriott points. Keeping them in your Marriott account maintains their flexibility, and they will remain valid provided your account stays active.

Research and Compare Partners

It’s common for multiple airlines to offer the same flight route. Similar to when you buy airfare with cash, conducting research and comparing the points required for each redemption is essential. This approach can help you pinpoint the most economical points redemption for your trip.

Verify Redemption Value

Depending on the hotel, Marriott points already get decent value when redeemed for free nights at Marriott properties. Because of this, be careful when considering Marriott transfer partners. Not all redemptions are made equal, and you might get worse value transferring your points to an airline partner than if you just used them at Marriott properties.

To help you verify that you’re getting the best redemption value from a points transfer, here are some general guidelines to consider:

• Transfer in increments of 60,000 whenever possible. Most Marriott airline transfer partners offer a 5,000 mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred. If you’re transferring points anyway, it’s a no-brainer to take advantage of this bonus.
• Consider airlines with no other major transfer partners. Marriott’s list of transfer partners is unique. There are many airlines that don’t (or rarely) appear as partners for other major credit card loyalty programs. For instance, Alaska Airlines is a very interesting case because Marriott is its only transfer partner.

Program Rules and Limitations

Transferring your Marriott points to airline partners is easy, though there are a few rules and limitations to be aware of.

Minimum and Maximum Transfer Limits

With Marriott airline partners, the minimum transfer amount is 3,000. The maximum transfer amount is 240,000 per day.

Expiration Policies

Marriott Bonvoy points do not expire as long as there is account activity within a 24-month period. Account activity includes:

• Earning or redeeming points through eligible stays at Marriott properties
• Earning or redeeming points through Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit cards
• Participating in other qualifying activities within the Marriott Bonvoy program

If there’s no account activity within 24 months, your Marriott points can expire. If you don’t stay at Marriott properties often, one of the easiest ways to keep your account active is to have a Marriott credit card and make at least one transaction on it every 24 months.

Restrictions and Blackout Dates

You can transfer your Marriott points whenever you want. There are no limitations or blackout dates. However, be aware that partner airlines may have their own terms and conditions related to blackout dates and procedures for award redemptions.

Earning Marriott Bonvoy Points

The most obvious way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points is to stay at Marriott properties. The exact amount of points you’ll earn depends on many factors, including the base rate, elite member bonuses, credit card used and other Marriott promotions.

A handful of credit cards also earn Marriott points. These include the following:

• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees)
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card

Each card has different sign-up bonuses, annual fees and award earning structures. Please do your research into each card before applying for the one that best fits your current spending patterns.

For more information, as well as many other ways to earn Marriott points, refer to this article featuring an overview of the Marriott Bonvoy Rewards Program.

Conclusion

Marriott’s extensive lineup of airline partners can help you explore the globe with minimal out-of-pocket expense. Whether to transfer your Marriott points for free airfare or for free hotel stays is an important consideration. If the numbers make sense and you still get great value from the airline redemption, leveraging this option can be an excellent strategy for utilizing existing points for free travel.

The world of points and miles is constantly evolving. You should always be aware that Marriott’s transfer partners, bonuses and program terms and conditions may change suddenly. Staying plugged in to updates on the Marriott Bonvoy program can help you make better decisions on how best to use your points.