Marriott Bonvoy points are most often used for hotel stays, but that’s not the only way to redeem them. You can also transfer your points to more than three dozen airline loyalty programs, including some that are difficult (or impossible) to access through traditional credit card transfer partners.
There are a couple of reasons you might want to do this. Maybe you’ve accumulated more Marriott points than you plan to use for hotels, or you’re just a few thousand miles short of booking an award flight.
Here’s how Marriott Bonvoy airline transfers work, which programs participate, and what to know before moving your points.
How Marriott Bonvoy Airline Transfers Work
Marriott Bonvoy partners with more than three dozen airline loyalty programs, and most transfers happen at a 3:1 ratio.
That means transferring 3,000 Marriott points generally earns you 1,000 airline miles.
But there’s a useful bonus when you transfer larger amounts. For most participating airlines, Marriott adds 5,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points transferred.
Here’s how that works for programs eligible for the standard bonus:
Marriott Points Transferred
Airline Miles Received
3,000
1,000
15,000
5,000
30,000
10,000
60,000
25,000
120,000
50,000
With that bonus, transferring 60,000 Marriott points gets you 25,000 airline miles instead of the usual 20,000.
There are a few exceptions worth knowing:
United MileagePlus: Marriott awards 10,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points transferred, meaning 60,000 Marriott points become 30,000 United miles.
American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles, and Delta SkyMiles: These programs don’t qualify for the standard 5,000-mile bonus. Transferring 60,000 Marriott points earns 20,000 miles.
Air New Zealand Koru: Transfers use a different ratio of 200:1, with a separate bonus structure.
Marriott allows members to transfer between 3,000 and 240,000 points per day.
Marriott Bonvoy Airline Transfer Partners
Marriott has one of the largest airline transfer partner lists of any major loyalty program.
Airline Loyalty Program
Transfer Ratio
Aegean Miles+Bonus
3:1
Aer Lingus AerClub
3:1
Aeromexico Rewards
3:1
Air Canada Aeroplan
3:1
Air China PhoenixMiles
3:1
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
3:1
Air New Zealand Koru
200:1
American Airlines AAdvantage
3:1
ANA Mileage Club
3:1
Atmos Rewards
3:1
Avianca LifeMiles
3:1
British Airways Club
3:1
Cathay Pacific Cathay
3:1
China Southern Sky Pearl Club
3:1
Copa ConnectMiles
3:1
Delta SkyMiles
3:1
Emirates Skywards
3:1
Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles
3:1
Etihad Guest
3:1
Frontier Miles
3:1
Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club
3:1
Iberia Plus
3:1
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
3:1
LATAM Pass / LATAM Pass Brazil
3:1
Qantas Frequent Flyer
3:1
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
3:1
Saudia Alfursan
3:1
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
3:1
Southwest Rapid Rewards
3:1
TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go
3:1
Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus
3:1
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
3:1
United MileagePlus
3:1
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
3:1
Virgin Australia Velocity
3:1
Vueling Club
3:1
Why Transfer Marriott Points to Airlines?
There are two situations where transferring Marriott points to an airline program can be particularly useful.
Topping off an airline mileage balance
Suppose you’ve found an award flight but don’t quite have enough miles to book it. If you’ve got Marriott points sitting in your account, transferring a small amount could help you cover the difference.
You don’t necessarily need to transfer in 60,000-point increments, either. While the bonus makes larger transfers more attractive, smaller transfers can still be useful when you only need a few thousand miles.
The catch is timing. Marriott transfers aren’t guaranteed to be instant, so this approach works better when you’ve got some flexibility rather than a ticket you need to book immediately.
DAVEALAN / ISTOCK
Accessing harder-to-reach airline programs
This is arguably the more interesting use of Marriott’s transfer partnerships.
Some airline loyalty programs have few, if any, transfer relationships with the major U.S. credit card currencies. Marriott can provide another route into those programs.
For example, Aegean Miles+Bonus and Saudia Alfursan have limited transfer options (at least for U.S. residents), compared with more widely accessible programs like Air Canada Aeroplan or Air France-KLM Flying Blue.
Of course, the 3:1 transfer ratio means you’re giving up a significant number of Marriott points to earn airline miles. It’s worth considering what you want to book before making a transfer.
How to Transfer Marriott Bonvoy Points to Airline Miles
Marriott handles airline transfers directly through your Bonvoy account.
Select the airline loyalty program you want to transfer points to.
Enter your frequent flyer membership number and the number of Marriott points you’d like to transfer.
Review the transfer details and confirm your request.
For most airline partners, the name on your frequent-flyer account must match the first and last name on your Marriott Bonvoy account.
Just don’t assume your miles will arrive immediately. According to Marriott’s terms, transferred miles will post to the receiving airline account within one week in most cases.
Some transfers may arrive much faster, but others could take several days. And because award availability can change while you’re waiting, transferring Marriott points to book a specific flight, particularly one departing soon, carries some risk.
What Else to Know Before Transferring
Marriott’s airline partnerships are useful, but the transfer ratios mean they won’t always be the best use of your Bonvoy points.
For example, transferring 60,000 Marriott points to most airlines earns 25,000 miles, including the bonus. Those same points could potentially cover multiple hotel nights, depending on the property.
But if you’ve got a large Marriott balance, need to top off an airline account, or want miles in a program that’s otherwise difficult to access, it’s a useful option to have.
