Marriott Bonvoy transfers let you move points to airline and hotel partners instead of booking directly through Marriott

When you earn Marriott Bonvoy points through a credit card or hotel stays, you can use them three ways: book a Marriott property directly, transfer them to an airline partner, or transfer them to a hotel partner outside the Marriott system. This guide covers the transfer route — what it costs, which partners accept transfers, and when transferring makes sense versus booking directly.

Marriott maintains a list of roughly 40 transfer partners across airlines and hotels. The partners change occasionally, and transfer rates (how many Marriott points equal one airline mile or hotel point) vary by partner. You initiate transfers through your Bonvoy account online, and most transfers complete within 24 hours.

Key Takeaways

  • Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to roughly 40 airline and hotel partners at rates that vary — typically 1 Marriott point equals 0.5 to 1 airline mile, depending on the partner.
  • Airline transfers are most common because they let you book premium cabin seats (business or first class) that would cost far more points if booked through Marriott directly.
  • Hotel transfers work best when a partner property is cheaper in points than the same night at a Marriott, which happens occasionally but is not the default.
  • Transfers are permanent and non-refundable once initiated, so confirm the transfer rate and partner account details before you send points.
  • Most transfers complete within 24 hours, but some partners take up to 7 days, so plan ahead if you have a specific travel date in mind.

How transfer rates work and why they matter

Marriott does not offer a single fixed rate for all partners. Instead, each partner has its own rate, and Marriott publishes these rates in your account before you transfer. A common rate is 3 Marriott points = 1 airline mile, but some partners offer 2:1 or 4:1 rates. A few premium partners offer 1:1 rates, meaning 1 Marriott point = 1 airline mile, which is rare and valuable.

The rate matters because it determines how many Marriott points you need to spend to get the airline miles or hotel points you want. If you want 50,000 airline miles and the partner rate is 3:1, you need 150,000 Marriott points. If the rate is 2:1, you need only 100,000. Before transferring, multiply the points you want to send by the rate to see what you will receive on the other side.

Rates can shift, and Marriott sometimes runs transfer bonuses — for example, "transfer 100,000 points and receive 30,000 bonus miles" — that improve the effective rate temporarily. These bonuses appear in your account when active and are worth watching for if you are planning a large transfer.

Airline partners and when to transfer for premium cabin flights

Marriott's airline partners include most major carriers: American, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, Japan Airlines, ANA, Singapore Airlines, and others. The full list appears in your Bonvoy account under "Transfer Partners."

The strongest case for transferring to an airline is booking a premium cabin seat — business or first class — on a long international flight. Marriott's own award chart prices these flights very high in Bonvoy points (often 200,000 to 300,000 points for a single business class seat). The same flight through an airline partner might cost 80,000 to 120,000 airline miles. If you transfer Marriott points at a 3:1 rate, you spend 240,000 to 360,000 Marriott points to get those miles — still more than booking direct, but some airlines price premium cabins lower than others, and the math occasionally works in your favor.

Economy flights rarely justify a transfer. Marriott's economy award prices are already competitive, and transferring points at a 3:1 or 4:1 rate usually costs more Marriott points than booking the same flight directly through Bonvoy.

Hotel partners and when transferring makes sense

Marriott's hotel transfer partners include Hyatt, IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), Hilton, Wyndham, and Choice Hotels, among others. Each partner has its own point currency and redemption rates. A transfer to Hyatt means your Marriott points become Hyatt points, which you then use to book Hyatt properties.

Transferring to a hotel partner makes sense when a specific property you want is cheaper in that partner's points than it would be in Marriott points. This is uncommon but does happen. For example, a Hyatt property in a popular destination might cost 12,000 Hyatt points per night, while the same night through Marriott costs 50,000 Bonvoy points. If the transfer rate is 1:1 or 2:1, transferring saves you points. However, you need to check both the Marriott award chart and the partner's award chart for the specific property and dates before transferring.

Hotel transfers also make sense if you are close to a redemption goal at a partner chain. If you need 5,000 more Hyatt points to book a free night and have 10,000 Marriott points sitting unused, a transfer might get you there faster than earning Hyatt points through stays or credit cards.

How to initiate a transfer and what happens next

Log into your Marriott Bonvoy account online and navigate to "Transfer Points." Select the partner you want to transfer to, enter the number of points you wish to send, and confirm the transfer rate shown on screen. You will need the account number or member ID for the partner (your airline frequent flyer number or hotel loyalty number). Enter that information and review the transfer summary carefully — once you confirm, the transfer is permanent.

After you confirm, Marriott sends the points to the partner. Most transfers complete within 24 hours, though some partners take up to 7 days. You will receive a confirmation email from Marriott and, once the partner receives the points, a second confirmation from the partner showing the points in your account there.

If you make a mistake — wrong account number, wrong number of points — contact Marriott customer service when ready. They may be able to reverse a transfer within a short window, but this is not may provide. Once the partner has received and posted the points, reversal becomes much harder.

Transfer minimums, maximums, and timing considerations

Marriott requires a minimum transfer of 1,000 points per transaction. There is no published maximum, but very large transfers (over 1 million points) may trigger review. Most transfers of 100,000 to 500,000 points process without issue.

Transfers are not when ready. If you have a flight booked and want to use transferred airline miles, initiate the transfer at least 7 to 10 days before your travel date to account for processing time and to give yourself a buffer. Airline award availability can change, so do not assume the seat you saw yesterday will still be available when your miles arrive.

Some partners limit how many points you can transfer in a single calendar month or year. These limits are rare but do exist for a few partners. Check your account or contact Marriott customer service if you plan a very large transfer.

Comparing transfer value to direct Marriott bookings

Before you transfer, compare the point cost of booking directly through Marriott to the point cost of transferring and booking through the partner. Use this formula: (Points you want to transfer) × (Transfer rate) = (Partner points or miles you will receive). Then check whether those partner points or miles book the flight or hotel you want.

For example: You want to book a business class flight that costs 100,000 airline miles. Marriott's award chart prices the same flight at 250,000 Bonvoy points. The transfer rate to that airline is 3:1. If you transfer, you need 300,000 Marriott points to get 100,000 airline miles. That is more expensive than booking direct (250,000 points). In this case, book directly.

However, if the same flight costs 80,000 airline miles and the transfer rate is 2:1, you need 160,000 Marriott points to get there. That is cheaper than booking direct (250,000 points). In this case, transferring saves you 90,000 points.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer points to multiple partners at once?

No. You initiate one transfer at a time through your account. You can transfer to different partners on different days, but each transfer is a separate transaction. Plan your transfers in advance if you want to split points across multiple partners.

What happens if I transfer points to an airline and then the airline goes out of business?

Once points are transferred to an airline, they belong to that airline and are governed by that airline's terms, not Marriott's. If the airline fails, Marriott has no obligation to restore your points. This is rare but a real risk with smaller carriers. Major carriers are stable, but the risk exists.

Do I lose points if I transfer and then change my mind?

Yes. Transfers are permanent and non-refundable. Once the partner receives the points, you cannot get them back. If you transfer to an airline and then decide not to book the flight, the miles stay in your airline account. You can use them for a different flight or let them sit, but Marriott will not reverse the transfer.

How do I know which transfer rate is best?

Lower rates (like 2:1) are better than higher rates (like 4:1) because you send fewer Marriott points to get the same number of partner points. A 1:1 rate is best. Check the rate in your account before transferring — it is shown on the transfer confirmation screen.

Can I transfer points to a partner account that is not in my name?

No. Marriott requires the partner account to be registered to the same person whose Bonvoy account is sending the points. You cannot transfer to someone else's airline or hotel account. If you want to use points for someone else's travel, book the flight or hotel directly through your Bonvoy account instead.