A favourite rewards program of many is Marriott Bonvoy. With easy to use points for free hotel nights, and a sweet credit card, it’s not hard to see why.
But there’s more to redeeming points than just for free nights. Marriott has plenty of airline partners that points can be transferred to.
Who are these partners? How do you make a transfer? And what is a point worth?
Here are the answers to this intriguing redemption option.
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An intro to Marriott Bonvoy points
First, here’s a quick introduction to the Marriott Bonvoy program, and how you can both earn and redeem points.
How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points
First, earning rewards. There are 2 basic ways to earn Marriott points.
The first is by staying at Marriott properties. For most properties, you’ll earn 10 points per $1 USD spent on hotel rooms (except for taxes and fees).
For these properties, you’ll earn 5 points per $1 USD spent:
- Residence Inn,
- TownPlace Suites, and
- Element.
The other way is with a credit card. Marriott Bonvoy issues Amex credit cards, and Amex Membership Rewards credit cards can transfer points to Marriott at a 5:6 ratio (more on them farther below).
How to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points
So, what can your Marriott Bonvoy points be used for?
For many, the primary option will be for free hotel nights, but there’s much more than that.
Here’s the full list available.
We’re going to zero in on the airline transfer options, and show you what is out there.
Want to see the full details on the Marriott Bonvoy program? Here’s our full guide.
Marriott Bonvoy airline transfer overview
It may not be your first choice, but depending on how many points you have, it can definitely be worth taking a closer look at transferring your points to one of Marriott’s many airline partners.
Available airlines
First, what airlines are out there? The list is long, too long to put into a bullet list here.
There are over 40 airlines available. You can view the full list here, but here’s a taste of what’s available, consisting of airlines that fly to Canada (at least during non-pandemic times).
- Air Canada,
- Air France,
- KLM,
- Alaska Airlines,
- American Airlines,
- British Airways,
- Cathay Pacific,
- Delta,
- Emirates,
- Korean Air,
- Japan Airlines, and
- United.
You’ve got Canada’s biggest airline, and plenty of other big name international airlines to choose from, including all 3 major US carriers.
For the most part, 3 Marriott points turn into 1 airline mile. And, you have to convert a minimum of 3,000 points.
Remember the airline transfer bonus
But there’s one big thing to keep in mind when making a transfer.
If you convert 60,000 points at once, you’ll receive 25% bonus miles, courtesy of Marriott.
In essence, instead of becoming 20,000 miles, 60,000 points becomes 25,000 airline miles. A free chunk of miles to use.
How to make a Marriott Bonvoy airline transfer
So how do you actually make a transfer? It’s a little tricky finding the right page to get to.
The easiest way is to first sign in on the main Marriott page.
After you’re signed in, click on this link. On this page, there is a button called “TRANSFER POINTS”. Click on this button, and a popup appears.
In the drop down menu, select the airline you want to transfer your Marriott points to. You’ll also need to enter in your account number from the airlines program. The name on the account needs to match your Marriott account (although for a few unspecified airlines, they can be different).
Enter in how many points you wish to convert, then click continue.
On the next screen, is a verification page. Confirm the details, and click convert.
And that’s it! You’ve converted your Marriott points to airline miles. Just note it can take up to 1 week for your miles to appear in the airline program.
Top Marriott Bonvoy airline transfer partners
So what are the top airline transfer partners?
Here’s an overview of the ones of most interest to Canadians. For some of these options, we know what the airline value is, and what each Marriott point is worth with one of these options. This assumes you take Marriott on their 25% bonus offer and transfer 60,000 points at one.
For others, we don’t have hard numbers, but will point out why you may want to use them.
And for comparison, our value for a Marriott point when redeemed for a free night stay is 0.97 cents.
Aeroplan
Aeroplan is going to be the transfer option of choice for Canadian.
It’s Canada’s largest airline, and they can get you almost anywhere. And if they can’t, they have a partner who can.
And thanks to the revamped program, you can book any available seat on Air Canada.
Aeroplan has the standard transfer ratio of 3:1. We value each Aeroplan point at 2 cents each, giving a Marriott point value of 0.83 cents.
United MileagePlus
Next up is United MileagePlus.
And while it may not be first on your list, it should be. Why? You get 10% bonus miles when you make a transfer to United.
And since they’re a key partner with Air Canada, you’ll be able to use your MileagePlus on Air Canada. You won’t be able to access any seat, just a limited amount. But it’s worth checking out what you can book with United.
Marriott transfers to United at a 3:1 ratio. And with the 10% bonus, those 60,000 points become 27,500 miles. And using a value of 2 cents per mile, each Marriott point is worth 0.92 cents each.
Delta SkyMiles
Delta SkyMiles is next on your list. While they’re an American carrier, and they can’t fly you within Canada, thanks to the magic of airline partnerships, they have someone else who can.
That someone else is WestJet – Canada’s second largest carrier.
You can redeem Delta SkyMiles for a limited quantity of seats on WestJet. Not to mention that Delta is one of the world’s largest carriers, and flies to many major airports around Canada, from Halifax to Vancouver.
The transfer ratio to Delta is the typical 3:1.
Alaska Mileage Plus
Next up is Alaska Airlines Mileage Plus. Alaska Airlines has limited service into Canada, they only fly to Alberta and BC.
But Alaska also has many unique partners, a few which aren’t partnered with Marriott.
A few of these include:
- Icelandair,
- El Al Israel,
- Finnair, and
- Hainan.
Alaska Airlines miles are also quite valuable. We have an average value of 2.3 cents each, giving a Marriott point a value of 0.96 cents – the best among these airlines.
The standard transfer ratio of 3:1 applies here.
So as you can see, transferring to airline partners brings good value, but it’s generally not quite as good as a free night stay. But, it’s still an intriguing option, and for a big trip it’s worth taking a closer look at if you have tons of points built up.
The best Marriott Bonvoy credit card
Marriott Bonvoy issues one personal credit card in the Canadian Market – the
With this card, you’ll be able to earn plenty of points for free hotel nights.
Here’s what you’ll earn on your purchases:
- 5 points per $1 spent at Marriott properties
- 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
Based on a typical $2,000 monthly spend (which includes some purchases at Marriott), you earn 51,600 points per year.
It also has a large welcome bonus. You’ll earn 50,000 points after spending $1,500 in the first 3 months.
And you’ll get sweet Marriott benefits. The biggest one is the annual free night certificate. Every year on your card’s anniversary, you’ll get a free night certificate.
And you’ll get these other Marriott benefits as well:
- Automatic silver elite status, and
- 15 elite night credits.
It’s all for an annual fee of $120.
Want to learn more? Here are the full details on this unique credit card.
Amex Membership Rewards cards
There is another way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on your purchases, and that’s with an Amex Membership Rewards card.
You can transfer your points at a 5:6 ratio to Marriott Bonvoy. And this ratio makes it one of the best ways to use your Membership Rewards points.
So, here’s a quick overview of the best Membership Rewards card (it also happens to be the best credit card in Canada).
Transfer points to Aeroplan and 7 other travel partners with Canada's #1 credit card.* Transfer points to Aeroplan and 7 other travel partners with Canada's #1 credit card.*
×8 Award winner 
8x Award winner
The
Here’s what you’ll earn for rewards on your purchases:
- 5 points per $1 spent on eligible groceries and restaurants
- 3 points per $1 spent on eligible streaming services
- 2 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, transit, and ride share purchases
- 1 point per $1 spent on foreign currency purchases
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Based on our typical monthly spend, you would earn 54,000 Membership Rewards points per year. Converted to Marriott, and that’s 64,800 Marriott points.
It doesn’t include any Marriott benefits, but you’re simply earning more points on your purchases.
(Tip – if you want plenty of benefits as well, take a look at the
Comparing the Marriott Bonvoy card to the Amex Cobalt
So how do these 2 credit cards compare? Here’s a quick overview of these 2 credit cards.
And of course, for the Amex Cobalt card we’re comparing what it would earn if all your points were being transferred to Marriott.
| Marriott Bonvoy Amex | Amex Cobalt | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $120 | $155.88 |
| Typical Marriott points earned in one year | 51,600 | 64,800 |
| Average rate of return | 2.08% | 2.62% |
| Perks | * Annual free night certificate * Automatic Silver Elite status * 15 Elite night credits |
* More high value redemption options |
| Apply Now | Apply Now | Apply Now |
Strictly on annual rewards, the Amex Cobalt card is the better option. Earning roughly 10,000 more points per year (based on a typical $2,000 monthly spend), you’re looking at an extra $100 in annual rewards when redeemed for free nights.
But the perks are another story. The Cobalt card doesn’t offer much in the way of fancy perks – it’s a card that’s focused on the rewards. But, it does have more high value redemption options, led by transferring points to Aeroplan, which can make your rewards worth up to $1,080 per year.
But not the Marriott Bonvoy Amex. The annual free night is worth quite a bit. Maximize it’s value by redeeming for a free night worth 35,000 points, and it’s worth up to $340. Even at the low end, only redeeming for a 17,500 point free night, and it’s still worth $170 – more than enough to cover the annual fee.
Plus you’re getting automatic Silver Elite status for some extra perks on your Marriott stays.
Which card is better? It’s up to you to decide.
Conclusion
To get a free flight, Marriott Bonvoy has plenty of transfer options to look at.
Although on average the value isn’t as good as a free night stay, it’s worth at least looking into.
Have you transferred Marriott points to airline partners? What was your experience?
Let us know in the comments below.
FAQ
How many airlines can Marriott Bonvoy points be transferred to?
Marriott Bonvoy has over 40 airline partners that points can be transferred to.
Are there any Canadian airlines that Marriott Bonvoy points can be transferred to?
Marriott Points can be transferred to Aeroplan. However, points can also be transferred to Delta SkyMiles, which can then be redeemed for flights on WestJet.
What is the typical transfer ratio for Marriott Bonvoy points?
Most airline partners transfer at a 3:1 ratio. However, if you transfer points in increments of 60,000, Marriott gives you a 25% bonus. And if you transfer to United, you get an additional 10% in miles.
How can I earn Marriott Bonvoy points on everyday purchases?
There are a couple of credit cards on the Canadian market that earn Marriott points on purchases. There’s the Marriott Bonvoy Amex, Marriott’s only branded personal credit card. And Amex Membership Rewards cards transfer points at a 5:6 ratio, with the best option being the Amex Cobalt.
What’s a Marriott Bonvoy point worth?
A Marriott Bonvoy point is worth 0.97 cents when redeemed for a free hotel night. When transferred to airline partners, they have an average value of 0.83 cents each.
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