You can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to nearly 40 airline loyalty programs, typically at a 3:1 ratio. To initiate a transfer, you must log into your Marriott Bonvoy account, navigate to the points transfer portal, choose your airline partner, enter your frequent flyer number, and submit the request.

While Marriott points are highly valued for hotel stays at luxury properties, their incredible flexibility makes them a secret weapon for frequent flyers. Marriott Bonvoy is the only major hotel program that maintains a highly functional, diverse network of airline transfer partners. By understanding the transfer mechanics, the sweet spots, and the potential pitfalls, you can unlock outsized value for international first- and business-class flights.

The Golden Rule of Marriott Transfers: Ratios and Bonuses #

Before you move a single point out of your Marriott Bonvoy account, you must understand the math. For the vast majority of Marriott’s airline partners, points transfer at a 3:1 ratio. This means that 3,000 Marriott Bonvoy points will yield 1,000 airline miles.

However, the real power of this program lies in the transfer bonus.

The 5,000-Mile Transfer Bonus #

For every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer to a participating airline program in a single transaction, Marriott adds a 5,000-mile bonus.

• Standard Transfer: 60,000 Marriott points = 20,000 airline miles.
• With the Bonus: 60,000 Marriott points = 25,000 airline miles.

This effectively improves your transfer ratio to 2.4:1, making the conversion rate significantly more attractive. Because of this incentive, you should aim to transfer Marriott points in exact increments of 60,000 whenever possible.

Critical Exceptions to the Bonus #

While the 5,000-mile bonus applies to most partners, there are crucial exceptions you must keep in mind:

1. No Bonus for Select Airlines: Marriott has excluded several airlines from the 5,000-mile transfer bonus. If you transfer points to American Airlines AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, Korean Air SKYPASS, or Avianca LifeMiles, you will not receive the 5,000-mile bonus. For these programs, 60,000 Marriott points will only yield 20,000 miles.
2. The United MileagePlus Sweet Spot: Marriott shares a preferred partnership with United Airlines called “Preferred Alliance.” Because of this, you receive a 10,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer to United MileagePlus. Thus, transferring 60,000 Marriott points to United yields a whopping 30,000 United miles (a 2:1 effective ratio).

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Transfer Marriott Points #

Marriott does not make the airline transfer page particularly easy to find from its homepage. Follow these direct steps to complete your transfer:

1. Navigate to the Transfer Page: Go to the Marriott Bonvoy website. Scroll to the footer or use the search bar to locate the “Transfer Points to Miles” page, or navigate directly to the points transfer portal.
2. Log In: Enter your Marriott Bonvoy credentials.
3. Select Your Airline: Click the “Transfer Points” button. A drop-down menu will appear featuring Marriott’s airline partners. Select your desired frequent flyer program.
4. Enter Account Details: Input your airline frequent flyer account number. Crucial rule: The name on your Marriott Bonvoy account must match the name on your airline frequent flyer account exactly, or the transfer will be rejected.
5. Specify the Points Amount: Input the number of Marriott points you want to transfer. The system requires a minimum transfer of 3,000 points per day, and a maximum transfer of 240,000 points per day.
6. Confirm and Submit: Review the details, note the estimated transfer time, and click “Convert.”

Because of the daily transfer caps, if you need to transfer 300,000 points to book a flight, you will need to split the transfer over two consecutive days. If you are accumulating points across multiple credit cards to hit these thresholds, keeping all of your card benefits and points-earning strategies aligned is much easier when you use a mobile wallet companion to track your cards.

Complete List of Marriott Airline Transfer Partners #

Marriott Bonvoy partners with nearly 40 airlines. The table below outlines the key partners, their transfer ratios, whether they qualify for the 60,000-point bonus, and their average transfer times.

(Note: Air New Zealand is also a partner, but it uses a highly disadvantageous 200:1 ratio. Avoid transferring Marriott points to Air New Zealand).

When Does It Make Sense to Transfer Marriott Points? #

As a general rule of thumb, transferring flexible credit card points (like Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, or Capital One miles) directly to airlines is much more efficient than transferring Marriott points. This is because flexible credit card points transfer to airlines at a clean 1:1 ratio.

However, transferring Marriott points is highly strategic in three specific scenarios:

1. Booking with “Unreachable” Airline Programs #

Several premium airline loyalty programs do not partner with major U.S. credit card issuers. For example, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and Japan Airlines (JAL) Mileage Bank have virtually no 1:1 transfer partners among Amex, Chase, Capital One, or Citi.

If you want to book a high-value award ticket using Alaska or JAL miles, Marriott Bonvoy points are one of your only direct pathways to accumulate those miles.

2. “Topping Off” an Airline Account for an Impending Award #

If you find a perfect business-class award ticket that costs 80,000 miles, but you only have 74,000 miles in your airline account, transferring 18,000 Marriott points will give you the remaining 6,000 miles you need to secure the seat. In this scenario, preventing a prime award ticket from disappearing is worth accepting the 3:1 transfer loss.

3. Taking Advantage of Transfer Promotions #

Occasionally, specific airlines run promotional campaigns offering a 15% to 30% bonus on points transferred from hotel programs. When stacked with Marriott’s standard 5,000-mile bonus, these promos can make the math incredibly lucrative.

If you are working toward a steep minimum spend requirement on a newly opened Bonvoy credit card to fund one of these redemptions, you can track your spending progress and bonus deadlines using a dedicated tracking tool to make sure you do not miss out on those crucial points.

Top Marriott Bonvoy Airline Sweet Spots #

To maximize your points, target these high-value sweet spots:

ANA Mileage Club: Business Class to Japan #

ANA offers some of the most competitive award pricing in the world for flights to Asia, but it is notoriously difficult to earn their miles. By transferring 105,000 Marriott points (which becomes 40,000 ANA miles after accounting for the 5,000-mile transfer bonus on the first 60,000 points), you can book a round-trip economy ticket from the U.S. West Coast to Tokyo. Alternatively, transferring 210,000 Marriott points yield 85,000 ANA miles—enough for a round-trip business class ticket to Japan on one of the world’s best airlines.

Alaska Airlines: Partner Awards on Fiji Airways or Cathay Pacific #

Alaska Airlines charges incredibly low rates for partner award tickets. For example, you can book a one-way business class ticket on Fiji Airways from the U.S. West Coast to Fiji for just 55,000 Alaska miles. By transferring 120,000 Marriott points (yielding 50,000 miles with bonuses) and adding a small 15,000-point top-off, you can easily experience a lie-flat seat over the Pacific for a fraction of the retail cost.

United MileagePlus: Short-Haul Flights and Excursionist Perks #

Because Marriott transfers to United feature a unique 10,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points sent, you receive a total of 30,000 United miles. This is perfect for short-haul domestic flights, flights within Europe, or leverage for United’s “Excursionist Perk”—a free one-way segment inside a multi-city international itinerary.

Frequently Asked Questions #

How long does it take for Marriott points to transfer to an airline? #

Transfer times vary wildly by airline. Some transfers (like United, Delta, and Virgin Atlantic) complete within 24 to 48 hours. Others, such as ANA, Japan Airlines, or Korean Air, can take anywhere from 7 to 14 business days. Because Marriott transfers are not instantaneous, you run the risk of your award seat disappearing while you wait for the miles to post.

Can I transfer airline miles back into Marriott Bonvoy points? #

No. Point transfers from Marriott Bonvoy to airline programs are strictly a one-way street. Once you hit submit on a transfer, you cannot reverse the transaction or move those miles back into your Marriott account. Always confirm award space availability on the airline’s website before executing a transfer.

Do the names on my Marriott and airline accounts have to match? #

Yes. To prevent fraud and brokering, both accounts must be registered under the exact same first and last name. If your Marriott account is under “Rob Smith” and your airline account is under “Robert Smith,” the transfer will fail, and your points may be locked in a pending state for several weeks.

Is there a limit to how many Marriott points I can transfer? #

Yes, Marriott imposes limits on daily transfers. You must transfer at least 3,000 points per day, and you are capped at transferring a maximum of 240,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to airlines per 24-hour period.