From now till 23 October 2020, 11.59 a.m SGT, Marriott Bonvoy members will receive a 50% bonus on points purchases, with the purchase cap increased to 150,000 points, or three times the usual annual limit.
This is the second most generous bonus we’ve seen, after the 60% bonus that ran from May to July. However, that sale was capped at 100,000 points maximum, so this one works better if you need to purchase a larger amount.
Buy Marriott Bonvoy points at a 50% bonus here
A minimum purchase of just 2,000 points is required to enjoy the 50% bonus. The equivalent cost per point with a 50% bonus is 0.83 US cents.
A new member may buy points 30 days after enrollment if their Marriott Bonvoy account has a qualifying activity (like a stay). Otherwise, they’ll need to wait 90 days to purchase points.
Points purchases will be processed up to 7 business days after payment is made. Base points will first be deposited, and bonus points will follow within 48 hours of the initial deposit.
What can you do with Marriott Bonvoy points?
As a reminder, here’s Marriott’s award chart. Marriott has now introduced off-peak and peak pricing, and these dates may change every month.
| Category | Off-Peak | Standard | Peak |
| 1 | 5,000 | 7,500 | 10,000 |
| 2 | 10,000 | 12,500 | 15,000 |
| 3 | 15,000 | 17,500 | 20,000 |
| 4 | 20,000 | 25,000 | 30,000 |
| 5 | 30,000 | 35,000 | 40,000 |
| 6 | 40,000 | 50,000 | 60,000 |
| 7 | 50,000 | 60,000 | 70,000 |
| 8 | 70,000 | 85,000 | 100,000 |
If you bought points at 0.83 US cents each, a night at the St Regis Maldives (Category 8) could cost as little as US$581 a night, with the fifth night free. That’s well below half the usual rate, but still pretty pricey. Moreover, with a per night cost of 70,000+ points and a purchase cap (post-bonus) of 225,000 points, you’d find it hard to accumulate enough points for a worthwhile stay.
| If you’ve got Maldives envy, a much better option is to buy Hilton points at the current 100% bonus sale, then redeem the Conrad Maldives. With the fifth night free factored in, you pay US$380 a night. |
On the other end of the spectrum, a night in a Category 1 hotel would be available from US$42. There are 274 Category 1 hotels around the world, including the AC Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya Marriott and the Aloft Jakarta.
You’ll definitely want to check the revenue rates for the dates you have in mind, as hotels may be offering discounted stays to encourage bookings.
What card should I use to buy Marriott Bonvoy points?
Purchases of Marriott Bonvoy points are processed by Points.com in USD, so they won’t code as hotel purchases. Here’s the best cards to maximize the miles earned on your purchase:
| Earn Rate | Remarks | |
 Citi RewardsApply here |
4 mpd | Cap of S$1K per s. month |
 UOB Visa SignatureApply here |
4 mpd | Min S$1K Max S$2K FCY spend per s. month |
 SCB Visa Infinite |
3 mpd | Min spend S$2K per s. month |
| S. Month= Statement Month | C. Month= Calendar Month | ||
There are too many reports of issues earning 4 mpd with the DBS Woman’s World Card on Points.com, so I wouldn’t advise you use that for now.
Conclusion
It’s generally not good value to buy hotel points for staycations, because you miss out on all the extras that hotels throw in with staycation packages. However, buying points can make sense for high cost destinations overseas.
The bigger question is when travel restrictions will be lifted, because you don’t want to be buying points without a definite use in mind.
Any thoughts on whether there is still value in converting MR points to airmiles?
MB (not MR)
not with this current sale- would be cheaper to buy alaska miles with the 50% bonus