From now till 23 March 2021 12.59 p.m SGT, Marriott Bonvoy members will receive up to a 50% bonus when they purchase points, with a minimum purchase of just 2,000 points.
Buy Marriott Bonvoy points at a 50% bonus here
An important thing to note about this offer. When I initially visited the landing page, a bonus of 40% appeared. However, after I logged into my account, the bonus was upgraded to 50%. I can’t guarantee the same will happen for you, but it’s worth checking.
With a 50% bonus, the cost per point is 0.83 US cents each.
For the sake of perspective, this is the second largest sale we’ve seen from Marriott Bonvoy; previous sales bonuses have maxed out at 60%. You can normally buy a maximum of 50,000 points per year pre-bonus, but for this sale, Marriott has doubled the cap to 100,000 points (also pre-bonus).
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. Upon purchase, 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 |
A reminder that Marriott Bonvoy is currently offering a 10% discount for off-peak redemptions at properties around the world, applicable to reservations made by 21 February 2021 with stays up till 30 September 2021. This is stackable with the usual 5th night free offer, and may be worth a punt since all points reservations are fully flexible.
Otherwise, the best scenarios to buy Marriott Bonvoy points typically exist at the extremes of the spectrum- either Category 1 or Category 8 hotels. Do the math and see whether buying points is cheaper than paying the revenue rates, and keep in mind that you don’t need to pay taxes when redeeming points.
It’s also important to remember that some Marriott properties will be changing categories effective 3 March 2021, so be sure to lock in your points reservations before then, if the hotel you have an eye on is moving up.
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 Rewards Apply here |
4 mpd | Cap of S$1K per s. month |
UOB Visa Signature Apply here |
4 mpd | Min S$1K Max S$2K FCY spend per s. month |
SCB Visa Infinite Apply here |
3 mpd | Min spend S$2K per s. month |
S. Month= Statement Month | C. Month= Calendar Month |
I generally don’t advise you to use the DBS Woman’s World Card, as past data points have indicated there are issues with getting the bonus 9X points credited.
Conclusion
A 50% bonus isn’t the highest we’ve seen for Marriott Bonvoy points purchases, but if you’re hoping to beat the 3 March price increases or leverage the 10% off that expires on 21 February, this is the only window you’ll have to pick up points for less.