How Should I Convert Hotel Points Into Airline Miles?
TPG reader Santohsh sent me a message on Facebook to ask about using Marriott Rewards points:
"I have some Marriott points that I don't plan to use for hotel stays. What are the best options to convert them to airline miles?"
Many hotel loyalty programs give you the option to convert points to airline miles, but you'll generally sacrifice some value in the process. For example, both Club Carlson and Hilton offer a terrible exchange rate of 10:1 with most airlines, while IHG is still a bad deal at 5:1. In general, I don't recommend swapping hotel points for miles unless you need to top up your frequent flyer account to book an award, or if you're certain you'll never use those points for actual hotel stays.
That said, Marriott Rewards provides a few transfer options that make sense. To start with, the exchange rates are tiered, so you get a better return when you transfer larger quantities of points. For example, transfers to American Airlines come with an exchange rate of 5:1 at the lowest tier (10,000 points for 2,000 miles), but that improves to less than 3:1 at the highest tier (140,000 points for 50,000 miles).
Thanks to Marriott's partnership with United Airlines, you can get an even better return on transfers to MileagePlus. At the highest tier, you can exchange 112,000 points for 50,000 miles — that's a rate of nearly 2:1, and is actually a pretty fair trade based on my most recent monthly valuations. You may be able to do even better if you can take advantage of a transfer promotion like the bonus offered earlier this year.
United is also the most rewarding option when you book Marriott's Hotel + Air packages, since you get a 10% mileage bonus. That means you can redeem 200,000 points for 55,000 miles (instead of the normal 50,000) plus a seven-night stay at a Category 1-5 property. You can also exchange more points for miles at roughly 1:1, which is an excellent deal. For example, 270,000 Marriott points will get you 132,000 United miles plus the seven-night stay, so that's a great option if you can make use of the hotel nights.
Aside from United, you might also consider transferring to Southwest, since those points can help you qualify for the Companion Pass. You won't get the same rate that you get for transfers to United, but it's still a good value if you fly Southwest regularly and can put those companion fares to use.
For more on Marriott Rewards and transferring hotel points in general, check out these posts:
- Pool, Share and Transfer Hotel Points to Maximize Rewards
- Can I Transfer Hotel Points to My Spouse's Airline Account?
- Can I Transfer Points Both Ways Between Loyalty Programs?
If you have any other questions, please tweet me @thepointsguy, message me on Facebook or send me an email at info@thepointsguy.com.
[card card-name='Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card' card-id='221210955' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.