Name: American Express® Gold Card
Brand: American Express

Quick summary

The article explores the experience of accumulating over 800,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and strategies for maximizing their value.
Due to program devaluations, the author emphasizes the importance of redeeming points sooner rather than later, with TPG's October 2026 valuations placing Marriott points at 0.75 cents each.
Top redemption options include booking high-value hotel stays, such as during major events or at luxury properties, and transferring points to airline partners for premium cabin flights.
The article highlights specific examples, like leveraging the 'Stay 5 Pay for 4' perk and maximizing bonus miles when transferring to certain airline partners.

What to consider

Marriott Bonvoy points can be redeemed for award nights, experiences, room credits, merchandise, or transferred to 38 airline partners.
Redemption rates are dynamic, so flexibility with travel dates can yield better value; certain perks, like bonus miles on transfers, may have daily transfer limits or require minimum amounts.
TPG's October 2026 valuations estimate Marriott points at 0.75 cents each, but high-value redemptions can significantly exceed this rate.

What you'll miss from the article

Detailed examples of maximizing Marriott Bonvoy points, including strategies for premium hotel stays and leveraging airline transfer bonuses.

Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.

I broke the cardinal rule of the points and miles world: I hoarded points. Over the last three years, I have amassed over 800,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, and I am contemplating what to do with them.

It wasn't my intention to hoard my Marriott Bonvoy points, as I initially planned on redeeming them for a luxury hotel stay or transferring them to one of Marriott's airline partners. However, due to devaluations within the Bonvoy program and just simply finding other travel deals, I never got around to redeeming any of my points.

Although it sounds neat to say that I have amassed nearly a million points, not all points and miles are worth the same. According to TPG's October 2026 valuations, Marriott points are worth 0.75 cents apiece, which means my 807,500 Bonvoy points are worth $6,056.

In the past, my Marriott points would've been worth more, but with the hotel program devaluations, they've lost value. Therefore, now's the time to redeem my Bonvoy points and try to maximize their value.

Here are some ways I plan to redeem 800,000 Bonvoy points.

The best ways to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points

Despite having so many Marriott Bonvoy points, I haven't found a need for a cobranded credit card. Instead, I earned my Marriott points through paid stays and occasional bonus point promotions.

You can earn Marriott points in a number of ways. The easiest way is to credit your Marriott bookings to your Bonvoy account; another option is to apply for a cobranded Bonvoy card and earn a welcome bonus while also earning points as you spend on the card. For example, new cardmembers of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.

There are several ways to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points, including:

Award nights
Marriott Bonvoy Moments
Room credits, merchandise and gift cards
Travel redemptions and airline transfers

Marriott Bonvoy points balance screenshot — MARRIOTT

The two types of redemptions that stand out to me are redeeming my points for award nights and transferring them to an airline. Marriott has 38 airline partners to which you can transfer your Bonvoy points.

I'm going to focus on those two redemptions because I know I can get the maximum value for my points. Redeeming points for a hotel stay is useful in multiple scenarios. One situation is if the cash price of a hotel per night is quite high, I can rely on using my points — and because I have so many of them, most redemptions are attainable. On the other hand, I do prefer using my points to book an award ticket for a premium cabin flight.

SWISS presents new First and Business Class seats — SWISS AIR

Despite most transfers from Marriott to an airline partner having a 3:1 transfer ratio, where it seems like I'm losing value, I personally feel booking business or first-class airfare is a better use of my points. Premium cabin airfare tends to cost more than an average hotel stay, and at the minimum, my 807,000 Bonvoy points are worth at least 269,000 miles with most airline partners.

For example, a one-way business-class ticket from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Zurich Airport (ZRH) averages $6,000 if paid in cash, or 70,000 Aeroplan points. Such a redemption gives me 8.57 cents per point, far more than what Marriott and Aeroplan points are worth according to TPG's August 2025 valuations.

Redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for hotel stays

The most straightforward way to redeem Bonvoy points is to book award nights at a Marriott portfolio property. Whether it's an unexpected trip that requires a hotel booking or an aspirational trip to a far-off destination, Bonvoy points can help cut travel costs.

To search for hotel redemptions, I simply enter my destination or property of interest and my preferred dates to see how many points the Bonvoy program is charging. Since Marriott prices are dynamic, be sure to play around with the dates, as you can score a better redemption that way.

FIFA World Cup 2026 accommodations in Mexico City

I am a huge soccer fan and have attended the last two FIFA World Cups: Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022. Accommodations during a world event can be tough to come by and quite expensive. However, having a stash of points can be a lifeline in these types of situations.

Le Meridien Mexico City Reforma redemption — MARRIOTT

For example, a 10-night stay at the Le Meridien Mexico City Reforma will cost me only 41,000 points per night. However, thanks to the Bonvoy program's 'Stay 5 Pay for 4' perk, I would only pay for eight nights, which means I'd only spend a total of 328,000 Bonvoy points.

This is a fantastic use of my points, since the average cost per night is $1,200. I'm able to redeem my points for 3.65 cents each, more than five times TPG's valuations. Without my Bonvoy points, I wouldn't be able to afford staying in Mexico City for as long to experience the FIFA World Cup — and if I did, it would cost me an astounding $12,000.

Redeeming my points for the FIFA World Cup brings me relief that hoarding my points helped me secure a hotel stay for an experience of a lifetime.

A luxurious getaway to the Maldives

If I want to use nearly all the points I have earned, then booking a once-in-a-lifetime trip could be the best option. This includes booking a hotel award redemption in the Maldives, which usually has eye-watering costs, from airfare to private seaplane transfers to the pricey food expenses.

Ritz Carlton Maldives Fari Islands screenshot — MARRIOTT

A five-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, will cost me 780,000 points, so I'll use up nearly all of my Bonvoy points. Keep in mind that I still have to pay for the hotel's transportation, a speedboat transfer from Velana International Airport (MLE) to the property — which costs about $1,100 per person. So, although I am saving over $11,000 in accommodation costs, there are still other costs associated with this stay.

Overall, with a cash price of $2,200 per night, my redemption nets me 1.41 cents each, nearly double TPG's valuation of 0.75 cents each.

Transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to an airline partner

In order to find award seat availability, I use Seats.aero, which has access to 20-plus airline loyalty programs. Seats.aero is an excellent tool to find seats across different cabins within seconds and really helps reduce the burden of searching for award tickets one loyalty program at a time.

Even if you don't have a lot of Marriott Bonvoy points, it could be a better option to transfer your points to book a flight. Since redemption rates are dynamic, your Marriott Bonvoy point balance may not be enough to cover a free night. If you have 20,000 Bonvoy points (or another amount you feel is insufficient), those can be worth about 6,666 miles with an airline.

It's a nice way to top off your desired frequent flyer account if you're short on miles, or it allows you to transfer fewer points from a credit card that earns transferable points.

A weeklong family trip to Hawaii

Marriott Bonvoy gives members 5,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 Bonvoy points they transfer to an airline partner. However, thanks to the close partnership between Marriott Bonvoy and United MileagePlus, MileagePlus members will receive 10,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 Bonvoy points transferred.

United award ticket Los Angeles to Hawaii screenshot — UNITED AIRLINES

For a family of four, airfare for a one-week stay in Hawaii will cost 149,600 United miles. To book these award tickets, I would need to transfer 300,000 Bonvoy points to United MileagePlus, which gives me 100,000 United miles. Then I earn an additional 50,000 bonus miles as I earn 10,000 bonus United miles for every 60,000 Bonvoy points, bringing my total to 150,000 United miles.

Keep in mind that Marriott Bonvoy limits the number of miles you can transfer to an airline partner per day, so you may need to transfer them over two days. Make sure there are enough award seats available, and try to put them on hold if the program allows it to prevent you from losing them while the transfer is in progress.

In the end, the equivalent cash ticket would cost me $528 per person, but thanks to transferring points and booking a redemption ticket, I net 0.70 cents per point. Although I am getting slightly less than the same value per point per TPG's valuations, during peak travel periods, the savings can be a lot more. In the end, the over $2,000 saved on airfare can be put toward accommodations such as a hotel or Airbnb.

Fly on Virgin Atlantic Upper Class to London

Nothing gets me more excited than redeeming my points for high-value redemptions like a business-class ticket. Virgin Atlantic has an amazing business-class product, and thanks to the airline's move to dynamic pricing for Virgin Atlantic award flights, you can score some fantastic deals on premium cabin airfare.

Virgin Atlantic award ticket New York to London — VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Take, for example, the following flight from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) to Heathrow Airport (LHR). For 29,000 Virgin points and about $580 in taxes and fees, I can fly one-way in business class. I would only have to transfer 74,000 Bonvoy points to get 24,666 Virgin points — plus I'll get another 5,000 for transferring at least 60,000 Bonvoy points, giving me a total of 29,666 points.

This is an excellent use of Marriott Bonvoy points because the cash price for the same ticket is $2,008 per person. This gives me a value of 1.93 cents per point, which is more than double what TPG values Marriott points at.

Bottom line

Although it's not best practice to hoard rewards, having over 800,000 Marriott points is also a perk. I feel now is the perfect time to redeem them because I have enough points to cover the majority of my aspirational redemptions.

Although I rarely redeem points for hotel stays, this may be why I do so: I have the chance to experience some fantastic properties worldwide. Nonetheless, I should act sooner rather than later — because you never know when the next devaluation is coming, and it's about time I enjoyed my hard-earned points.

TPG featured card

American Express® Gold Card

TPG editor's rating

Pros + cons

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

More details

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.
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.
$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.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status 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.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
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.