Quick Points: Redeem for sports events, concerts and more through Marriott Bonvoy Moments

To get the most value from your travel rewards, the firm rule is to use them for their intended purpose — in other words, use airline miles for free flights and use hotel points for free hotels.

However, there's an exception to every rule.

Enter Marriott Bonvoy Moments, a program that allows you to spend your Marriott points for much more than just travel. You can book culinary experiences, sporting events, concerts and more. And if you're prudent with your redemption, you can get significant value for your points.

But when does it make sense to use Marriott points with Marriott Bonvoy Moments?

When to book experiences with Marriott points

The answer is simple. TPG estimates Marriott points value to be worth 0.84 cents, on average. If you're getting more value than that, it's a good deal.

As an example, two tickets in a Luxury Suite at Wrigley Field sold for 55,000 Marriott points. That's $467 in Marriott points, per TPG valuations. The package even offers free food and drinks while in the suite.

A similar suite for the same game costs $8,000 and includes 21 suite tickets. Because Marriott's package includes just two tickets, we can better assess the value by dividing the $8,000 cash price of the suite by the number of tickets included.

$8,000 / 21 tickets = $380 per ticket.

For 55,000 Marriott points, you're getting two tickets valued at $380 each. That means you're getting a value of 1.38 cents per Marriott point. That's 64% higher than the average Marriott points value — an excellent deal.

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Related: Ultimate guide to Marriott Bonvoy Moments

If you monitor Marriott Bonvoy Moments with regularity, you'll see some even more incredible deals pop up. Some you must bid on and some you can "buy now" with points. In the past, we've seen things like Super Bowl tickets and outlandish travel packages including suite nights, special culinary experiences and local tours.

You'll also find things that money can't exactly buy, such as:

• In-person master classes with Michelin Star chefs.
• Sports playoff tickets to events that are otherwise sold out.
• Exclusive backstage passes to various musical events.

Those are the truly intriguing offers, as they're "priceless" in a sense. If you see something you've always wanted to do, like throw out the first pitch at a baseball game, your Marriott points are worth more than cash.

Bottom line

Marriott Bonvoy Moments aren't always a good deal — but you'll find some doozies if you monitor them regularly.

TPG valuations peg Marriott point value at 0.84 cents each, on average. If you're getting a worse deal than that, you're better off purchasing your experience with cash (if possible). Keep that 0.84-cent value in mind if you enter a bidding war for a particular experience.