Marriott Bonvoy is the lodge loyalty program of selection for a lot of Canadians, each for lodge bookings and for its flexibility to switch to an enormous number of airline companions.

Marriott Bonvoy has now prolonged its newest promotion for anybody seeking to enhance their factors stability in preparation for spring journey and past. Whereas it was beforehand set to run out on April 3, it has now been prolonged by way of to April 13, 2023.

Purchase Marriott Bonvoy Factors with a 40% Bonus

Marriott Bonvoy is providing a bonus on factors purchases till April 13, 2023. Relatively than their traditional tiered bonuses, it seems that the usual supply throughout the board is for a 40% bonus once you purchase at the very least 2,000 factors.

This isn’t among the best presents we’ve seen within the latest previous, however it will probably nonetheless make sense in some particular conditions.

Usually, Marriott costs 1.25 cents per level (USD) to purchase immediately from this system. With a 40% bonus, the speed improves to 0.89 cents per level (USD).

Shopping for Bonvoy factors at this price is above our present valuation of 0.6 cents per Bonvoy level (USD).

We’ve seen Marriott go as excessive as a 60% bonus on these promotions earlier than, however we don’t know if/when that bonus may return. So, if you could purchase factors, you’ll avoid wasting money with this promotion, however you could be higher off ready till one thing higher comes alongside.

What number of Marriott Bonvoy factors can you purchase?

Since 2021, Marriott Bonvoy has imposed a restrict of 100,000 factors bought per calendar yr, up from 50,000 beforehand.

This restrict consists of factors bought for your self, plus factors you obtain that have been bought and gifted by others. Beforehand bought factors do depend in the direction of the restrict.

When you max out this promotion, it’ll value $1,250 (USD) for 140,000 Bonvoy factors. 

Which bank card do you have to use to purchase Marriott Bonvoy factors?

Marriott sells factors by way of an exterior vendor, Factors.com. They don’t depend as a journey buy, and there’s no further profit to utilizing a co-branded Amex Marriott Bonvoy card issued in Canada or the US.

As a substitute, I’d recommend any card with a excessive base earn price, or one the place you’re engaged on assembly the minimal spend requirement.

As a result of the acquisition is charged in USD, you may think about using a Canadian-issued card with no overseas trade charges, or any US bank card.

Who Ought to Purchase Marriott Bonvoy Factors?

Shopping for factors could be a good strategy to top-up your account in case you’re eager to make a redemption quickly.

Reserving a Excessive-Worth Aspirational Resort

The Marriott Bonvoy portfolio accommodates a number of the most distinctive lodge manufacturers on this planet, together with Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and EDITION, amongst others.

With sky-high money costs, reserving on factors can deliver these experiences inside attain, despite the demise of the Marriott Bonvoy award chart.

One of the best of the very best go for 80,000–150,000+ factors per evening. Examine that to the money worth on the Luxurious Assortment’s Al Maha Desert Resort Dubai, which might simply exceed $1,600 (CAD) per evening!

At a money worth of $1,250 (USD) for 140,000 factors (with the present 40% bonus), which might be greater than sufficient for an evening at Al Maha on many dates, it undoubtedly is smart to purchase factors as a substitute of pay money if a luxurious reserving is in your radar.

Or if the desert isn’t your model, you can take pleasure in decadence on the JW Marriott Maldives. Even with “comparatively” extra affordable costs beneath $1,000 (CAD) per evening, a factors reserving continues to be the way in which to go.

After all, you’ll wish to make sure you’ve lined up the award availability on the lodge earlier than pulling the set off on a factors buy, particularly in case you’re making an attempt to maximise the fifth-night-free profit.

Fast Prime-Up for Any Upcoming Redemption

For travellers with extra humble style, the highest finish of the Marriott Bonvoy chart isn’t the one place to seek out good worth.

On the finish of the day, so long as the worth of your redemption is above the acquisition value of 0.89 cents per level (USD), you’ll come out forward on any reserving.

For instance, on the decrease finish, the Courtyard Phnom Penh presents higher worth on factors that with money. Yow will discover dates beneath 10,000 factors per evening on the PointSavers price. Towards a nightly money worth of $118, an 8,000-point reserving is a worth of 1.5 cents per level (CAD).

Nonetheless, in comparison with aspirational properties, the worth proposition in shopping for Bonvoy factors for lower-end redemptions is much less clear-cut. It’s closely depending on discovering a discrepancy between the money worth and the factors worth, and that may usually be arduous to foretell.

Due to this fact, since Bonvoy factors are quite simple to earn anyway, I’d advocate exhausting the cheaper sources first earlier than shopping for factors outright.

Switch to Unique Airline Companions

Marriott Bonvoy has 38 airline companions. For many packages, Bonvoy factors may be transferred to airline miles at a price of three:1, with a 5,000-mile bonus for transferring in increments of 60,000 Bonvoy factors for many airways.

By shopping for Bonvoy factors at 0.89 cent per level (USD) and transferring to frequent flyer packages, you’re successfully buying airline miles for 2.14 cents per mile (USD).

That is definitely fairly costly, however the true profit is having access to unique airways.

For instance, Singapore Airways doesn’t make First Class award area bookable for companion packages like Aeroplan. Often, you’ll be able to solely e book Singapore Suites with their very own KrisFlyer loyalty program.

And with few switch companions in Canada (HSBC Rewards is the one different one), Marriott Bonvoy can present a uncommon gateway to pattern this luxury expertise.

Different area of interest switch companions embrace Alaska Airways Mileage Plan for its distinctive partner-based candy spots, ANA Mileage Membership for its beneficiant round-the-world award ticket, Korean Air SKYPASS for Korean Air First Class, or every other airline loyalty program with a weaker footprint within the bank card business.

Multi-Participant Mode: Pool Factors Among the many Household

One in all Marriott Bonvoy’s best strengths lies within the potential to switch factors freely between accounts. Every member might ship as much as 100,000 factors per calendar yr, and obtain as much as 500,000 factors per calendar yr.

If in case you have Marriott Bonvoy Elite standing on the first account in your family, it’s preferrred to pool your factors within the elite member’s account to make bookings, particularly for high-end properties the place the perks of lodge standing actually shine.

When you’ve hit your factors buy cap in your important account, you should buy extra factors on one other account to benefit from any remaining switch room. Be aware that members have to be enrolled for 30 days and have some exercise on their account earlier than they’re eligible to buy factors.

Different Methods to Earn Marriott Bonvoy Factors

Marriott Bonvoy moved to dynamic pricing in 2022, so it may be a dangerous proposition to commit cash to their loyalty program in case you aren’t imminently planning a reserving.

In March 2023, this system raised the ceiling for award bookings, which is the most recent step in its transfer in the direction of dynamic pricing. Whereas this most negatively impacts ultra-high-end lodges, it seems that different properties have seen a rise, too.

When you aren’t in a rush to accumulate Bonvoy factors however want to slowly construct your stability for an even bigger redemption down the highway, I’d advocate taking a look at bank card alternatives first.

Canadian Credit score Playing cards by American Specific

American Specific points two co-branded Marriott Bonvoy playing cards in Canada:

At 0.21–0.27 cents per level (CAD), the annual charges on each playing cards characterize extraordinarily beneficial acquisition prices in comparison with as we speak’s valuation of 0.8 cents per level (CAD).

American Specific Membership Rewards will also be transferred to Marriott Bonvoy at a price of 1:1.2. All MR-earning playing cards good choices; nevertheless, the next present the very best return on annual charges:

• American Specific Gold Rewards Card: Earn as much as 70,000 MR factors within the first yr, with a web annual charge of $150 (CAD).
  • Transformed to Marriott Bonvoy, this turns into 78,400 Bonvoy factors.
• American Specific Enterprise Gold Rewards Card: Earn as much as 115,000 MR factors within the first yr, with an annual charge of $199 (CAD).
  • Transformed to Marriott Bonvoy, this turns into 138,000 Bonvoy factors.
• American Specific Enterprise Edge Card: Earn as much as 77,000 MR factors within the first yr, with an annual charge of $99 (CAD).
  • Transformed to Marriott Bonvoy, this turns into 92,400 Bonvoy factors.
• Selection Card by American Specific: Earn 10,000 MR factors upon spending $1,000 (CAD) within the first three months, with no annual charge.
  • Transformed to Marriott Bonvoy, this turns into 12,000 Bonvoy factors.

After transferring factors to Bonvoy, the annual charges characterize acquisition prices under 0.2 cents per level (CAD). Certainly, all the above playing cards supply good worth for the Marriott Bonvoy program.

US Credit score Playing cards by American Specific & Chase

South of the border, American Specific points two co-branded Marriott Bonvoy playing cards:

• American Specific US Marriott Bonvoy Sensible Card: Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors upon spending $5,000 (USD) within the first three months, with an annual charge of $650 (USD) (offset by a $300 (USD) whole annual eating credit score).
• American Specific US Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card: Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors upon spending $4,000 (USD) within the first three months, with an annual charge of $250 (USD).
• American Specific US Marriott Bonvoy Enterprise Card: Earn 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors upon spending $3,000 (USD) within the first three months, with an annual charge of $125 (USD).

As well as, Chase has additionally partnered with the lodge chain, providing two co-branded private playing cards on the Visa community:

• Chase Marriott Bonvoy Daring Card: Earn 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors upon spending $2,000 (USD) within the first three months, with no annual charge.
• Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card: Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors upon spending $3,000 (USD) throughout the first three months, with an annual charge of $95 (USD).
• Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Card: Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors upon spending $4,000 within the first three months, with an annual charge of $250 (USD)

All the above playing cards are fairly compelling when you take into account the annual Free Night time Awards you earn.

Additionally, understand that in case you’ve acquired the welcome bonus on an Amex US Marriott Bonvoy card throughout the final 24 months, you’re not eligible for the Chase presents, and vice versa.

So although there are a lot of methods to earn Bonvoy factors from US bank cards, you’ll have to decide on only one that fits you finest within the quick time period.

Earlier Promotions

As you resolve whether or not this promotion is an efficient alternative so that you can meet your journey objectives, right here’s a glance again at Marriott Bonvoy’s previous bonuses on buying factors:

Conclusion

With so many different methods to gather Marriott Bonvoy factors, I wouldn’t rush to speculatively purchase factors at 0.89 cents per level (USD).

But when you could push your stability over the hump for a dream redemption that has gotten dearer with dynamic pricing, this promotion might help you make it occur.

Consider loading up with a 40% bonus – money charges at top-tier properties are astronomical, and factors bookings are solely getting additional out of attain as properly, so don’t let the chance go you by. 

Ensure to buy Marriott Bonvoy factors earlier than April 13, 2023 to benefit from this supply in case you’re .