How to buy Marriott points at the best value (4 steps with pictures)

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Marriott is one of MMS readers’ favorite hotel brands — and it’s easy to understand why. With over 7,000 locations around the world, ranging from more budget-friendly options to luxurious destinations, you won’t have issues finding a spot to stay. And it makes sense that Marriott points are so coveted.

So, we’ve outlined the step-by-step process through which you can buy Marriott points. We’ve also given examples to help you decide whether buying Marriott points makes sense, be it during a buy points promotion or not. 

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card is offering 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first three months.

Steps on how to buy Marriott points

Step 1. Navigate to the “Buy Points” page

There are two ways to get to Marriott’s “Buy Points” page. One is directly through this link. And the other is by navigating there through your Marriott Bonvoy account.

If you’re logged in to your Marriott account, go to the account overview page and you’ll see the option to buy points at the bottom right corner of the page.

Click “Buy Now” and you’ll be directed to the “Buy Points” page.

Step 2. Decide how many points you want to purchase

On this page, you’ll need to decide the number of points you’d like to buy using the drop-down menu. If there’s a promotion, you’ll see the offer here. As of publishing there were no Marriott buy points promotions.

For example, Marriott was recently offering a 50% bonus on purchased points. The maximum number of points you can purchase 100,000 points. 

Select the number of points you’d like to buy and move to the next step.

Step 3. Enter your payment information

Once you’ve selected the number of points you’re going to purchase, you’ll be asked to enter your payment information. If you haven’t already logged in to your loyalty account at this point, you’ll be prompted to enter your name, email, and Marriott account number.

Step 4. Complete the transaction

From here, just enter your payment information and click the “Pay Now” button. And that’s it! You’ve made your points purchase.

Any bonus points you’re to receive via a promotion will be deposited into your account along with the number of base points purchased. 

At what value do we recommend buying Marriott points?

According to our points valuations, Marriott points are worth an average of 0.8 cents a piece. So unless you need just a few extra points for a particular stay (and can’t find another way to earn them), it likely only makes sense to buy Marriott points if they’re selling for that price or less than that. 

For example, with the most recent 50% bonus on purchased points promotion, you’d pay $125 for 15,000 points (10,000 points + 5,000 bonus points). That equates to paying just slightly over 0.8 cents per point. At that price, it could certainly make sense to buy points. Especially if you know you’ll get outsized value for them on a particular redemption.

Like with anything in the miles & points hobby, do the math to see what makes sense for your situation. Compare the cash price of the stay to the number of points you’ll need to determine the value you’ll get from your points. If the value you’ll get is greater than the cost of buying them, then purchase away!

Is purchasing points during a promotion a good deal?

It certainly can be. In the past, we’ve seen Marriott offer bonuses as high as 60% on purchased points. The bigger the bonus the less you’ll be paying per point. And that could translate into serious savings if you’re using points to stay somewhere that would be pricey otherwise.

Would purchasing Marriott points with a co-branded credit card earn you double points?

Unfortunately, no. The terms specifically exclude points purchases from earn bonus points with Marriott cards. If you’re looking to make the most of your Marriott points purchase, consider using a card that earns a flat rate bonus on all spending, like with the Chase Freedom Unlimited, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, or The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express.

Best credit cards for earning Marriott points

The fastest way to earn Marriott points is through a welcome bonus on a Marriott credit card. Here’s a look at the details of each Marriott card.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card

The Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is currently offering 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first three months. The card has a $450 annual fee (see rates and fees).

 Be sure to read our Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant review to see the extensive list of worthwhile benefits this premium card offers.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card

The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless comes with three free nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. This is a good option for those looking for a solid welcome bonus but don’t want to pay a hefty annual fee.

Read our review of the Marriott Boundless card for all the details.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card

With the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bold, you can earn a bonus of 60,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

This no annual fee card may be enticing to some. But the other cards’ benefits and perks far outweigh what you’ll get with this particular Marriott card. You can read our Marriott Bonvoy Bold review here.

Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card earn 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. The card has a $125 annual fee (see rates and fees).

Be sure to read our review of the Marriott Bonvoy Business card.

And don’t forget, you can also transfer Chase points and American Express points to Marriott at a 1:1 ratio. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and American Express® Gold Card are both great for earning points. However, you’ll likely get better value from both Amex and Chase points when transferring them to airline transfer partners.

FAQ about buying Marriott points

Where is the best place to buy Marriott points?

There’s only one place where you can buy Marriott points, and that’s through this link. The storefront is also accessible through your Marriott Bonvoy account.

Can Marriott points be purchased as a gift?

Yes. The best way to do so would be to purchase the points and use the other person’s Marriott account number for the purchase. That way the points will be deposited directly into their account, and you don’t have to hassle with transferring the points from your account to theirs (which also comes with added restrictions).

Should you buy Marriott points to benefit from the 5th-night free perk?

If your plans allow it, taking advantage of Marriott’s 5th night free benefit is a no brainer. With it, you’ll get the 5th night free any your stay, whether it’s a paid or award stay. This effectively reduces the cost of your stay or increases the value you’ll get from using your Marriott points.

For example, say that you’re looking to book a Category 7 Marriott hotel for five nights. The rooms cost 60,000 points per night (standard rate) so five nights would, in theory, cost 300,000 points. But with the 5th-night free perk, five nights actually costs 240,000 (4 nights X 60,000 points). So you use that number when calculating the value you’ll get per point for your stay, or whether it makes sense to buy points for your stay.

Do Marriott points expire?

Yes, Marriott points expire if your account has been inactive for 24 months (no earning or redeeming points). But don’t worry, there are plenty of easy ways to make sure this doesn’t happen. Check out these 10 ways to keep your Marriott points from expiring. 

Bottom line

The process of buying Marriot points is easy in and of itself. What becomes a little trickier is determining when buying points makes sense. It all comes down to the numbers. So do the math to see if buying points will help you save cash when compared to the nightly cash cost of the room you’re looking to book.

Otherwise, don’t forget about the best Marriott credit cards. Earning just a single welcome bonus could be enough for multiple free nights! Right now, the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is offering 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first three months.

For rates and fees of the Amex Marriott Brilliant card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Amex Marriott Business card, click here.