Can You Transfer 110,000 Marriott Points to Southwest to Earn the Companion Pass?

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Update:   One or more card offers in this post are no longer available.  Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.  Update:   After March 31, 2017, transferring hotel points to Southwest no longer counts towards the Companion Pass.  But here’s how to earn Companion Pass points when booking paid nights at hotels.

Million Mile Secrets reader, Heather, commented:

My Southwest Companion Pass expires in December 2016.  You mentioned you can transfer Marriott points to Southwest for no fee and use them to get the Companion Pass.  If I have 110,000 Marriott points, could I save them until January 2017 and transfer to Southwest to get the Companion Pass again?

Thanks for the question, Heather!

You CAN transfer Marriott points to Southwest, which count toward the Southwest Companion Pass.

I consider it the top deal in domestic travel.  So I can see why Heather is trying to get it again!

I’ll explain how you can use Marriott points to earn the Companion Pass!

About Marriott Hotel + Air Packages

Link:   Earn the Southwest Companion Pass With Marriott Hotel + Air Packages 

Link:   Marriott Hotel + Air Packages

Heather could transfer Marriott points directly to Southwest to earn the Companion Pass.  But the transfer ratio isn’t good.  Unfortunately, it’s NOT a 1:1 ratio!  You’d need to transfer 290,000 Marriott points to get the 110,000 Southwest points needed for the Companion Pass.

Instead, I recommend redeeming Marriott points for a Southwest Hotel + Air package.  You’ll need to redeem a minimum of 235,000 Marriott points to get enough Southwest points to earn the Companion Pass.  And you’ll get to enjoy a longer stay at a Marriott hotel!

5-Night Hotel + Air Packages

I’ve written about Marriott’s 5-night Hotel + Air Packages and 7-night Hotel + Air Packages.

The 5-night packages are not advertised on Marriott’s website and have typically been reserved for Marriott Vacation Club owners.

To book, call Marriott reservations at 888-236-2427.  And ask specifically for a 5-night package.  I haven’t tried it myself, but some folks with Marriott elite status have had success booking 5-night packages.

Here’s how much they cost:

Marriott Hotel Category	5 Nights + 50,000 Miles or Points	5 Nights + 70,000 Miles or Points	5 Nights + 100,000 Miles or Points	5 Nights + 120,000 Miles or Points
Category 1 to 5	165,000 Marriott Points	185,000 Marriott Points	215,000 Marriott Points	235,000 Marriott Points
Category 6	180,000 Marriott Points	200,000 Marriott Points	230,000 Marriott Points	250,000 Marriott Points
Category 7	200,000 Marriott Points	220,000 Marriott Points	250,000 Marriott Points	270,000 Marriott Points
Category 8	230,000 Marriott Points	250,000 Marriott Points	280,000 Marriott Points	300,000 Marriott Points
Category 9	275,000 Marriott Points	295,000 Marriott Points	325,000 Marriott Points	345,000 Marriott Points

The benefit of booking a 5-night package is you’ll pay fewer points.

For example, you can pay 235,000 Marriott points for a 5-night stay at a Category 1 to 5 Marriott hotel.  And, you’ll get 120,000 Southwest points, which is more than enough to earn the Companion Pass.

7-Night Hotel + Air Packages

If you’re not able to book a 5-night package, you could use more points for a 7-night Hotel + Air Package.

You can pay 250,000 Marriott points for a 7-night stay at a Category 1 to 5 Marriott hotel, like the Category 5 Fairfield Inn & Suites San Diego Carlsbad.

With this package, you’ll get 100,000 Southwest points that count toward the Companion Pass.  And there are many ways to earn the extra 10,000 points needed to get the Companion Pass.

Remember, you don’t have to book a hotel stay right away!  Marriott will send you a certificate for a 5 or 7-night stay (valid for 1 year from the date of issue).  Plus the Southwest points, which you can use for any Southwest flight.

You’ll usually get the airline points within a few days of booking the package.

Want More Marriott Points?

Link:   Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card

Link:   Marriott Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

If you’re short on Marriott points for a Hotel + Air package, remember a friend or family member can send you Marriott points to help you get enough.

Or consider one of the offers on the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier personal and small business cards.

With the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier personal card, you’ll earn 80,000 Marriott points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the 1st 3 months of account opening.

And earn an extra 7,500 Marriott points when you add an authorized user who makes a purchase in the 1st 3 months of account opening.  The $85 annual fee is NOT waived the 1st year.

With the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier small business card, you can earn 80,000 Marriott points when you spend $3,000 on purchases within the 1st 3 months of opening your account.  The $99 annual fee is NOT waived the 1st year.

There are many ways to qualify for a small business card.  As long as you’re looking to earn a profit with your small business, it’s worth applying.

Just remember, Chase now has stricter approval rules.  So if you’ve opened ~5 or more credit cards from any bank (excluding certain business cards) in the past 24 months, it’s unlikely you’ll be approved for most Chase cards.

Or Have It Both Ways!

Link:   Chase Southwest Premier (Personal)   

Link:   Chase Southwest Premier (Small Business)

Link:   Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

If you don’t have enough Marriott points to book a Hotel + Air package to get the 110,000 Southwest Points, consider getting a Southwest credit card to make up the difference.

For example, you can pay 200,000 Marriott points for a 7-night stay at a Category 1 to 5 Marriott hotel.  You’ll get 50,000 Southwest points that DO count toward the Companion Pass.

Then, get 1 of the 3 Chase Southwest cards, which are all offering 50,000 point sign-up bonuses after meeting minimum spending requirements.

With the minimum spending and sign-up offer from the Southwest card, you’ll need just 8,000 Southwest points to earn the Companion Pass.

Bottom Line

You can redeem Marriott points for a Hotel + Air Package to earn the Southwest Companion Pass.  You’ll get a 5 or 7-night stay at a Marriott Category 1 through 5 hotel.  Plus Southwest points that you can use for any Southwest flight.

If you want more Marriott points, you can apply for the  Chase Marriott Rewards Premier personal or small business card.  Both offer 80,000 Marriott points after meeting minimum spending requirements.

Or you can combine less expensive Hotel + Air packages with a 50,000 Southwest point sign-up bonus from 1 of the 3 Southwest credit cards.

Have you used Marriott points to earn a Companion Pass?