Key Points

• Marriott sells points at $12.50 per 1,000 points, but frequent promotions offer 20-50% bonuses that improve the value.
• Buying points only makes sense when redeeming for high-value stays where points are worth 0.8+ cents each.
• Most travelers get better value earning points through credit cards than purchasing them directly.

Introduction

Marriott Bonvoy lets you buy up to 100,000 points per calendar year, and they run promotions almost constantly offering bonus points on purchases. But here's the question that matters: should you actually buy them?

I'll be honest—buying points rarely makes financial sense for most people. But there are specific situations where purchasing points can unlock incredible value, especially when you're just short of a redemption or when promotions align with high-value bookings.

Let me show you exactly when buying Marriott points works in your favor, when it doesn't, and how to calculate whether a purchase makes sense for your specific situation. If you're new to the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, start there to understand the full program before considering point purchases.

How Much Does It Cost to Buy Marriott Bonvoy Points?

Marriott's base pricing is straightforward but not particularly attractive:

Base Cost: $12.50 per 1,000 points (1.25 cents per point)

Purchase Limits:

• 100,000 points per calendar year per account
• Minimum purchase: 1,000 points
• Points post within 24 hours

The Math: At base pricing, 50,000 points costs $625. For reference, that same $625 could get you a decent hotel room for 3-4 nights in many markets.

Here's why this matters: if you're paying 1.25 cents per point, you need to redeem those points for at least 1.25 cents each just to break even. Anything less and you'd be better off paying cash.

When Marriott Runs Buy Points Promotions

This is where things get more interesting. Marriott typically runs buy points promotions 6-8 times per year, usually offering:

Common Promotion Structures:

• 20% bonus points (effective cost: 1.04 cents per point)
• 30% bonus points (effective cost: 0.96 cents per point)
• 40% bonus points (effective cost: 0.89 cents per point)
• 50% bonus points (effective cost: 0.83 cents per point)

When Promotions Typically Run:

• January (after holiday travel)
• March-April (spring travel planning)
• July-August (fall trip planning)
• October-November (holiday season prep)

The 50% bonus promotions are relatively rare but do appear 1-2 times per year. These are the ones worth watching if you're considering a purchase.

Calculating Whether Buying Points Makes Sense

Before you buy any points, you need to do this simple calculation:

Step 1: Find Your Cash RateCheck the cash price for your intended hotel stay.

Step 2: Find Your Points RateCheck how many points the same stay costs.

Step 3: Calculate Point ValueCash Rate ÷ Points Required = Value per point

Step 4: Compare to Purchase CostIf value per point > cost per point = Good dealIf value per point < cost per point = Bad deal

Real Example

Let's say you want to book the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort for 5 nights:

Cash Rate: $3,500 per night = $17,500 totalPoints Rate: 85,000 points per night = 425,000 points total

Point Value: $17,500 ÷ 425,000 = 4.1 cents per point

Buy Points Cost (with 50% bonus):

• Need: 425,000 points
• With 50% bonus, purchase: 283,334 points
• Cost: $3,541.68

Analysis: You'd save $13,958.32 by using points you purchased for $3,541.68. This is an exceptional deal because the point value (4.1 cents) is nearly 5x higher than your purchase cost (0.83 cents with bonus).

When the Math Doesn't Work

Same approach for a Courtyard by Marriott in Chicago:

Cash Rate: $150 per nightPoints Rate: 25,000 points per night

Point Value: $150 ÷ 25,000 = 0.6 cents per point

Buy Points Cost (with 50% bonus):

• Need: 25,000 points
• With 50% bonus, purchase: 16,667 points
• Cost: $208.34

Analysis: You'd pay $58.34 MORE by buying points than just paying cash. This is a terrible deal.

The Best Ways to Earn Marriott Points (Instead of Buying)

Before you buy points, consider these alternatives that usually offer better value:

Credit Card Welcome Bonuses

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card

• Welcome bonus: Up to 185,000 points
• Annual fee: $650
• Effective cost: 0.35 cents per point
• 5.3x better value than buying points

Apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant to earn these points through the welcome bonus instead of purchasing them.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless

• Welcome bonus: Up to 100,000 points
• Annual fee: $95
• Effective cost: 0.095 cents per point
• 13x better value than buying points

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card is one of the most cost-effective ways to earn a large chunk of Marriott points quickly.

Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express

• Welcome bonus: Up to 150,000 points
• Annual fee: $125
• Effective cost: 0.083 cents per point
• 15x better value than buying points

For business owners, the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex delivers exceptional value with its welcome bonus and ongoing earning rates.

Credit Card Spending

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant earns 6x points per dollar at Marriott properties. Spending $10,000 at Marriott gets you 60,000 points—the equivalent of buying them for 16.7 cents per point.

Reality Check: Unless you're maxed out on credit card bonuses and already meet minimum spend requirements, buying points is almost never your best option. Check out our guide to the best Marriott credit cards to see all your earning options.

When Buying Marriott Points Actually Makes Sense

Despite the math usually favoring earning over buying, there are four specific situations where purchasing points works:

1. You're Just Short of a Redemption

You have 220,000 points and need 250,000 for a dream property. The property costs $2,000 per night in cash.

Buy: 30,000 points for $375 (base rate)Save: $2,000 - $375 = $1,625

This works because you're using the purchased points to unlock a high-value redemption you couldn't access otherwise.

2. Peak Season Luxury Properties

High-end Marriott properties during peak season often deliver 2-4 cents per point value, especially:

• St. Regis properties in the Maldives, Bora Bora, or Aspen
• The Ritz-Carlton in popular European cities
• JW Marriott properties in premium ski destinations
• Luxury Collection properties in exclusive locations

These properties frequently cost $800+ per night in cash but only 70,000-100,000 points.

3. Fifth Night Free on Award Stays

Marriott gives you the fifth night free when booking with points. This effectively increases your point value by 20% on 5+ night stays.

Example:

• 5 nights at a Category 7 property
• Cash: $500/night × 5 = $2,500
• Points: 70,000 × 4 = 280,000 points (fifth night free)
• Point value: $2,500 ÷ 280,000 = 0.89 cents per point

If there's a 50% bonus promotion (0.83 cents per point cost), you'd come out slightly ahead.

4. Suite Night Awards and Upgrades

If you have Marriott elite status, points-based stays earn elite benefits including Suite Night Awards. Some travelers find value in buying points specifically to book stays that earn these upgrades for future trips.

Note: This is a very niche strategy that only works if you have specific high-value redemptions planned for those Suite Night Awards. Learn more about Marriott elite status benefits to understand if this strategy makes sense for you.

When You Should Never Buy Marriott Points

Skip buying points in these situations:

1. Standard Properties in Off-Peak Season

If you're booking Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, or similar properties, you'll almost never get enough value to justify buying points. These properties rarely exceed 0.6-0.7 cents per point value.

2. When You Can Earn Points Instead

If you haven't maximized credit card welcome bonuses or you can meet minimum spend requirements, earning points is always better than buying. The best Marriott credit card sign-up bonuses currently available deliver far superior value per dollar spent.

3. Short Stays Without Fifth Night Free

For 1-4 night stays, you miss out on the fifth night free benefit, which significantly impacts the value calculation.

4. When Cash Rates Are Reasonable

If a property costs $200-300 per night and requires 50,000-60,000 points, the math rarely works in your favor, even with promotions.

How to Buy Marriott Bonvoy Points

If you've done the math and buying points makes sense for your situation, here's the process:

Step 1: Log into your Marriott Bonvoy account at marriott.com

Step 2: Navigate to "Buy Points" under your account menu

Step 3: Select the number of points you want to purchase (minimum 1,000)

Step 4: Complete payment with a credit card

Step 5: Points post to your account within 24 hours

Pro Tip: Use a credit card that earns bonus points on travel purchases. Some cards code Marriott point purchases as travel, effectively reducing your net cost. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Capital One Venture X earn 3x and 2x points respectively on travel purchases, which can include Marriott point buys.

Tax Considerations When Buying Points

The IRS doesn't consider purchased points as taxable income. However, when you redeem points for stays, you still pay any applicable hotel taxes and resort fees based on the equivalent cash value of the room.

Important: Some properties charge "resort fees" even on award stays. Always check the total out-of-pocket cost before booking with points.

Alternatives to Buying Marriott Points

Before you purchase, consider these strategies:

Transfer Points from Credit Cards

American Express Membership Rewards

• Transfer ratio: 3:1 to Marriott (not ideal)
• Better use: Transfer to airline partners instead

Understanding how to transfer Amex points to various partners helps you maximize value rather than settling for the poor Marriott transfer ratio.

Chase Ultimate Rewards

• No direct transfer to Marriott
• Better strategy: Use Chase points to book Marriott stays through the Chase travel portal at 1.25-1.5 cents per point

Our Chase Ultimate Rewards complete guide shows you better redemption options than transferring to hotel partners.

Use Points + Cash Option

Marriott offers "Points + Cash" bookings where you can combine points and money. This sometimes offers better value than buying points outright.

Book Through Travel Portals

Chase, Amex, and Capital One travel portals often offer competitive rates on Marriott properties. You might get better value booking with flexible points than buying Marriott points. Our guide to maximizing Chase points for travel explains exactly how to compare portal bookings versus award stays.

Marriott Points Purchase Restrictions

Be aware of these limitations:

Purchase Limits:

• 100,000 points per calendar year per account
• Resets January 1st each year
• No way to exceed this limit

Account Requirements:

• Account must be active for at least 30 days
• Account must be in good standing
• Cannot purchase points for someone else's account

Refund Policy:

• Purchased points are non-refundable
• Points never expire as long as you have account activity every 24 months

Common Mistakes When Buying Marriott Points

Avoid these errors:

1. Not Checking Award Availability First

Buying 100,000 points before confirming your desired property has availability is a costly mistake. Always search award availability before purchasing.

2. Ignoring Dynamic Pricing

Marriott uses dynamic pricing for award stays. Points required can vary significantly based on dates. Check multiple date options before buying.

3. Forgetting About Taxes and Fees

Even award stays require payment of taxes and resort fees. Factor these into your cost comparison.

4. Buying During Base Pricing

Never buy points at base rates (1.25 cents per point) unless you have an immediate redemption worth 1.5+ cents per point. Wait for promotions.

5. Not Considering Elite Status Benefits

If you don't have Marriott elite status, you'll miss out on benefits like room upgrades, late checkout, and bonus points on stays. This affects overall value. Understanding the full Marriott Bonvoy elite status benefits helps you calculate true redemption value.

My Recommendation: When to Actually Buy Points

After analyzing hundreds of redemptions, here's my honest advice:

Buy points if ALL of these are true:

1. There's an active 40%+ bonus promotion
2. Your specific redemption delivers 1.2+ cents per point value
3. You've exhausted credit card bonus opportunities
4. You're booking a 5+ night stay (fifth night free)
5. You've confirmed award availability

Don't buy points if ANY of these are true:

1. You haven't gotten recent Marriott credit card bonuses
2. Your redemption is worth less than 1 cent per point
3. You're booking standard category properties
4. Cash rates are reasonable
5. You're hoping to "stockpile" points for someday

The truth is, most travelers get far better value from credit card strategies than buying points. But when the stars align—a great promotion, a high-value redemption, and the fifth night free benefit—buying points can unlock trips that would otherwise cost thousands more.

FAQ

Can I gift purchased Marriott points to someone else?

No, Marriott doesn't allow you to transfer purchased points to another account. However, you can use your points to book a stay for someone else at no additional cost.

Do purchased Marriott points expire?

No, Marriott Bonvoy points don't expire as long as you have account activity (earning or redeeming points) within 24 months.

Can I get a refund on purchased points?

No, all Marriott point purchases are final and non-refundable. This is why you should always confirm award availability before buying points.

How long does it take for purchased points to appear in my account?

Purchased points typically post within 24 hours, though Marriott states it can take up to 7 days during high-volume periods.

Is there a limit to how many points I can buy?

Yes, you can purchase a maximum of 100,000 points per calendar year per account. This limit resets on January 1st.

Do purchased points count toward elite status?

No, purchased points don't count as qualifying points for elite status. Only points earned through stays and credit card spending count toward status.

Conclusion

Buying Marriott Bonvoy points can deliver exceptional value in specific situations—particularly when there's a strong promotional bonus, you're booking luxury properties, and you can take advantage of the fifth night free benefit. The St. Regis Maldives example shows how the right redemption can save you over $13,000.

But here's the reality: for most travelers, most of the time, earning points through credit card bonuses delivers 10-15 times better value than buying points directly. Before you purchase any points, make sure you've maximized welcome bonuses from the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, and Marriott Bonvoy Business cards.

If you've done the math, confirmed award availability, and the numbers work in your favor during a promotional period, buying points can be a smart strategy. Just never buy points hoping to find value later—always have a specific, high-value redemption in mind before clicking purchase.

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