This Is How You Can Pool/Combine Marriott Bonvoy Points

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With top-tier Marriott properties now costing up to 100,000 points per night, it’s a good idea to be able to accumulate Marriott Bonvoy points from as many sources as possible, and it’s an even better idea to know how to pool those points into a single account from where they can be used most effectively.

Although Marriott Bonvoy doesn’t offer the option of a household account, there is a simple method that Bonvoy members can use to pool their points from multiple accounts. Knowing how to do this can be the key to maximizing the value out of any points that a family or group of friends has banked, and the key to making the most of any great points sales that come along.

Why Pooling Points Can Be Useful

Firstly, when a number of individual Marriott Bonvoy accounts all have balances that are too low to be used for a worthwhile redemption, it’s useful to be able to pull all those points into one account to give a family (for example) enough points for a nice multi-night booking.

Secondly, one of the better features of the Marriott Bonvoy program is that all members are given the 5th night free on award bookings so, in an instance where a family’s accounts have enough points between them to book a 4-night stay but there aren’t enough points in a single account for that stay, it’s good to know how to pool those points into one account to make the most of this benefit.

Thirdly, from time to time Marriott Bonvoy will run a points sale (it only started doing this in 2019) but the cap that it often puts in place on the number of points that a single account can buy is usually very limiting (it can be as low as 50,000 points). If, however, multiple Bonvoy accounts take part in one of these sales and then those accounts pool those points together, any great sales can suddenly become a lot more useful.

Pooling Marriott Bonvoy Points

While it’s not possible to create a household account from multiple Marriott Bonvoy accounts it is possible to transfer points between accounts without incurring a fee. However, before you rush to do exactly that, there are a few things that you need to know first.

The full terms of the Marriott Bonvoy program can be found by following this link but the main section you need to know about is section 2.8 – Transfering Points From One Account To Another.

Here are the important terms:

  • A Member can transfer up to a maximum of 100,000 Points per calendar year to another Membership Account as long as both accounts are in good standing and have each been open for at least thirty (30) days with qualifying activity, ninety (90) days without qualifying activity.
  • A new Member may receive a Points Transfer thirty (30) days after enrollment if the Account reflects activity including a Qualifying Stay or other qualifying activity as described in Section 1.6.d. After ninety (90) days from enrollment, a new Member is eligible to receive a Points Transfer regardless of their account activity.
  • A Member can receive up to a maximum of 500,000 Points per calendar year from other Membership Accounts as long as the Accounts are in good standing and have each been open for at least thirty (30) days with qualifying activity, ninety (90) days without qualifying activity.

Any transfer of points has to be initiated by the person whose points are being transferred and that person has to contact customer support to get the transfer enacted.

In the US the phone number you’ll need is +1-800-627-7468 (or you can call the number at the back of your Marriott Bonvoy Elite card). The phone numbers for Marriott support in other locations can be found by following this link.

Transfers are often instantaneous but I’ve also had them take around 48 hours – your mileage may vary.

Preparing For The Future

You may not have any need to transfer Marriott Bonvoy Points right now, but now is the time to put things in place for the future if you’re not already in a position to maximize the transfers Marriott allows you to make.

The key is to have 6 accounts under your control so, without any delay, you should make sure that all the people in your household (and your very close friends) who can legally have a Marriott Bonvoy account are signed up to the program (link to Marriott Bonvoy). The sooner you get these accounts live, the sooner the clock starts running on the 90 days you have to wait before an account with no activity can transfer points.

With Marriott allowing Bonvoy members to buy a maximum of just 100,000 points per calendar year (excluding bonuses), being ready to pool points when a good sale comes along can be key to making the most of any great deals (100,000 points won’t always get you very far in the Bonvoy program).

Bottom Line

Marriott Bonvoy doesn’t offer household accounts but members can still transfer up to 500,000 Marriott Bonvoy points into a single Bonvoy account during a calendar year as long as the transfering accounts have been open for at least 30 days (if they’ve had activity) or 90 days if they have yet to show any activity. Transfering points is simple to do (it just takes a phone call) but you’d be amazed at how many people are unaware that this option is open to them.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Hi, So can the account you have just opened for a spouse etc transfer to another (long-standing) account or can they only receive points from the long-standing account?

    • Hi, after 90 days the new accounts can do whatever they like (only 30 days if they’ve had some activity passing through them)

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