Tutorial: How do I transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to Aeroplan and other airline partners?

You can transfer your Marriott Bonvoy^® points to the loyalty programs of 38 partner airlines. The standard ratio is 3 points to 1 mile, and a bonus is added for every 60,000 points. This tutorial walks through the steps, then works out whether the transfer is worth it in your case.

For most partners, the conversion ratio is:

On top of that, for every 60,000 points transferred, you receive a bonus of 5,000 miles (exceptions apply, details further down):

Aeroplan is the leading airline loyalty program in Canada, so we use it as our example. The process is the same for other programs such as Flying Blue or British Airways. To compare every way of earning these points, see our page on the best credit cards.

Transferring Marriott Bonvoy points into airline miles

To transfer your Marriott Bonvoy points into Aeroplan points, first log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account, then head to this page:

You will then be able to:

You can transfer a minimum of 3,000 points and a maximum of 240,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per day. Your first name and last name must also match exactly between the two accounts. Otherwise, Marriott blocks the transaction.

Note that at this stage, the 5,000 bonus miles per 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points are not displayed. You will find them directly in your Aeroplan account after the transfer.

All that is left is to confirm the transaction. For Aeroplan, the transfer takes between 2 and 5 days. The first one is usually slower, and the ones after that go through within 48 hours.

Should you transfer your Bonvoy points?

In most cases, no. Airline transfers remain a secondary use of the program, and the maths shows it quickly.

With the bonus, 60,000 points become 25,000 miles. The real ratio is therefore 2.4 points to 1 mile, not 3 to 1. And according to our valuation of Marriott Bonvoy^® points, a point is worth 0.9¢ when you book a hotel night. Those 60,000 points are therefore worth $540.

In other words, the mile you receive has to be worth more than 2.16¢ for the operation to pay off. Few programs clear that bar consistently. Aeroplan, which we value at 2¢, lands just below it: 25,000 Aeroplan points represent $500, against $540 kept as hotel points.

The threshold does change from one partner to the next. The table below sums up the three scenarios.

When the transfer is worth it

Three situations still justify converting your points. In these specific cases, the value you get far exceeds that of a hotel night.

Reaching hard-to-access programs

Some airline programs stay out of reach for Canadians. No credit card issued in the country transfers directly to them.

Marriott Bonvoy fills that gap. For example, American Airlines AAdvantage and Atmos Rewards, the program born from the merger of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, become reachable with a simple hotel points balance. Both programs open up award flights you could not otherwise book from Canada.

At that point, the ratio is no longer the question. The question becomes: what is a ticket worth when you cannot get it anywhere else?

Topping up a miles balance

Short 4,000 miles for a business class ticket? The break-even calculation no longer really applies.

Unused miles are worth nothing while they sit in your account. Topping up a balance unlocks a whole ticket, which often justifies a poor ratio on the small portion transferred. Just check award availability before starting the transfer.

The United MileagePlus case

United MileagePlus enjoys a privileged partnership with Marriott. The result: the bonus doubles and reaches 10,000 miles per 60,000 points.

The real ratio then drops to 2 points per mile. That is the best conversion rate in the program, by a wide margin. United is also a Star Alliance member, like Air Canada. So you can book Air Canada flights with those miles.

Mistakes to avoid before transferring

Transfers are irreversible. These four mistakes are costly, and every one of them can be avoided before you click.

Marriott Bonvoy transfer partner list

Here is the list of every Marriott Bonvoy airline partner loyalty program. For each program, we have shown:

Key takeaways

Transferring to an airline partner remains a targeted move, not a habit. Keep the 2.16¢ per mile threshold in mind: below that bar, your points are worth more as hotel nights.

Three exceptions change the picture. First, United doubles the bonus and lowers the threshold to 1.80¢. Second, programs such as Atmos Rewards or AAdvantage have no other Canadian entry point. Third, topping up a balance unlocks a whole ticket for a few thousand points.

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Frequently asked questions

Here are questions frequently asked in the milesopedia community about transferring Marriott Bonvoy^® points to airlines.