Transfer Bonus: 30% more Marriott Bonvoy points with your American Express Membership Rewards points

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Audrey Voisine
Audrey Voisine Audrey Voisine
Audrey, co-founder of Milesopedia, is a dedicated entrepreneur, avid traveler, and mother of two children. She shares valuable tips and recommendations for families and frequent travellers alike, helping everyone get the most from points and rewards programs. As Executive Vice President of Marketing and Communications, she is committed to guiding Milesopedia readers toward more accessible, practical, and memorable journeys.
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Transfer Bonus: 30% more Marriott Bonvoy points with your American Express Membership Rewards points
To the point Get 30% more Marriott Bonvoy points by transferring your American Express Membership Rewards points, thanks to this promotion that happens twice a year.

30% Transfer Bonus Between American Express Membership Rewards Points and Marriott Bonvoy

From August 4 to September 3, 2026, you can get a 30% bonus by transferring your American Express Membership Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy.

Mario, our community moderator, tested this by transferring 1,000 Membership Rewards points from his American Express Cobalt® Card to his Marriott Bonvoy account and successfully received 1,560 Marriott Bonvoy points.

  • 1,200 Marriott Bonvoy points (usual transfer rate 1:1.2)
  • 360 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points (30%)

However, unlike previous editions, the transfer was not instantaneous this time.

Transfer Bonus: 30% more Marriott Bonvoy points with your American Express Membership Rewards points - Screenshot

Usually, 1 Membership Rewards Point = 1.2 Marriott Bonvoy points. But with the promotion, that means 1 Membership Rewards Point = 1.56 Marriott Bonvoy points.

For example, if you transfer 1,000 Membership Rewards points, you’ll receive a total of 1,560 Marriott Bonvoy points (instead of 1,200). Before transferring a large amount of Membership rewards points, do a test transfer of 1,000 Membership Rewards points to make sure the bonus works for you.

For example, the 15,000-point welcome bonus on the American Express Cobalt® Card can be converted into 23,400 Marriott Bonvoy points.

And if you’re a Marriott Bonvoy cardholder: every purchase in a 5 points-per-dollar category (grocery, restaurants, bars, convenience stores) is worth 7.8 Marriott Bonvoy points when you transfer your points during a promotion of this type. This is an excellent value!

That’s why we consider the American Express Cobalt® Card one of the best cards for EARNING points via everyday spending.

Another example: the 60,000-point welcome bonus from the American Express® Gold Rewards Card can be converted into 93,600 Marriott Bonvoy points.

Here, it’s a great way to earn points via the welcome bonus!

We value the Marriott Bonvoy point at 0.9 cents, but it’s possible to get much better value for your points; here are some examples of exceptional stays achieved for few points by the Milesopedia team and Facebook community.

It’s also a great time to apply for a Marriott Bonvoy card

This is an excellent opportunity to apply for an American Express Membership Rewards card if you don’t have one yet. Any welcome bonus earned now benefits from the 30% bonus when transferred to Marriott Bonvoy, as shown in the examples for the Cobalt® Card and the Gold Rewards Card above.

If your goal is specifically hotel stays, the Marriott Bonvoy American Express cards earn 2 to 5 points per dollar spent directly, in addition to offering their own welcome bonus. Combined with this transfer bonus, it’s a great time to quickly build up a balance for free nights.

Transfer or buy points: which should you choose?

Marriott Bonvoy is also currently offering a points purchase promotion, with up to a 40% bonus. However, the two promotions don’t serve the same purpose.

Transferring rewards points doesn’t cost you anything new: you’re boosting points you earn anyway through everyday spending or a welcome bonus. Buying points, on the other hand, requires real money: even at the best 40% tier, the cost comes to just 0.89 US¢ per point, which is essentially our valuation of a Marriott Bonvoy point.

For most readers, transferring is therefore still the best choice. Buying points only becomes worthwhile to top up a specific balance for a stay you’ve already identified—never for speculative accumulation.

Conclusion

This is a very good transfer promotion for Membership Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy to get free hotel nights. It’s the one we always eagerly await!

This transfer promotion generally happens twice a year. Take advantage of it to optimize your points now.

As a reminder, you can transfer your Membership Rewards points from any American Express Membership Rewards credit card such as the American Express Cobalt® Card the American Express® Gold Rewards Card or the American Express Platinum Card® to the Marriott Bonvoy program.

It’s a great way to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points, especially when you’ve already taken advantage of Marriott Bonvoy credit card welcome bonuses:

Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
Jean-Maximilien Voisine
Jean-Maximilien Voisine
Jean-Maximilien Voisine is the President and Founder of Milesopedia and a leading expert in rewards programs, credit cards, and travel across Canada, France, and the U.S.A. Now 40 years old and a father of two, he has explored more than 100 countries—many of them alongside his wife Audrey and their children. Specializing in loyalty programs such as Aeroplan, Flying Blue, American Express Membership Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy, Jean-Maximilien helps travellers unlock the full potential of their points and benefits. His mission: empower others to travel better and smarter across North America and Europe.
All posts by Jean-Maximilien Voisine

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