{"id":187924,"date":"2025-08-19T19:00:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T19:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/19\/why-im-transferring-my-marriott-bonvoy-points-to-airline-miles-for-the-first-time-the-points-guy\/"},"modified":"2025-08-19T19:00:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T19:00:13","slug":"why-im-transferring-my-marriott-bonvoy-points-to-airline-miles-for-the-first-time-the-points-guy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/19\/why-im-transferring-my-marriott-bonvoy-points-to-airline-miles-for-the-first-time-the-points-guy\/","title":{"rendered":"Why I\u2019m transferring my Marriott Bonvoy points to airline miles for the first time – The Points Guy"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Did you know you can transfer certain hotel loyalty rewards to 40-plus frequent flyer programs<\/a>?<\/p>\n

I believe that flexibility is king when it comes to hotel rewards, which is why I’ve historically kept a modest stash of Marriott Bonvoy<\/a> points to redeem free nights rather than transferring these hotel points to partner airline programs. Yet, as I stare at my balance of just 30,000 Bonvoy points, which is barely enough for a single off\u2011peak night at many select brands, I have decided I’m changing my strategy.<\/p>\n

Let me explain why I’m finally converting those points to American Airlines AAdvantage<\/a> miles and how you might decide whether the math works for you, too.<\/p>\n

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Why Marriott Bonvoy points don’t stretch as far as they used to<\/h2>\n
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KATIE GENTER\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dynamic award pricing and higher redemption costs<\/a> mean that 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points typically won’t unlock aspirational stays anymore. In test searches for stays this summer, I saw mid\u2011tier Fairfield and Courtyard properties in North America consistently pricing between 28,000 and 42,000 points per night \u2014 hardly a rewarding deal when cash rates hover around $150.<\/p>\n

I’ve had these Bonvoy points for well over a year now (about the same time as my last Marriott stay), and I’m conscious that these points will expire<\/a> if I don’t have any qualifying activity in my account after 24 months, so I need to do something with them.<\/p>\n

My 30,000 Bonvoy point balance appears stranded. It seems too big to ignore and too small to book anything luxurious or save real cash.<\/p>\n

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Related: Expiring rewards in 2025? A list of loyalty programs and their rewards expiration policies<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Why an airline transfer looks smarter right now<\/h2>\n

For several reasons<\/a>, I value American Airlines AAdvantage miles higher than Delta SkyMiles<\/a> or United MileagePlus<\/a> miles, so of all the airline partners to transfer my Marriott Bonvoy points to, AAdvantage is my top pick.<\/p>\n

One reason is that these miles have traditionally been harder to earn through transferable credit card programs<\/a>, though this has recently changed thanks to Citi ThankYou Rewards adding American Airlines AAdvantage as a transfer partner<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Not to mention, I recently earned a 60,000-mile AAdvantage welcome bonus (no longer available) on the AAdvantage\u00ae Aviator\u00ae Red World Elite Mastercard\u00ae<\/a>.<\/p>\n

With that bonus in mind, transferring 30,000 Bonvoy points to AAdvantage at the standard 3:1 ratio will net me an additional 10,000 AAdvantage miles, nudging my balance to 70,000 miles. These miles could help me unlock several redemption sweet spots<\/a>, including Qatar Airways Qsuite<\/a> from North America to the Middle East, the Maldives and Southeast Asia, which I believe is possibly the single best way to redeem AAdvantage miles and save thousands of dollars.<\/p>\n

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\"AAdvantage<\/div>
AMERICAN AIRLINES<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The information for the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Is this a good deal?<\/h2>\n
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\"Qatar<\/div>
QATAR AIRWAYS\/FACEBOOK<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

TPG values Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7\u202fcents each in our August 2025 valuations<\/a> (so 30,000 points are worth $210). On the airline side, we currently value AAdvantage miles at 1.55 cents each, making 10,000 miles worth roughly $155. That looks like a poor deal, but here’s why I think it’s sensible:<\/p>\n