You can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to another account, but Marriott charges a fee and the recipient must be a member of the program
Marriott Bonvoy allows you to move points from your account to someone else's account through their website or mobile app. The transfer costs $10 plus 2% of the points value you're sending — so moving 10,000 points costs roughly $10 plus about $20 in point value, totaling around $30 out of pocket. The recipient must already have an active Marriott Bonvoy account, and the transfer typically completes within one business day.
You cannot transfer points to a brand-new account that doesn't exist yet. The person receiving the points needs to sign up for Marriott Bonvoy first, which takes a few minutes on their website or through the app. Once they have a membership number, you can initiate the transfer from your own account.
Key Takeaways
- Marriott charges $10 plus 2% of the points value for any transfer, so you lose money on top of the points themselves.
- The recipient must have an active Marriott Bonvoy membership number before you can send points to them.
- You start the transfer from your own account dashboard and enter the recipient's membership number and the number of points to send.
- Transfers complete within one business day, though you should confirm with the recipient that the points arrived in their account.
- Marriott limits how many points you can transfer per transaction and per year, so check your account for current limits before attempting a large transfer.
Step-by-step process to transfer your points
Log into your Marriott Bonvoy account on the website or open the mobile app. Navigate to the "Points" or "Manage Points" section — the exact label varies depending on whether you're on desktop or mobile, but it's usually in the main menu or under your account settings. Look for an option that says "Transfer Points" or "Send Points".
Enter the recipient's Marriott Bonvoy membership number. This is a nine-digit number that appears on their Marriott card, in their account dashboard, or in confirmation emails from Marriott. If they don't know their membership number, they can find it by logging into their own Marriott Bonvoy account and looking at their profile or account settings.
Type in the number of points you want to transfer. Marriott will show you the fee breakdown — the $10 flat fee plus the 2% charge — before you confirm. Review this total and make sure you're comfortable with the cost. Then confirm the transfer. Marriott will send you a confirmation email, and the points should appear in the recipient's account within one business day.
Who can receive your points and account restrictions
The recipient must be a Marriott Bonvoy member with an active account. They cannot be a minor or someone without a valid membership. Marriott also does not allow you to transfer points to a business account or a corporate travel account — only to personal Marriott Bonvoy memberships.
You can transfer points to family members, friends, or anyone else with a Marriott account. There is no restriction on your relationship to the person receiving the points. However, Marriott does monitor for patterns of abuse — for example, repeatedly buying points and when ready transferring them to the same person — so transfers that look like a workaround to sell points may trigger a review of your account.
Marriott sets annual and per-transaction limits on how many points you can transfer. These limits change periodically, so check your account dashboard before you initiate a transfer. If you're moving a very large number of points, you may need to split the transfer across multiple transactions or multiple days to stay within the limits.
Fees and what they cost you
Every transfer costs $10 plus 2% of the points value. Marriott values points at roughly $0.01 per point for the purpose of calculating the 2% fee, though the actual redemption value of your points may be higher or lower depending on what you book. This means a 10,000-point transfer costs about $10 + $20 = $30 total.
You pay the fee from your credit card or payment method on file with Marriott, not from your points balance. The recipient receives the full number of points you specified — the fee does not reduce the points they get. However, you are paying real money out of pocket, so transferring points is usually more expensive than using them yourself or letting someone else earn their own points through stays or credit card spending.
Some Marriott credit cards offer occasional promotions that waive or reduce transfer fees for cardholders. Check your card's benefits guide or log into your account to see if any current promotion applies to you. These promotions are temporary and vary by card type, so they are not always available.
Alternatives to transferring points directly
If the transfer fee is too high, consider other ways to share the value of your points. You can book a hotel stay for someone else using your points and have them stay in the room — the reservation is in your name, but they check in and use the room. This costs you only the points, with no additional fee.
You can also gift a Marriott gift card instead. Marriott sells gift cards in various denominations, and the recipient can use them to pay for a stay. Gift cards do not earn points for the recipient, but they avoid the 2% transfer fee and work for anyone, even if they don't have a Marriott account yet.
Another option is to help the person earn their own points. If they don't have a Marriott credit card, they could sign up and earn a welcome bonus of 50,000 to 100,000 points depending on the card. They would also earn points on their spending going forward. This takes longer than a direct transfer but avoids the fee entirely.
What happens if the transfer fails or the recipient doesn't receive the points
If you receive an error message during the transfer, the most common cause is an incorrect membership number. Double-check the nine-digit number and try again. Marriott's system will not process a transfer to a membership number that doesn't exist or is inactive.
If the transfer appeared to go through but the recipient says they didn't receive the points, wait one full business day. Transfers can take up to 24 hours to post. If more than one business day has passed and the points still haven't arrived, contact Marriott customer service with your confirmation email and the recipient's membership number. Marriott can investigate whether the transfer was processed and resend the points if there was a system error.
Keep your confirmation email from the transfer. It includes the transaction ID, the number of points sent, and the fee charged. If you need to dispute the transfer or prove it happened, this email is your record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer points to someone who doesn't have a Marriott account yet?
No. The recipient must have an active Marriott Bonvoy membership number before you can send points to them. Have them sign up for a free Marriott Bonvoy account first, which takes a few minutes on the Marriott website or app. Once they have a membership number, you can initiate the transfer.
Do I lose points when I transfer them, or does the recipient get the full amount?
The recipient gets the full number of points you specify. You pay the $10 plus 2% fee separately from your credit card on file. The fee does not reduce the points balance the recipient receives.
How long does a transfer take?
Marriott typically completes transfers within one business day. In most cases, the points appear in the recipient's account within a few hours, but you should not assume they have arrived until you or the recipient confirms them in the account dashboard.
Can I transfer points to a business or corporate account?
No. Marriott only allows transfers to personal Marriott Bonvoy memberships. You cannot transfer points to a company account, a travel agency account, or any non-personal membership type.
What if I transfer points by mistake to the wrong person?
Contact Marriott customer service when ready with your confirmation email and explain the error. Marriott may be able to reverse the transfer if it has not yet posted to the recipient's account, but once the points are in another person's account, Marriott cannot force them to transfer the points back. Act quickly if this happens.