7 Sweet Spots for Transferring Marriott Bonvoy Points to Airline Miles

Aside from redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points for hotel stays, it’s also possible to convert hotel points into airline miles in 40 different airline loyalty programs.

The standard transfer ratio is 3 points = 1 mile, and with most programs, you’ll get a bonus of 5,000 miles for transferring 60,000 points.

Sometimes, converting points into miles can be helpful to top up your account before making a booking. However, this feature can also be useful in unlocking sweet spots in airline programs that are otherwise difficult to access.

1. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

On both sides of the border, but especially in Canada, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is arguably one of the more valuable loyalty programs on paper, and yet one of the most difficult currencies to rack up in large quantities.

In Canada, there aren’t any co-branded credit cards that earn Alaska miles directly, which leaves converting Marriott Bonvoy points or earning points through flying as the only options.

In the United States, the Bank of America offers Alaska Airlines co-branded credit cards; however, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan isn’t a partner with any other transferable points currencies.

While the program has seen some recent devaluations, there’s still plenty of value to be found, including Japan Airlines business class from the West Coast to Tokyo for 60,000 miles. 

You’d need to transfer a total of 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan account for this flight: 60,000 points = 25,000 miles twice (with the bonus of 5,000 miles), and then 30,000 points = 10,000 miles at the standard 3:1 ratio.

Alternatively, you could look for pockets of the lowest pricing available for Starlux Airlines business class between Los Angeles and Taipei for 75,000 Alaska miles, which is equivalent to 180,000 Bonvoy points.

Award pricing for Cathay Pacific business class and Cathay Pacific First Class remains at 50,000 Alaska miles or 70,000 Alaska miles, respectively. However, it’s worth noting that availability with Cathay Pacific is extremely rare these days.

If you’ve lined up a worthwhile redemption, transferring Bonvoy points to Alaska miles can be a great way to top up your balance or to earn enough points outright for an aspirational flight.

2. American Airlines AAdvantage

In a similar vein, American Airlines AAdvantage is another…