Sometimes, you may get essentially the most worth from lodge factors whenever you redeem them for lodge stays. However Marriott Bonvoy has 38 airline switch companions that may additionally present good worth.
If you wish to maximize your Marriott redemptions, you would possibly marvel when transferring Marriott factors to airline companions is smart. So, let’s take a more in-depth have a look at this query.
Why switch Marriott factors to airways
There are numerous causes you would possibly desire to switch Marriott factors to airways as an alternative of redeeming them for lodge stays.
You may additionally have to earn extra rewards with considered one of Marriott’s switch companions. Whether or not it’s worthwhile to top-up your account or earn a difficult-to-earn mileage forex, transferring Marriott factors to your airline loyalty account may assist enhance your mileage account stability.
In fact, for those who switch Marriott factors to airline companions, you will not have these factors to redeem for Marriott stays. However this won’t be a priority for those who earn a major quantity of Marriott factors by means of stays or spending on cobranded Marriott Bonvoy bank cards.
Associated: How you can redeem factors with the Marriott Bonvoy program
Marriott Bonvoy airline companions
Marriott has a formidable listing of 38 companion airline loyalty applications. You possibly can switch your Marriott factors to acquainted applications like United MileagePlus and Delta SkyMiles. However doing so often will not present good worth until you are topping off your account stability to get to a particular redemption.
Nonetheless, you may additionally discover some hidden gems on the listing of Marriott’s airline companions. Particularly, you may discover some airline miles which can be troublesome to earn but extraordinarily invaluable. With a few of these companions, it’s possible you’ll discover award flights for a fraction of the miles required by extra well-known applications.
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With most airline companions, 3 Marriott factors will convert to 1 airline mile. The exceptions that convert at totally different charges are Air New Zealand AirPoint (200:1 ratio) and United MileagePlus (3:1.1 ratio).
Marriott offers 5,000 bonus airline miles for each 60,000 Marriott factors you switch to most airline companions. Nonetheless, transfers to American Airways AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles, Delta SkyMiles and Korean Air SkyPass aren’t eligible for the 5,000-mile bonus.
Now, that will help you decide when it may make sense to switch Marriott factors to airways, let’s contemplate a couple of of the most effective airline award chart candy spots you might e book by means of Marriott’s switch companions. Particularly, we’ll give attention to applications that do not companion with different main transferable currencies.
Lufthansa firstclass to South Africa with Aegean miles
You possibly can redeem 75,000 Aegean miles to fly one-way from North America to South Africa in Lufthansa firstclass when there’s award area.
You will nonetheless have to pay about $800 in taxes and costs. However 75,000 Aegean miles is a fraction of what number of miles you’d want with Air Canada Aeroplan or United MileagePlus to e book this award.
If you cannot discover firstclass award area, you might redeem 55,000 Aegean miles to fly one-way in enterprise class. This feature can be obtainable on Swiss, which can be a member of Star Alliance.
In case you discover first-class award area, you’d have to switch 180,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors — which TPG’s valuations worth at about $1,512 — to Aegean to get 75,000 miles.
Enterprise class, then again, requires 135,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors, price about $1,134 at TPG’s valuations. Transfers from Marriott Bonvoy to Aegean will doubtless take about three days.
Associated: Reserving Lufthansa firstclass to South Africa with Aegean miles
Emirates enterprise class to Dubai with JAL Mileage Financial institution miles
Though Emirates is not within the Oneworld alliance, you may redeem Japan Airways (JAL) Mileage Financial institution miles for award flights on Emirates.
One of many candy spots within the JAL Mileage Financial institution program is the power to e book a round-trip Emirates business-class award with a complete journey distance of between 12,001 and 14,000 miles for 110,000 miles.
This implies you may e book a round-trip Emirates business-class award from New York to Dubai for 110,000 miles (plus taxes and costs). In fact, you need to discover business-class award area (which may be troublesome) and Emirates gas surcharges are at the moment very excessive.
It is vital to notice that for those who e book a one-way flight to Dubai — which might fall between 6,001 and eight,000 miles — you’d have to redeem 80,000 JAL miles.
Consequently, it is in your curiosity to e book this award as a round-trip. In spite of everything, a round-trip enterprise class award would solely require 30,000 extra JAL miles than a one-way enterprise class award on this route.
You can switch 270,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors — which TPG’s valuations worth at about $2,268 — to JAL Mileage Financial institution to get 110,000 miles. The switch will doubtless take about 48 hours.
Associated: The perfect applications for reserving Emirates awards
Transatlantic Star Alliance enterprise class with Asiana Membership miles
In case you really feel comfy leveraging Asiana Membership and do not thoughts calling to e book most awards, Asiana’s Star Alliance flight award redemption desk has some good offers.
For instance, you may journey from North America (excluding Hawaii and Mexico) to Europe for 40,000 miles every approach in enterprise class on Star Alliance airways if you will discover discounted award availability. Asiana Membership passes on gas surcharges, so taxes and costs range considerably relying on the working provider and route.
You can switch 105,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors — which TPG’s valuations worth at about $882 — to Asiana Membership to get 40,000 miles. The switch will doubtless take about 4 days.
Associated: The perfect methods to journey to Europe utilizing factors and miles
Different methods to redeem Marriott factors
You will often get essentially the most worth out of your Marriott factors whenever you redeem them for Marriott stays or switch to airline applications for high-value redemptions. However if you wish to redeem your Marriott factors for one thing else, you will have a number of choices.
You can use your factors for reward playing cards and merchandise by means of Marriott Purchasing. However you may get a really low redemption worth when doing so. For instance, this $100 Apple reward card prices 30,000 factors. TPG’s valuations worth 30,000 Marriott factors at about $252, so you may nearly definitely wish to keep away from this redemption.
You can additionally use your factors for non-stay actions like sports activities occasions and concert events by means of Marriott Bonvoy Moments. This is one instance:
You can redeem 75,000 factors to see Marc Anthony on the Marriott Bonvoy Luxurious Suite in Madison Sq. Graden. TPG’s valuations worth 75,000 Marriott factors at about $630 — which might be worth for some Marc Anthony followers.
Associated: Redeem for sports activities occasions, concert events and extra by means of Marriott Bonvoy Moments
Backside line
There is no simple reply to when or whether or not it is best to switch Marriott factors to airways. Nonetheless, you may generally unlock less-expensive award flights whenever you leverage Marriott’s airline switch companions.
So, verify award charges with Marriott’s airline switch companions and crunch the numbers subsequent time you are able to e book a long-haul award flight. You would possibly get a terrific deal by changing Marriott factors to airline miles.