We regularly see banks roll out big bonuses when transferring points to select airlines or hotel chains, giving travelers the opportunity to stretch their stash of points even further. This time, Chase and Marriott are teaming up with a big bonus.
You can currently get a 70% bonus when sending Chase points from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® to Marriott Bonvoy. That means transferring a stash of 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points would net you 85,000 Marriott points.
This new transfer bonus is valid through only the end of the month, expiring on Nov. 30.
Not sure how to get started? Read our full guide to Chase transfer partners and how they work!
Transferring points to Chase's stable of airline and hotel partners is one of the best ways to use Ultimate Rewards, and transfer bonuses like this one just make that case even stronger.
However, even with a 70% bonus, sending your Chase points to Marriott is no slam dunk. With a dynamic pricing system that fluctuates based largely on cash prices, Marriott Bonvoy points don't go nearly as far as they once did. Plus, these transfers are a one-way street: Once you send Chase points to Marriott, you can't get them back to your Chase account.
Nevertheless, if you've already got a stash of Marriott points and are looking to top off your account – or if you have your eye on a high value redemption – this new bonus can help you book your next hotel stay for fewer points.
Here are a few examples of how to put it to use.
Best Ways to Use This Bonus
Lake Como
Lake Como, situated on the Swiss border in northern Italy's Lombardy region, is quite literally one of the most breathtaking places on Earth. Go figure, hotels here don't come cheap. But if you've got a stash of Marriott points, you won't have to worry about breaking the bank to spend a few nights here.
Earlier this week, we sent our Thrifty Traveler Premium+ members who have opted in for hotel deals an alert for wide-open availability at the newly renovated Lake Como EDITION for as few as 106,000 points per night. While that's no doubt still a ton of points, it sure beats paying the $1,400-plus cash rate. And with this bonus, you could book a night here for as few as 63,000 Chase points.
This property is located along the waterfront of Lake Como in Cadenabbia, directly across from the popular town of Bellagio, and features an outdoor pool with stunning views of the lake, an on-site spa, and a highly regarded restaurant, Renzo.
Point redemptions book into a standard guest room with a king bed (or two double beds) and some nights even include lake views for the same rate.
Maldives
Lake Como is great, but how about a truly bucket list destination like the Maldives? Bonvoy points and this big transfer bonus can help you out there, too.
Let's say you're planning a trip to the Maldives and have been looking at the Le Méridien Maldives for your stay. With nights occasionally under 45,000 points each, and Marriott's fifth-night free perk when booking an award stay, you'd only need 174,000 points for a five-night stay.
Starting from scratch, you'd need to transfer 103,000 Chase points to your Bonvoy account to book what would otherwise cost more than $3,000 for a stay in the Maldives. Not bad at all!
Just keep in mind, seaplane transfers from Male to the resort are not covered by points. You'd still be on the hook for the $565 roundtrip transfer fee, per person. But even still, this is a solid use of Chase points.
Aruba
It's tough to beat using this bonus to book an overwater villa in the Maldives, but that's a long ways to travel. Don't worry: You can still get your fix of sand and sun … a little closer to home.
The Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino offers some upscale accommodations, multiple pools, restaurants, a spa, and a casino, all right on Palm Beach. But nights here aren't cheap: If you want to stay here in April, you'd be paying just over $800 per night. Ouch!
But if you turn to your stash of Marriott points, you could book this same room for just 69,000 points per night – only 41,000 Chase points with this bonus.
You'd still be on the hook for the hotel's $69 resort fee when using points – Marriott doesn't waive this for award bookings like some hotel chains – but that still makes for a really good use of Chase Ultimate Rewards.
New York City
If the beach isn't really your thing, you can use this bonus to take in a Broadway show and eat your way through Manhattan instead.
Hotel prices in New York City can get downright offensive. Take this run-of-the-mill Residence Inn Midtown East, for example. Nights here in a Studio King room go for a staggering $658 per night.
Or you could book the same room for just 48,000 Marriott Bonvoy points – only 29,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards with this 70% transfer bonus. It may not be a high-end luxury property, but it still delivers huge value for your Chase points when taking advantage of this bonus offer.
And these are just a few examples, you can get more (or less) value at thousands of Marriott properties around the globe.
Read more: A Complete Guide to Marriott Bonvoy
Bottom Line
Chase is out with a new 70% transfer bonus when sending Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott. While it's easy to see a 70% bonus and get excited, it's important to note that points and miles aren't created equally … and that's especially true when it comes to Marriott points.
That being said, this transfer bonus could help you save big on your next hotel stay, and Marriott's huge portfolio of properties should make it easy to put it to use, no matter where you're heading.
Just be sure to transfer before the bigger bonus ends on Nov. 30!
You might say another way to take advantage of this transfer bonus is when you need to preserve points from expiring.
Last time I looked, the Marriott points I currently have will expire in August. One way to save them — and get a little extra — would be to wait until around May 10, check if I have any solid Marriott reservations before August and if not, transfer 1000 points to extend the expiration date.
Put another way, if you have to do a transfer to prevent points from expiring, might as well do it during the promotion period, to get another 500 points, minimum.