Marriott Bonvoy members can move points between accounts for free — handy when you're short of a free night award or want a stay booked under someone else's name. But compared with Hilton Honors (up to 500,000 points out, two million in per year) or World of Hyatt (525,000 each way annually), Marriott's rules are noticeably tighter.
The numbers: you can send a maximum of 100,000 points per calendar year and receive up to 500,000. Transfers happen in 1,000-point increments, capped at two per month and six per year. There's no requirement to be related or share an address with the recipient — any member will do.
The catch most people trip over is account age. You can only combine points with someone whose account is at least 30 days old if it has had qualifying activity (earning or redeeming points, with transfers and gifts excluded), or 90 days old without it. Also note that combining points doesn't reset the 24-month inactivity clock that triggers Bonvoy point expiry.
Doing it is straightforward. The sender logs into the online points transfer tool, enters the recipient's name, Bonvoy number and amount, then confirms with a verification code sent by email or text. Points are promised within an hour but usually arrive instantly. Prefer a human? Call member support at 801.468.4000, say "transfer points," and verify your details — the sender needs to make the call, and only the recipient's name and membership number are required.
Why bother? Three scenarios stand out. Pooling points can get you over the line for a free night award neither account can cover alone. It's the easiest way to book a hotel stay in a friend's or relative's name. And if you travel with someone who holds higher elite status, sending your points to them means the redemption books under their profile — unlocking upgrades, lounge access and other perks that a plain member booking would miss. It's a trick worth copying: one frequent Bonvoy member transfers 100,000 points to a partner every year for exactly this reason, since the higher-status account gets more value from the same points.
If you and a travel partner regularly stay at Marriott properties, it pays to plan transfers ahead of the annual caps rather than scrambling at booking time — 100,000 points out per year disappears quickly if you're splitting a big redemption.
