Through June 30, 2026, American Express is offering a 20% bonus when you transfer Membership Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy. Every 1,000 MR points becomes 1,200 Bonvoy points instead of the standard 1,000. If you hold an Amex card that earns MR points and you have a specific Marriott Bonvoy redemption in mind, the next 11 days are the window to act.

Here is what you need to know before you transfer.

How the bonus works

The standard Amex to Marriott transfer ratio is 1:1. During this promotion, that ratio becomes 1:1.2, meaning you receive 20% more Bonvoy points per MR point transferred.

• 10,000 MR points = 12,000 Bonvoy points
• 25,000 MR points = 30,000 Bonvoy points
• 50,000 MR points = 60,000 Bonvoy points
• 100,000 MR points = 120,000 Bonvoy points

Amex Membership Rewards transfers to Marriott Bonvoy initiate from your Amex account. The bonus points are applied by Marriott, so your Bonvoy account should reflect the inflated total within a few days of the transfer posting.

No registration is required. The bonus applies automatically to any transfer made through June 30, 2026.

Which Amex cards earn Membership Rewards

To take advantage of this transfer bonus, you need an Amex card that earns MR points (not cash back). The main options:

• American Express Gold Card ($325 annual fee): 4x at restaurants worldwide, 4x at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000/year), 3x on flights booked directly with airlines
• American Express Platinum Card ($695 annual fee): 5x on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel, 5x on prepaid hotels through Amex Travel
• American Express Green Card ($150 annual fee): 3x on travel, transit, and restaurants worldwide
• Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express (no annual fee): 2x on the first $50,000 in purchases per year
• American Express Business Gold Card ($375 annual fee): 4x in your two highest spending categories each billing cycle

If you only hold Amex cash back cards (like the Blue Cash Preferred or Blue Cash Everyday), you do not earn MR points and cannot participate in this transfer.

Best uses for Marriott Bonvoy points

Marriott Bonvoy has one of the largest hotel footprints in the world, with over 9,000 properties. Points redemptions vary widely, so the value of this transfer depends heavily on where and how you plan to use your Bonvoy points.

Free night awards

Marriott uses dynamic pricing, meaning redemption rates shift based on demand and dates. Useful benchmarks: Category 1-3 properties (budget-tier Fairfields and Courtyards in lower-cost markets) typically run 7,500 to 15,000 points per night. Mid-tier properties in major cities and international markets often fall in the 25,000 to 50,000 range. Luxury properties at peak times can exceed 100,000 points per night.

The sweet spots tend to be:

• Off-peak dates at mid-tier urban properties (25,000 to 35,000 points, often representing $180 to $250 in cash value)
• Smaller resort markets where cash prices spike seasonally but points rates stay flat
• Five-night stays, which trigger a complimentary fifth night under Marriott’s Stay 5, Pay 4 award benefit

Topping off a specific redemption

The most practical use of this bonus is when you are close to a redemption threshold but short on points. If you need 50,000 Bonvoy points for a stay and have 42,000 Bonvoy plus 7,000 MR points sitting idle, transferring 7,000 MR during this promo gets you 8,400 Bonvoy points, which covers the shortfall and then some. That is a clear, concrete win.

Airline miles conversion

Marriott has a longstanding partnership with over 40 airlines: you can convert Bonvoy points to airline miles at a 3:1 ratio, and Marriott adds a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points converted. This is generally not a strong value path (you end up with roughly 0.3 to 0.4 cents per original MR point after the full chain), but if you have a specific miles-based redemption in mind and airline miles are otherwise hard to acquire, it is an option worth knowing about.

Is the 20% bonus worth it?

That depends on what you plan to do with the points.

Membership Rewards points are among the most flexible in the travel rewards ecosystem. You can transfer them to 20+ airline and hotel partners, many of which offer better redemption value than Marriott. Air France/KLM Flying Blue, ANA Mileage Club, and Avianca LifeMiles are frequently cited as high-value MR transfer targets. Converting MR to Bonvoy permanently closes off those paths.

If your goal is Marriott Bonvoy specifically, here is how the math looks during this promo: 50,000 MR points transferred today become 60,000 Bonvoy points. At a typical Bonvoy redemption of 0.8 cents per point, that is $480 in hotel value from 50,000 MR points, or about 0.96 cents per MR point. In a standard (non-bonus) environment, that same 50,000 MR gets you 50,000 Bonvoy, worth roughly $400, or 0.8 cents per MR point. The 20% bonus improves the economics but does not change the fundamental comparison between Bonvoy and Amex’s airline transfer partners.

One thing worth knowing: Chase Ultimate Rewards ran a 55% transfer bonus to Marriott Bonvoy through a separate promotion this year. That deal offered substantially better economics for Chase cardholders. If you hold both Chase and Amex cards, Chase UR transfers to Marriott have historically been the stronger promotional option. We covered the Chase to Marriott bonus in a separate piece if you want to compare.

For Amex-only cardholders who want Bonvoy points specifically, the 20% bonus is the best Amex-to-Marriott rate currently available and likely the best you will see for the rest of 2026.

Limits and fine print

• Minimum transfer: 1,000 MR points
• No published cap on the bonus (you can transfer as many MR as you want)
• Transfers are one-way and irreversible: once MR points leave your account, they cannot return
• Allow 3 to 5 business days for points to appear in your Bonvoy account
• Offer ends June 30, 2026
• You must have an active Marriott Bonvoy account linked or created at the time of transfer

Who should act before June 30

This bonus makes sense for you if:

• You have a specific Marriott Bonvoy stay planned and need more points to reach the threshold
• You hold Amex MR points you would otherwise leave idle, and Bonvoy gives you a clear path to a redemption you want
• You have already used your Chase UR balance (or don’t hold Chase cards) and Amex is your primary flexible currency

Skip this transfer if:

• You don’t have a specific Marriott redemption in mind (speculative transfers are rarely the right call)
• You are considering a future flight redemption where Amex airline transfer partners would serve you better
• You would rather wait to see if a larger Amex-to-Marriott bonus appears later in the year

FAQ

Does the 20% bonus apply to transfers from all Amex cards?

Yes, provided your card earns Membership Rewards points (not cash back). The bonus is tied to the MR program, not a specific card. Any eligible MR card can participate.

Can I transfer points to another person’s Marriott account?

Amex allows transfers to Marriott Bonvoy accounts in your own name. Transferring to a third party’s account is not supported through the Amex MR portal.

Will the bonus points count toward Marriott elite status?

Transferred points (including the bonus) count toward your Bonvoy balance for redemptions, but they do not count toward Marriott elite night credits. Status accrual requires stays at Marriott properties.

Is there a maximum number of points I can transfer?

Amex does not publish a cap for this promotion. Standard account transfer limits apply. If you plan to move a very large number of points, confirm your account standing with Amex before initiating the transfer.

How do I initiate the transfer?

Log in to your Amex account, go to Membership Rewards, select Transfer Points, and choose Marriott Bonvoy from the partner list. Enter the number of MR points you want to transfer. The portal will display the Bonvoy points you will receive at the 1:1.2 rate for the duration of the promotion.

Bottom line

The Amex to Marriott Bonvoy 20% transfer bonus runs through June 30, 2026. Every 1,000 MR points becomes 1,200 Bonvoy points at that rate. The case for acting is strongest if you are close to a redemption threshold or if Marriott Bonvoy is your primary hotel currency and you have a stay planned. If you are still weighing your options or don’t have a specific redemption in mind, holding your MR points for a different use is the more flexible play.

The deadline is June 30. If you know what you want, there is no reason to delay.

Transfer rates and bonus terms verified as of June 19, 2026. Confirm current rates at americanexpress.com before transferring.