Best Way to Use Chase Marriott Rewards

If you’re seeking to enhance your Marriott account, here’s some excellent news: Transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy will earn you a 50% bonus until August 31, 2021. As a result, you may transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards in 1,000-point increments and receive 1,500 Marriott points.

This is not a targeted promotion; anybody who possesses a Chase card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards can take advantage of the transfer bonus.

On the Chase Ultimate Rewards website, this incentive isn’t hard-coded into the transfer ratio. The bonus will appear in your Marriott Bonvoy account when Chase confirms your points transfer, just like it has in the past.

Is this a decent bargain on the transfer bonus?

Marriott Bonvoy is one of the few hotel loyalty programmes that have a (largely) consistent award scheme. You’ll spend a little less during off-peak times and a little more during peak times. On Marriott’s award chart, however, there is a redemption rate cap. Marriott points are worth 0.8 cents per point, whereas Chase points are worth 2 cents per point, according to TPG. You’ll gain 1.2 cents per point in value for each Chase point you transfer to Marriott with the incentive. With the transfer incentive, you’re losing 0.8 cents per point in value rather than 1.2 cents.

Of course, the actual worth of your points is determined by how you use them. Marriott points are generally worth the greatest when redeemed at lower-cost or higher-end hotels. You may also get more mileage out of your Marriott points by using the program’s fifth-night-free perk on award stays. This allows you to schedule a five-night stay for the price of four.

Let’s assume you wish to stay at The Westin Paris Vendôme for five nights during New Year’s Eve, which is one of the most costly occasions to travel. You’ll pay between 50,000 and 70,000 points every night due to peak pricing, for a total of 270,000 points and around $17 in taxes for the whole trip.

Unless you can locate a great redemption value, you should probably pass on this transfer incentive. Instead, transfer your Chase points to World of Hyatt and use them for hotel stays. Hyatt’s award chart features lower costs than Marriott’s, and there’s no need to worry about peak pricing just yet. In late December, for example, a one-night stay at the Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme costs 30,000 points, or $955. As a result, each point is worth $3.18 cents.

Booking through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal is another option. Through the gateway, Chase Sapphire Reserve® cards may redeem at a fixed value of 1.5 cents per point, while Chase Sapphire Preferred® cardholders can redeem at 1.25 cents per point. This is still less than the value we place on Chase points, but it can be a better deal in some instances. It’s worth noting that you won’t be able to use your hotel elite level advantages on rooms booked through this portal.