Amex to Marriott Bonvoy 35% transfer bonus: check the math first
The Amex to Marriott Bonvoy 35% transfer bonus raises the usual 1:1 transfer ratio from Membership Rewards to 1:1.35, and the promotion ends December 10, 2026. As of October 20, 2026, that is the headline: every Membership Rewards point you move over arrives as one and a third Marriott points, give or take rounding. A bonus that large looks like an easy win, but a transfer cannot be undone. Before moving anything, compare the extra Marriott points with what the same Amex points could do elsewhere, and confirm the offer terms shown in your own Amex account.
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How the 1:1.35 Amex to Marriott ratio works
The standard Amex to Marriott ratio is 1:1, so the promotion adds 35% on top of what you would normally receive. In practice you divide the Marriott points you need by the bonus ratio to find how many Amex points to move. Because transfers usually settle in fixed increments and cannot be reversed, work out the exact amount first and keep a small record of the offer terms displayed when you transfer. If the page you see in your account differs from this summary, trust the account page and treat this article as a planning aid rather than the final word.
Why a 35% bonus is not automatically good value
A bonus only improves the rate; it does not tell you whether the destination is the best use of your points. Membership Rewards points are flexible because they can move to many airline and hotel partners, and that flexibility has real value. Marriott points can also be useful, particularly for a specific stay, but each one is typically worth less than a flexible Amex point. When the value you give up is larger than the 35% you gain, the transfer is a net loss even though the bonus looks generous. Compare before you commit, rather than reacting to the percentage alone.
Who may still want to use the Marriott transfer bonus
The clearest case is someone who already has an upcoming Marriott award stay planned and is a small number of points short. Topping off a balance can be a sensible use of the 1:1.35 ratio because you are filling a known gap with a bounded transfer rather than speculating. Another case is someone who already holds a large Marriott balance and values the convenience of keeping everything in one place. Even then, check the cash price of the stay against the points price so you understand what the points are actually buying.
Who should skip the Amex to Marriott transfer bonus
If you have no booked or specific Marriott stay in mind, the safer choice is usually to leave your Membership Rewards points where they are. Those points keep their flexibility, and you can still transfer them later if a better opportunity appears. Moving points into a hotel program early locks them into that currency, and hotel points generally cannot be moved back. A time-limited bonus can create pressure to act, but a transfer that you would not make at the normal ratio is rarely improved enough by a 35% boost to justify the lost options.
A simple decision rule before you transfer
Start with the award you actually want to book and note how many Marriott points it costs. Divide that number by the bonus ratio to see how many Amex points the transfer would consume. Then price the same trip or a similar one using other partners you could reach with those Amex points, or consider paying cash. If the Marriott route is clearly better, transfer only what you need. If the comparison is close or unclear, waiting costs you nothing except the bonus, and missing a bonus is not a loss if the transfer was not a good idea.
Timing: what December 10, 2026 does and does not mean
The promotion ends December 10, 2026, which leaves a comfortable window for a careful decision. Do not wait until the final day, because processing or account issues can arise near an expiry, but there is also no reason to rush today. Use the time to check hotel availability for your travel dates, confirm your account details are current, and decide how many points you truly need. If you do decide to transfer, complete it well before the end date and keep the confirmation so you can verify the bonus points arrived as expected.
