Several hotel loyalty programs allow you to exchange points for airline miles. In most cases, this isn’t a particularly good deal. However, there is currently a bonus promotion that makes the transfer at least worth considering.
United MileagePlus is offering a bonus of at least 20% to 30% on incoming point transfers. You must first register through the following link:
The bonus will be credited within 6 to 8 weeks after the transfer as follows. Since the total amount counts, it should be possible to combine points from several programs:
- up to 19,999 miles: 20% bonus
- 20,000 to 40,000 miles: 25% bonus
- over 40,000 miles: 30% bonus
The offer is valid for point transfers until October 31, 2024. You can earn a maximum of 25,000 bonus miles.
Double Bonus Possible from Marriott Bonvoy
There is a special partnership between Marriott Bonvoy and United MileagePlus. Through this, you can receive 10,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points transferred.
For instance, if you transfer 60,000 Marriott points, you would receive a total of 35,000 United miles. The amount is composed of:
- 20,000 United miles (normal 3:1 ratio)
- + 10,000 (regular Marriott Bonvoy bonus)
- + 5,000 United miles (25% promotional bonus)
However, United’s 20% to 30% bonus is only applied to the base amount. In other words, you wouldn’t receive another 25% bonus on the 10,000 miles from the example above.
If you transfer 120,000 Marriott points, you will even receive 72,000 United miles. Ideally, this results in an exchange rate of 5:3.
Is the Transfer Worth It?
Those with enough hotel points might now be wondering: Is this worth it at all? This is a question that we can’t easily answer either. However, we’ve tried to simplify the decision-making process. We’ve estimated a somewhat realistic value for the hotel points and assumed a value of 1 to 1.5 cents for United miles.
This is how the following table was created:
| Transfer Partner | Standard exchange rate | Exchange rate with 30% bonus | Worth of a hotel point | Worth after transfer (with 30% bonus) | Worth it? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accor ALL | 2 : 1 | 100 : 65 (20 : 13) | 2 cents | 0.7 – 1 cents | ❌ |
| Choice Privileges | 5 : 1 | 100 : 26 (50 : 13) | 0.6 – 1 cents | 0.3 – 0.4 cents | ❌ |
| IHG One Rewards | 5 : 1 | 100 : 26 (50 : 13) | 0.4 – 0.8 cents | 0.3 – 0.4 cents | Rarely |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 3 : 1 | 100 : 431 | 0.5 – 0.8 cents | 0.4 – 0.7 cents1 | Likely |
| Hilton Honors | 10 : 1 | 100 : 13 | 0.2 – 0.6 cents | 0.1 – 0.2 Cent | Rarely |
| Shangri-La Circle | 1 : 1 | 100 : 130 (10 : 13) | roughly 6 cents | 1.3 – 2 cents | ❌ |
| World of Hyatt | 5 : 2 | 100 : 52 (25 : 13) | 1.5 – 2 cents | 0.5 – 0.8 cents | ❌ |
| Wyndham Rewards | 5 : 1 | 100 : 26 (50 : 13) | 0.5 – 1 cents | 0.3 – 0.4 cents | ❌ |
The table should only be seen as a rough guide. A transfer can, of course, still be worth it when you see a red cross. Consider the following points:
- Both hotel points and United miles can, in exceptional cases, be (significantly) more valuable than the point value we have estimated.
- For the exchange ratio and point value (after conversion), we assumed a 30% bonus. Depending on how many points are transferred, United may only offer a 20% or 25% bonus.
Conclusion
In most cases, transferring hotel points to airline miles is not worth it. However, those with Marriott Bonvoy points can come out ahead with this offer, as the exchange rate is somewhat fair.
It should be noted, though, that United has recently devalued its miles several times. Currently, short-haul flights in Europe and cases where the United Excursionist Perk applies are still worth it.
Source: AwardWallet
Cover Picture: David Syphers