Bonvoy Certificates

[Biglou1228]

I have several certificates to purchase 330K Bonvoy points for $2,275. Is this. A good deal? Thanks, David

 

[DanCali]

It's a decent deal (0.69c per point) if you might need the points sometime in the near future.

Nerdwallet and TPG value these points at 0.8c - 0.85c per point (if used more wisely, you can usually get at least 1c/point value). So you're getting them at a modest discount. That said, if you already have over 500K or 1M points for example, I'm not sure spending multiples of $2275 just to hoard points that keep getting devalued by Marriott is worth it.

 

[daviator]

I think you posted this in two different forums (or someone else posted the same question) and I answered it there. The short version is that it really only makes sense if you have an immediate use for the points that gets you more value than what you spent. Buying points only to let them sit and devalue in your Bonvoy account is probably dumb.

 

[paulm144]

I don’t agree. We have purchased 10 of those certificates and have another year to purchase the remaining six. We have used them to stay twice at the St Regis in Rome. Cost using certificates for five nights $2400. Cost if we had paid cash, $10,000 the first time, $9000 the second time. We have also used them twice to stay at the Prince de Galles in Paris. Both times the exact same numbers. We are planning on using them next year at the St Regis in Venice for five nights. Cost in Bonvoy points using certificates will be $3400. The cost to use cash would be just over $9000. If you use these wisely they are very well worth it and never expire. If you just plan on using them for one or two nights at a time in the US, it’s very hit or miss. You could easily be paying more in the cost of the Bonvoy points than just booking with cash. We also plan on using them in the Maldives. The cost in cash roughly $16,000 for five nights, the cost using certificates roughly $5000.

 

[KangarooTravel]

You can also exchange bonvoy points for airline miles to most airline points programs. 60,000 bonvoy points = 25,000 points.

You can get some incredible business or first class flights with 125,000 miles (60,000 points x 5) that could far surpass the certificate cost of $2,275.

Examples of some possible redemptions:
- 62,500 AAdvantage miles from Europe to the Middle East on Etihad Airways First Class (125k round-trip)
- 60,000 Alaska miles to book Japan Airlines Business class from the West Coast to Tokyo (120k round-trip)
- 20,000 Turkish miles round-trip from anywhere in continental North America to Hawaii