How much are Bonvoy Points worth and what are the best times to use points vs cash?

Hi Bonvoyagers!

How much are Bonvoy points worth and what are the best times to use points vs. cash? These are two of the most common questions people ask when planning their next trip.

As with many things in life, there is a simple answer and a more complex one :) I’ll share both in this post! To ensure you have the freshest data, I looked at the daily cash and points rates for 495 Luxury properties from March 2024-Feb 2025.

The simple answer: the average $ value of a Marriott point across all Luxury properties is $0.008. At that rate, 10,000 points is worth ~$80. In theory, whenever you can book a room at a redemption rate higher than $0.008, you should consider it.

The complex answer: cash and points rates fluctuate significantly across brands, individual properties, hotel ratings, and days. For example, the 4.8-star Ritz-Carlton Maldives offers $0.04 per point if you book over Christmas 2024. At that time, it’s 150,000 points/night but the cash price is an impressive $6125/night. The math is $6125/150000=$0.04 value per point.

By contrast, if you book in March 2024, it’s still 150,000 points/night but the cash price is much lower at $2,220/night. The point value is now $0.013 - significantly less than $0.04 - but still above the $0.008 average. So when you book with points is often just as important as where you book.

Too much data? If all this data is making your head spin a bit, don't worry! The interactive chart below is a great starting point.

If you hover over any dot, you’ll see the average point value for that property. Give it a try for the Ritz Carlton Maldives. You’ll see the average cash value is $0.021. This is well above the average point value of $0.008 and is generally a great deal.

When you click on the Ritz, you’ll notice all the other Ritz properties are highlighted. You can also see this view by hovering over the colored brands at the top of the chart. This is helpful to visualize how many properties have better than-average point redemptions.

Coming next: the best of the best In my next several posts, I’ll share the best of the best across all 495 Luxury properties I searched. There are some fantastic deals at some incredible hotels, especially when you book at the right times of the year.

Stay tuned and bon voyage!

Matt aka BonvoyGeek