The historic Fort George hotel in Belize City is now part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. This addition gives Marriott Bonvoy members a new waterfront property where they can earn and redeem points.
It’s just the second Marriott Bonvoy property in the country, joining Alaia Belize, Autograph Collection, on Ambergris Caye. And while both hotels share the same brand, they offer rather different experiences.
Fort George sits along the waterfront in Belize City’s historic Fort George neighborhood, while Alaia is a beachfront resort in San Pedro (a popular destination for travelers visiting Belize’s Caribbean islands).
Fort George is also undergoing a major expansion, with new accommodations and amenities on the way.
A Historic Hotel With a Major Expansion Underway
Fort George currently features 64 rooms and suites, but that number is set to more than double with the opening of its new Signature Sea View Tower.
The expansion will add 66 rooms and suites, bringing the property’s total to 130. The new accommodations will feature large windows overlooking Belize City and the Caribbean Sea, with interiors inspired by the country’s coastal landscape.
The tower is expected to open later this fall, although the hotel hasn’t announced a specific date.
Fort George, Belize, Autograph Collection. MARRIOTT
Alongside the additional rooms, Fort George is introducing several new amenities, including:
A waterfront swimming pool and retail boutique.
Marea, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, joining the hotel’s existing Treehouse restaurant.
The George, a new lobby venue serving specialty coffee during the day and cocktails in the evening.
Additional meeting and event spaces, including a fourth-floor terrace overlooking the waterfront.
The hotel also features K’IN Spa, BurnBox Gym, and a courtyard plunge pool.
Throughout the property, historical imagery and artwork inspired by Belize and the wider Caribbean reflect its longstanding connection to Belize City.
Fort George, Belize, Autograph Collection. MARRIOTT
With Fort George joining Autograph Collection, Marriott Bonvoy members can earn and redeem points for eligible stays at the property.
However, while cash rates are currently bookable (from now into the end of Marriott’s calendar, points availability isn’t showing yet. It’s unclear exactly when points bookings will become available, though they’re expected to open soon.
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All told, though, this addition is especially useful for travelers planning to spend time in Belize City, whether before heading to the islands or as part of an extended trip around the country.
Marriott Bonvoy points are most often used for hotel stays, but that’s not the only way to redeem them. You can also transfer your points to more than three dozen airline loyalty programs, including some that are difficult (or impossible) to access through traditional credit card transfer partners.
There are a couple of reasons you might want to do this. Maybe you’ve accumulated more Marriott points than you plan to use for hotels, or you’re just a few thousand miles short of booking an award flight.
Here’s how Marriott Bonvoy airline transfers work, which programs participate, and what to know before moving your points.
How Marriott Bonvoy Airline Transfers Work
Marriott Bonvoy partners with more than three dozen airline loyalty programs, and most transfers happen at a 3:1 ratio.
That means transferring 3,000 Marriott points generally earns you 1,000 airline miles.
But there’s a useful bonus when you transfer larger amounts. For most participating airlines, Marriott adds 5,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points transferred.
Here’s how that works for programs eligible for the standard bonus:
Marriott Points Transferred
Airline Miles Received
3,000
1,000
15,000
5,000
30,000
10,000
60,000
25,000
120,000
50,000
With that bonus, transferring 60,000 Marriott points gets you 25,000 airline miles instead of the usual 20,000.
There are a few exceptions worth knowing:
United MileagePlus: Marriott awards 10,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points transferred, meaning 60,000 Marriott points become 30,000 United miles.
American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles, and Delta SkyMiles: These programs don’t qualify for the standard 5,000-mile bonus. Transferring 60,000 Marriott points earns 20,000 miles.
Air New Zealand Koru: Transfers use a different ratio of 200:1, with a separate bonus structure.
Marriott allows members to transfer between 3,000 and 240,000 points per day.
Marriott Bonvoy Airline Transfer Partners
Marriott has one of the largest airline transfer partner lists of any major loyalty program.
Airline Loyalty Program
Transfer Ratio
Aegean Miles+Bonus
3:1
Aer Lingus AerClub
3:1
Aeromexico Rewards
3:1
Air Canada Aeroplan
3:1
Air China PhoenixMiles
3:1
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
3:1
Air New Zealand Koru
200:1
American Airlines AAdvantage
3:1
ANA Mileage Club
3:1
Atmos Rewards
3:1
Avianca LifeMiles
3:1
British Airways Club
3:1
Cathay Pacific Cathay
3:1
China Southern Sky Pearl Club
3:1
Copa ConnectMiles
3:1
Delta SkyMiles
3:1
Emirates Skywards
3:1
Ethiopian Airlines ShebaMiles
3:1
Etihad Guest
3:1
Frontier Miles
3:1
Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club
3:1
Iberia Plus
3:1
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
3:1
LATAM Pass / LATAM Pass Brazil
3:1
Qantas Frequent Flyer
3:1
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
3:1
Saudia Alfursan
3:1
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
3:1
Southwest Rapid Rewards
3:1
TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go
3:1
Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus
3:1
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
3:1
United MileagePlus
3:1
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
3:1
Virgin Australia Velocity
3:1
Vueling Club
3:1
Why Transfer Marriott Points to Airlines?
There are two situations where transferring Marriott points to an airline program can be particularly useful.
Topping off an airline mileage balance
Suppose you’ve found an award flight but don’t quite have enough miles to book it. If you’ve got Marriott points sitting in your account, transferring a small amount could help you cover the difference.
You don’t necessarily need to transfer in 60,000-point increments, either. While the bonus makes larger transfers more attractive, smaller transfers can still be useful when you only need a few thousand miles.
The catch is timing. Marriott transfers aren’t guaranteed to be instant, so this approach works better when you’ve got some flexibility rather than a ticket you need to book immediately.
DAVEALAN / ISTOCK
Accessing harder-to-reach airline programs
This is arguably the more interesting use of Marriott’s transfer partnerships.
Some airline loyalty programs have few, if any, transfer relationships with the major U.S. credit card currencies. Marriott can provide another route into those programs.
For example, Aegean Miles+Bonus and Saudia Alfursan have limited transfer options (at least for U.S. residents), compared with more widely accessible programs like Air Canada Aeroplan or Air France-KLM Flying Blue.
Of course, the 3:1 transfer ratio means you’re giving up a significant number of Marriott points to earn airline miles. It’s worth considering what you want to book before making a transfer.
How to Transfer Marriott Bonvoy Points to Airline Miles
Marriott handles airline transfers directly through your Bonvoy account.
Select the airline loyalty program you want to transfer points to.
Enter your frequent flyer membership number and the number of Marriott points you’d like to transfer.
Review the transfer details and confirm your request.
For most airline partners, the name on your frequent-flyer account must match the first and last name on your Marriott Bonvoy account.
Just don’t assume your miles will arrive immediately. According to Marriott’s terms, transferred miles will post to the receiving airline account within one week in most cases.
Some transfers may arrive much faster, but others could take several days. And because award availability can change while you’re waiting, transferring Marriott points to book a specific flight, particularly one departing soon, carries some risk.
What Else to Know Before Transferring
Marriott’s airline partnerships are useful, but the transfer ratios mean they won’t always be the best use of your Bonvoy points.
For example, transferring 60,000 Marriott points to most airlines earns 25,000 miles, including the bonus. Those same points could potentially cover multiple hotel nights, depending on the property.
But if you’ve got a large Marriott balance, need to top off an airline account, or want miles in a program that’s otherwise difficult to access, it’s a useful option to have.
Hotel points can be incredibly valuable, but unlike miles in many major U.S. airline loyalty programs, most hotel points expire if you go a while without using your account.
And the rules vary quite a bit. Some programs give you two years of inactivity before your points expire, while others have shorter windows or additional restrictions.
Here’s how long points last with seven major hotel loyalty programs, what you can do to keep them active, and a few exceptions worth knowing.
You can reset the clock by staying at a participating hotel, earning points (including with a Hilton Honors credit card), buying points, or even donating points to a charitable cause.
However, IHG One Rewards elite members are exempt from expiration as long as they maintain their status.
Using an annual free night certificate from an IHG credit card doesn’t count as earning or redeeming points. If you’re a Club member (meaning you don’t have elite status), you’ll still need qualifying activity at least once every 12 months.
There are several ways to keep your points active, including earning or redeeming points, gifting an award, converting points to a partner program, buying or combining points, or holding an eligible Hyatt credit card linked to your account.
You can keep your balance active by earning or redeeming points, completing a qualifying hotel stay, buying points, converting points with partners, or making qualifying purchases with a Marriott Bonvoy credit card.
However, gifting, transferring, or receiving points doesn’t reset the expiration clock.
Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Elite members are exempt from points expiration. For everyone else, forfeited points can’t be reinstated.
You can reset the clock through an eligible hotel stay, redeeming points, earning points with a co-branded Choice credit card, or purchasing points.
Choice Privileges Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Titanium members are exempt from expiration as long as they maintain their status. If you lose elite status, the 18-month clock begins when your status ends.
If your points expire, Choice offers a paid reinstatement option within 180 days of expiration.
Wyndham Rewards
Wyndham Rewards has two separate expiration rules. This makes it a little more complicated than other hotel programs.
First, individual points generally expire four years after they’re earned, regardless of account activity.
Second, your points can expire after approximately 18 months without qualifying account activity, such as earning, redeeming, or transferring points.
Holding a Wyndham Rewards Earner Premier Card can protect against inactivity-based expiration. Points earned while you’re an eligible Earner Premier cardholder are also exempt from the four-year expiration rule while the card remains open and in good standing.
Earning, purchasing, transferring, or redeeming points resets the expiration clock.
If your points expire, they can’t be reinstated. However, you can start earning points again after completing another qualifying stay, which begins a new 24-month period.
Your Leaders Club membership itself doesn’t expire, although the program may deactivate accounts after three consecutive years without activity.
It’s not exactly necessary to save your Marriott Bonvoy points for one big trip. Sometimes a particular hotel you saw on social media, an event, or an experience is reason enough to plan a weekend getaway.
That’s especially true in the fall. We went looking for Marriott properties where there’s something interesting happening this season and found four with nights bookable with points.
Some of the experiences Marriott is offering this fall cost extra or require a separate package. But Bonvoy points can take care of the room, whether the trip involves fall foliage in Shenandoah, Halloween in San Francisco, wine and live music in Tucson, or a Patriots game outside Boston.
Here are four that caught our attention.
Postcard Cabins Shenandoah, Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy
Postcard Cabins Shenandoah puts a Bonvoy redemption just outside one of the country’s best-known places for fall foliage.
The private cabins sit near Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive, with hiking trails and rivers nearby. Back at the cabin, there’s a private campfire area, and s’mores are included.
There’s still decent availability heading into late fall. When we checked on Oct. 6, November nights started at 32,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, although many dates were priced at 48,000 points.
Award stays are subject to an additional $40 daily destination fee.
Postcard Cabins Shenandoah, Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy. MARRIOTT
The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square
Things get considerably spookier at the historic Westin St. Francis this October.
The hotel’s seasonal Haunted Suite turns the space into a haunted manor, complete with a fireplace, tombstones, cobwebs, and other Halloween decor. The experience also draws on some of the property’s more macabre history.
The Haunted Suite requires a special paid package, so Bonvoy points won’t get you into the themed room. But regular rooms are still an option for spending Halloween at the property.
When we checked on Oct. 6, nights were available for 52,000 Bonvoy points on both Oct. 30 and Oct. 31. Other available October dates climbed as high as 81,000 points.
There’s also a $38 daily destination fee.
The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square. MARRIOTT
The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa
The Westin La Paloma in Tucson is hosting Moonlight Vines this fall, an outdoor event with live jazz, wine, and food beneath the Santa Catalina Mountains.
It’s also the cheapest of the four properties we searched. When we checked on Oct. 6, November nights started at 35,000 Bonvoy points, with many dates ranging from 35,000 to 55,000 points.
Award stays carry an additional $45 daily resort fee.
The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa. MARRIOTT
Renaissance Boston Patriot Place Hotel
In New England, fall is synonymous with football.
The Renaissance Boston Patriot Place is only a short walk from Gillette Stadium. So it’s an unusually convenient place to stay for a Patriots game.
Marriott also sells a Touchdown Package that bundles a stay with two lower-level tickets to a home game, breakfast for two, and valet parking.
That package requires a paid booking. But anyone putting the trip together separately can use Bonvoy points for a regular room and buy game tickets separately.
When we searched on Oct. 6, November nights started at 67,000 Bonvoy points, with most available dates between 67,000 and 82,000 points. There’s an additional $25 daily destination fee.
Renaissance Boston Patriot Place Hotel. MARRIOTT
Search for More Fall Trips With PointsYeah
These are only four pieces of inspiration for your fall travels, and Marriott Bonvoy pricing changes regularly.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that PointsYeah can search Marriott alongside other hotel programs. This makes it easier to see where points can cover a fall stay and view all of what’s available.
One of the lesser-known ways to use Marriott Bonvoy points is transferring them to dozens of airline partners.
Yes, dozens.
On a normal day, Marriott offers transfers to the majority of these partners at a 3:1 ratio. So, transfer 60,000 Marriott points to an airline partner and receive 20,000 miles or points. But for a limited time, one of those partners is getting a boost.
Through October 31, Air Canada is advertising the “only chance this year” to snag a 15% bonus on Marriott Bonvoy point transfers to Aeroplan.
60,000 Marriott Points Become 28,750 Aeroplan Points
This month only, Marriott Bonvoy point transfers to Aeroplan are 15% more rewarding.
Here’s how it works. Aeroplan will add 15% more points to an account after a transfer from Marriott Bonvoy. And there’s already a 5,000-point bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred.
In other words, transferring 60,000 Marriott points to Aeroplan at the standard 3:1 ratio nets 20,000 Aeroplan points. The 5,000-point bonus brings that total to 25,000, and then the 15% transfer bonus gets tacked on top.
So, transfer 60,000 Marriott points to Aeroplan during October and the final total is 28,750 Aeroplan points.
Program members can transfer up to 240,000 Marriott points per day, and the bonus points may take between eight and 10 weeks to land in an account.
Generally speaking, the 3:1 transfer ratio should at least give some pause before automatically transferring Marriott points, especially without a specific use in mind. But even without a transfer bonus on the table, these Marriott conversions offer a backdoor way to earn more airline miles.
It just so happens that transferring to one particular partner is a little more rewarding this month.
Hotel promotions aren’t typically reasons on their own to book a trip. But when a stay is already on the calendar, registering for the right one can spell an easy opportunity to earn a few more points.
Marriott, IHG, Hyatt, Hilton, and Wyndham all have promotions for stays this fall, ranging from a few thousand bonus points to 4X bonus points.
Here’s what’s on offer.
Marriott Bonvoy: Up to 4,500 Bonus Points Per Stay
Marriott Bonvoy members can earn 1,500 bonus points on each eligible paid stay of at least two nights through November 22.
If you stay at a participating resort, Marriott adds another 3,000 points. That brings the total to 4,500 bonus points per stay.
There’s no limit to the number of qualifying stays, but registration is required by November 13. Only eligible paid stays completed after registering qualify, so it’s worth registering before the next Marriott stay rather than waiting until checkout.
IHG One Rewards is offering up to 3X points on stays from October 1 through December 31.
There’s a catch, though: the first qualifying stay doesn’t earn any bonus points.
Starting with the second stay, members earn 2X points when booking through an IHG direct channel. If you book through the IHG app, WeChat, or LINE instead, that increases to 3X points instead.
There’s no cap on the number of bonus points that can be earned.
Registration is required, and stays completed before registering don’t count. That makes this one worth registering for before the first IHG stay of the promotion, even though the extra points don’t start until stay number two.
World of Hyatt members can earn 3,000 bonus points for every three eligible nights after registering, up to a maximum of 36,000 bonus points.
Participating Hyatt hotels and resorts count, along with participating Mr & Mrs Smith properties, The Venetian Resort, and Homes & Hideaways by World of Hyatt.
There’s another useful difference here: points stays do count. An eligible night can be booked with an eligible paid rate or a free night award.
The bonus starts with the first eligible stay after registration.
Hilton’s More Points to Play promotion runs through December 31.
Registered Hilton Honors members earn 3,000 bonus points per stay at participating luxury, lifestyle, and resort properties. Stays at other Hilton properties earn 1,000 bonus points.
There’s no overall cap on the number of bonus points one can earn.
This promotion rewards stays rather than nights, which makes shorter stays particularly interesting. Three separate one-night stays at eligible luxury, lifestyle, or resort properties, for example, would earn 9,000 bonus points.
Registration is required before completing a qualifying stay.
Buying hotel points might sound like an unnecessary extra step. After all, if a room is available, why not just pay for it?
Sometimes there’s a good reason. Buying the points needed to book a room can cost less than paying the hotel directly.
Marriott Bonvoy sells points throughout the year and periodically runs promotions that lower their cost. There’s little reason to buy just because a sale is happening. But with a Marriott stay already in mind, it takes only a few seconds to see whether buying points could save money.
Current Marriott Buy Points Offer
Marriott is currently offering up to a 55% bonus when buying Bonvoy points, dropping the purchase price to about 0.81 cents each.
Current promotion: 55% bonus
Price per point: 0.81 cents
Offer ends: November 23, 2026
Offer purchase limit: 200,000 points before the bonus
Annual purchase limit: 200,000 points before any bonus
Note that this offer is targeted, so you might see a bonus like 45% in your account instead.
Marriott runs points sales periodically, so there’s rarely a reason to buy solely because a promotion is ending. The history below shows how the current offer compares with previous ones. Click the arrow to see past offers.
First, find how many Marriott points a hotel requires. Then figure out how much it would cost to buy those points under the current promotion and compare that with the cash price for the same stay.
The math is simple:
Points needed × current price per point = cost to buy the points
Say a Marriott hotel costs 50,000 points per night. At roughly 0.81 cents per point, buying 50,000 points would cost about $405.
If the same room costs $550 in cash, buying the points could save about $145. If the room costs $350, paying cash is the easy choice.
That’s really all there is to it.
Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel. WINHORSE / ISTOCK
There are a few things that can change the math even more. Marriott Bonvoy members get the lowest-priced night free when redeeming points for five consecutive nights, for example. On a longer stay, that can reduce the number of points needed enough to make buying them more interesting.
It’s also worth comparing the same room and dates. Taxes, resort fees, and other charges can differ depending on how a stay is booked, so the headline room rate doesn’t always tell the whole story.
There’s little reason to stock up on Marriott points without a stay in mind. Marriott runs purchase promotions periodically, and another offer will eventually come along.
Instead, start with the hotel. Check the cash price, check the points price, and calculate what those points would cost to buy.
Sometimes cash wins. Sometimes points do.
And when buying the points is cheaper, it’s a pretty easy way to save money on the exact same room.
