🚗 Sharing is Caring: Hooking Up Your Kid with Your Marriott Bonvoy Points! A Super-Sized Guide
Alright, listen up, because we're diving deep into the world of parental generosity and elite travel perks. Your daughter has a trip coming up, maybe it's spring break, a killer girls' weekend, or a post-grad adventure, and she’s looking at those sweet, sweet Marriott digs. You, the hero of this story, are sitting on a mountain of Marriott Bonvoy points, enough for a trip to the moon and back (or at least a fancy suite). The big question is: Can your daughter actually use your Marriott points?
The short answer, you magnificent parent, is a resounding heck yes! But like everything awesome in life, there are rules. We're talking official rules that keep the whole loyalty program machine running smoothly. Forget those old-school days of sneakily trying to book under your name and hoping the front desk clerk is chill. Marriott Bonvoy is pretty cool about family sharing, and they've got a couple of ways to make this magic happen. Let’s break it down like a science project with way more hotel slippers involved.
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| Can My Daughter Use My Marriott Points |
Step 1: Know Your Options – The Two Main Plays 🃏
You've got a couple of straight-up legit routes to get your daughter into a Marriott on your dime (or rather, your points). Choose wisely, because one option might be a better fit than the other, depending on the situation.
1.1 The Direct Point Transfer: The Digital Hand-Off
This is the most flexible and fire option if your daughter already has her own Marriott Bonvoy account (which she totally should!). Marriott lets members transfer points to another member's account, and guess what? They don't charge you a single penny for it! Talk about a major win.
Pro Tip Alert: Why transfer? If your daughter has a higher elite status than you (maybe she travels for work or has a co-branded credit card), it’s way smarter for her to book the stay from her account. Why? Because she’ll get all the sweet benefits like a potential room upgrade, late checkout, and maybe even free breakfast. Now that’s playing 4D chess, my friend!
Tip: Context builds as you keep reading.
1.2 The Gifted Reservation: The "Parental Booking" Maneuver
This is your go-to if your daughter doesn't have a Bonvoy account, or maybe she just needs points for one specific stay. You, the OG points owner, book the reservation directly using your points, and then you call up the hotel or Marriott Customer Service to add your daughter's name to the reservation. This lets her check in without you even being there. It's like an adult permission slip, but way cooler.
Step 2: Executing the Transfer – Moving the Goods 🚚
If you went with the Direct Point Transfer (the smarter move for long-term travel goals), here is the step-by-step lowdown. It's not rocket science, but you gotta be precise, or you'll be calling customer service—and ain't nobody got time for that.
2.1 Check the Eligibility Boxes
Before you even think about hitting the "Transfer" button, make sure both accounts are squared away.
Open for Business: Both your account and your daughter's account must be in good standing and open for at least 30 days with qualifying activity (like earning or redeeming points), or open for 90 days without any qualifying activity. This stops people from opening an account just to dump points.
The Point Limits: Marriott is generous, but there are limits:
You can send a maximum of 100,000 points per calendar year.
Your daughter can receive a maximum of 500,000 points per calendar year. That’s a serious amount of hotel stays!
Minimum Transfer: You must transfer at least 1,000 points, and always in increments of 1,000. No funny business with 543 points.
Tip: Reread the opening if you feel lost.
2.2 Logging In and Finding the Page
This used to be a frantic phone call situation, but Marriott is woke now.
Hop onto the official Marriott Bonvoy website on your computer. Seriously, the desktop site is often easier for this kind of thing than the mobile app.
Log in to your account (the one with the points).
Navigate to the Points Transfer section. Sometimes it's buried under "Manage" or "Redeem Points," but searching for "Transfer Points" on their site usually gets you there fast. Bookmark that page, folks, it’s money.
2.3 The Data Entry Dance
You'll need some key info from your daughter, so make sure you text her and tell her to get it together.
Enter the recipient's full name (your daughter’s), exactly as it appears on her Marriott Bonvoy account.
Enter her Marriott Bonvoy member number. Double-check this! Mistakes here are a total buzzkill.
Enter the exact number of points you want to transfer (must be in 1,000-point increments).
Hit the button to confirm you agree to the terms and conditions.
Security Check: Marriott might send you a verification code via text or email. Enter that code to seal the deal.
Boom! The transfer is usually instant, or within minutes. Tell your daughter to log out and log back in, and those points should be sitting pretty in her account, ready for booking.
Step 🚨 Step 3: Gifting the Stay – Booking in Her Name 🎁
If transferring is too much hassle, or your daughter is a points newbie, the gifted stay is your jam.
Tip: Break it down — section by section.
3.1 Make the Points Reservation
Log into your Marriott Bonvoy account.
Search for the hotel and dates your daughter needs and book the room using your points.
Crucial Note: Book it with your name as the primary guest, just like any other reservation.
3.2 Call for the "Guest of Honor" Status
This is where the magic happens. You need to call the Marriott Bonvoy Customer Engagement Center (or sometimes the specific hotel's front desk works too, but the main line is safer).
State clearly: "I need to add a second guest to my award reservation who will be checking in, and I will not be present."
Provide your daughter’s full legal name and let them know she will be the only person checking in.
The agent will then add her name to the reservation, sometimes labeling it as a "Guest of Honor" reservation (even though that term has other meanings, it gets the job done).
Confirm, Confirm, Confirm: Get a confirmation number for the change, and make sure the agent confirms verbally that your daughter's name is now on the reservation and she is authorized to check in without you.
Heads Up! When she checks in, she will need her photo ID and a credit card for incidentals (like room service or a tiny bottle of water from the mini-bar). This card does not have to be yours, which is awesome.
FAQ Questions and Answers
How-to: How much does it cost to transfer Marriott points to my daughter?
It's absolutely free! Marriott Bonvoy is super cool and does not charge a fee to transfer points between member accounts.
Tip: Jot down one takeaway from this post.
How-to: How long does it take for the points to show up in her account after I transfer them?
The transfer is generally instantaneous, or at least within an hour. If you don't see them right away, try having your daughter log out of her account and log back in.
How-to: Can I transfer points to my daughter if she just created her Bonvoy account today?
Nope, hold your horses! Her account must have been open for at least 30 days with some "qualifying activity" (like earning or redeeming points), or 90 days if there's been no activity.
How-to: Can I book a room for my daughter using my points if she doesn't have a Bonvoy account?
Yes, you can! You book the room under your name and points, and then immediately call Marriott Bonvoy or the hotel to add her name as the only guest authorized to check in. She will need to provide a credit card for incidentals upon check-in.
How-to: Is there a yearly limit on how many points I can send to my daughter?
Yes, you can transfer a maximum of 100,000 points out of your account to other members per calendar year, and your daughter can receive a maximum of 500,000 points from other members per calendar year.
Would you like me to find the direct link on the Marriott Bonvoy website for transferring points?
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