Do Marriott Bonvoy Points Expire? Yes. Here's How to Keep Them Alive
Marriott Bonvoy points expire after 24 months of inactivity. Here's what counts as activity, who's exempt, and the cheapest way to keep your balance safe.
Marriott Bonvoy is the biggest hotel loyalty program out there. 8,000+ properties, 30+ brands. A lot of people in India have Bonvoy points sitting in their accounts from HDFC cards, Amex transfers, or work trips.
Those points can disappear if you forget about them.
The Rule
24 months of no qualifying activity = all your points are gone.
The clock resets every time you earn or redeem. So if your last activity was January 2025, your points expire January 2027.
And if your account has zero activity for 5 full years, Marriott can deactivate the entire account. Not just the points. The account.
What Resets the Clock
More things count than you'd think:
- Completing a paid stay at any Marriott property
- Any purchase on your HDFC Marriott Bonvoy credit card
- Transferring points in from HDFC, Amex, or other bank programs
- Redeeming points for award nights
- Transferring points to airline miles (minimum 3,000)
- Transferring points to another Marriott member using the gifting feature
- Buying points from Marriott (minimum 1,000 for $12.50)
- Donating points to charity
If you have the HDFC Marriott Bonvoy card, you're basically covered. Every swipe earns Bonvoy points and resets your clock. A ₹100 Swiggy order is enough.
You can check which of your other cards transfer to Marriott on the Magnify app. A transfer from any bank program counts as earning activity too.
What Doesn't Count
This part trips people up:
- Just booking a reservation. You need to complete the stay. A future booking or a cancelled one does nothing.
- Receiving points as a gift. If someone sends you Bonvoy points, it doesn't reset your clock. (Though sending points resets theirs.)
- Promotional sign-ups. Registering for a promo isn't activity.
The booking one is worth emphasizing. There was a case where someone had an award stay booked, and their points still expired because the stay hadn't happened yet. The checkout date needs to pass before your expiry date.
Are Elite Members Exempt?
Regular elite status (Silver through Ambassador): no. Same 24-month rule applies.
Lifetime Elite status: yes. If you've hit Lifetime Silver, Gold, or Platinum, your points don't expire. Marriott says they could change this in the future, but for now, lifetime elites are safe.
For reference, Lifetime Platinum needs 600 nights and 10 years of Platinum. Very few people qualify.
Can You Revive Expired Points?
Officially, no. Marriott's terms are clear: "Once Points are forfeited, the Points cannot be reinstated."
Some people on FlyerTalk have reported getting points back by reaching out to Marriott's social media team. A few were offered a "reinstatement challenge" where they had to complete one paid stay within 90 days. But these are rare exceptions. Don't bank on it.
Unlike Maharaja Club which lets you revive points at ₹0.60 per point, or Qatar Avios which charges $0.015 per Avios, Marriott has no formal reinstatement process.
Cheapest Ways to Keep Points Alive
Ranked by cost:
- Swipe your HDFC Marriott card for anything. ₹0 extra cost.
- Transfer minimum points from HDFC/Amex to Marriott. ₹0.
- Transfer 3,000 Bonvoy points to an airline. Uses points but costs nothing.
- Donate 1,000 points to charity through Marriott.
- Buy 1,000 points for $12.50 (~₹1,050). Last resort.
One More Thing
Marriott has been quietly increasing redemption costs. In January 2025, award prices at many properties went up without notice. Luxury hotels in the Maldives nearly doubled. Industry estimates put the devaluation at around 30%.
The 24-month window is generous, but the longer you hoard, the less your points might be worth. If you have a use for them, use them. If you're saving for the FIFA World Cup 2026, that's a fair reason to hold. Otherwise, don't sit on a large balance just because you can.
Check Your Expiry Date
Log into your Marriott Bonvoy account, click your name, go to "Activity." Your last qualifying activity is listed. Add 24 months. Set a reminder at month 22.
Marriott sends warning emails before expiry, but only if your email preferences are turned on. Worth checking.
