Marriott Top-Off Calculator: The Cheapest Way to Close Your Points Gap

Prices checked · By the WanderWise editorial team

Enter what you have and what you need to see how many Marriott points you're short and what each way of getting them costs today.

Marriott top-off calculator

How many points you're short, and what each way of closing the gap costs today.

What you're booking

Top-off allowed: up to 25,000 points, so up to 60,000 points a night.

Optional: points you could transfer
You're short
15,000 points
worth about $120 at our 0.8¢ Marriott valuation
OptionWhat it takesCost
Buy points (55% sale bonus)cheapestBuy 10,000 points + 5,500 bonus = 15,500$125
Transfer from Amex Membership Rewards (35% bonus)12,000 Amex points → 16,200 Marriott
Only if you have Amex points.
≈ $156
in points value
Transfer from Chase Ultimate Rewards15,000 Chase points → 15,000 Marriott
Only if you have Chase points.
≈ $195
in points value

Cheapest right now: buy points (55% sale bonus). Buying only makes sense if the award saves you more than the $125 you'd pay — otherwise pay cash for the room.

How this works: transfers from Amex and Chase are 1:1 (plus any current bonus), in 1,000-point steps, and are counted at what those points are worth elsewhere — our conservative 1.3¢ a point. Purchases cost 1.25¢ a point before any sale bonus and assume 1,000-point steps. Marriott points are valued at 0.8¢. Transfers and purchases can't be undone. See the current Marriott deals for sources and dates.

Use it when you have some Marriott Bonvoy points and need a few more — to top off a free night certificate or finish an award booking. Prices reflect deals running today, including the current points sale (through November 23).

The top-off rule

Since March 12, 2026, you can add up to 25,000 points to a Marriott free night certificate, up from 15,000 (One Mile at a Time, NerdWallet). That sets the most each certificate can book:

Current point sales and transfer bonuses, with dates and sources, are on our Marriott deals page. Not sure what your balance is worth in the first place? Try the Marriott points value calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How do you top off a Marriott free night certificate?

When you book with a free night award, Marriott lets you add up to 25,000 of your own points to reach a night priced above the certificate's level (up from 15,000 before March 12, 2026). A 35,000-point certificate plus 25,000 points can book a night up to 60,000 points, a 50,000-point certificate up to 75,000, and an 85,000-point certificate up to 110,000.

Should I buy Marriott points to top off a certificate?

Only for a specific booking. Marriott sells points for 1.25 cents each before any sale bonus, and we value them at about 0.7 to 0.9 cents on hotel stays, so buying at full price loses value. During a points sale with a large bonus the price can drop to roughly what the points are worth; it makes sense when the purchase is small and unlocks a night that would cost noticeably more in cash.

Is it better to transfer Amex or Chase points to Marriott?

Both transfer at 1:1 in 1,000-point steps. We value Amex and Chase points at about 1.3 cents each and Marriott points at about 0.8 cents, so a plain transfer gives up value. A temporary transfer bonus narrows the gap; the calculator applies any bonus running today.

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