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FAQ: How to prevent Marriott Rewards points expiring (after 24 months inactivity)

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Old Oct 17, 2016, 8:48 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: Oxon Flyer
Marriott webpage summarising ways to keep points from expiring :
https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/poi...ck=2043917&lk=1000584075

Fastest easiest way is to buy 1,000 points for $12.50US. https://buy.points.com/PointsPartner...EN&product=BUY

T&Cs re: 24-month points expiration:

http://www.marriott.com/marriott-rew.../expiration.mi

”1.6.d. Points Expiration Policy. Members must remain active in the Loyalty Program to retain Points they accumulate. If a Member Account is inactive for twenty-four (24) consecutive months, that Member Account will forfeit all accumulated Points. Members can remain active in the Loyalty Program and retain accumulated Points by earning Points or Miles, redeeming Points, or purchasing Points (as described in 2.9) in the Loyalty Program at least once every twenty-four (24) months, all subject to the exceptions described below. If a Member does not maintain an active status for five (5) consecutive years, the Member’s Account may be deactivated. Once Points are forfeited, the Points cannot be reinstated, but a Member can earn new Points, unless that Member’s Account has been deactivated.

i. Not all Points activities help maintain active status in the Loyalty Program. Examples of activities that do not count toward maintaining an active status in the Loyalty Program include, but are not limited to:
A. Gifting or transferring Points; however, converting Points to Miles or Miles to Points does count toward maintaining an active status;
B. Receiving Points as a gift or transfer

ii. Awards redeemed by a Member prior to Point forfeiture are still valid even though the Award may not yet have been fulfilled at the time of Point forfeiture. However, if those Awards are cancelled after the Points expiration date, those Points are still subject to forfeiture. For example, if a Member redeems Points for an Award Redemption Stay that occurs after the Points expiration date, and then cancels the reservation prior to arrival without having completed any qualifying activity to extend the expiration date, those Points will expire.

iii. The Points expiration policy does not currently affect Points in a Lifetime Elite Membership Account; however, the Loyalty Program may choose to apply a Points expiration policy to Lifetime Elite Membership Accounts in the future.

Note : Points expiration was paused until Dec 31 2022. As of Jan 2023, points expiration was reinstated.

Did you extend Marriott Bonvoy® Points Expiration?
To provide you ample time to redeem Marriott Bonvoy® Points, the expiration of Points was paused until December 31, 2022. At that time, your Marriott Bonvoy® Points will only expire if your Account has been inactive for at least 24 months.
















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FAQ: How to prevent Marriott Rewards points expiring (after 24 months inactivity)

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Old Nov 23, 2018, 3:42 pm
  #241  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
Originally Posted by ual902
Cheapest methods to keep Marriott \ SPG points alive? purchasing a drink at a Marriott hotel or property using my Marriott number?.

Sorry could not find a thread about this, googling only brought me to older spg methods, would like more update.
This wouldn't earn points, but it might make you feel better about losing your points to expiration.
MSPeconomist is offline  
Old Nov 24, 2018, 7:19 pm
  #242  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 589
Originally Posted by funkbandit
Easiest, fastest and most reliable way is the purchase of 1,000 points for USD 12.50. It is also quite inexpensive.
Thanks
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Old Jan 13, 2019, 7:54 pm
  #243  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2
Originally Posted by funkbandit
Easiest, fastest and most reliable way is the purchase of 1,000 points for USD 12.50. It is also quite inexpensive.
Does anyone know purchasing points still extends the expiration date for points? I just had the points post but still have the same warning that they were expiring soon in a few weeks. (Or how long might it take?)
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Old Jan 15, 2019, 11:04 am
  #244  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2
Originally Posted by bkfm84
Does anyone know purchasing points still extends the expiration date for points? I just had the points post but still have the same warning that they were expiring soon in a few weeks. (Or how long might it take?)
Just an FYI update - this updated the expiration after a few days. Still a valid way to keep points alive!
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Old Jan 17, 2019, 9:53 am
  #245  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: KOA
Programs: DL Gold/MM, HH Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 2,280
I just noticed this in my account, but I have not had any actual activity since last May:

The date of your last qualifying activity* was 01/08/2019
Your account will remain active and Points won’t expire as long as you stay or use some of your Points by 01/08/2021

Does anybody else have this message?.
Richard1148 is offline  
Old Feb 2, 2019, 7:56 pm
  #246  
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 201
I asked this in the Canadian SPG Card thread, but this thread is probably more appropriate:

Does anybody know by experience if transferring AMEX Membership Rewards Points to the combined Marriott program (i.e. after August 2018) still counts as a qualifying activity?

I transferred to SPG prior to the merger of the programs in August 2018, and those transfers show up under my Marriott account as qualifying activities (i.e. my 2 year expiry date is from the last transfer I did).

Also, is it just me or is your points expiry date only explicitly stated on the Marriott app? I can only find the dates of my last qualifying activities on the website.
sameruval is online now  
Old Nov 4, 2019, 8:06 am
  #247  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,714
Per https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/terms/default.mi

ii. Awards redeemed by a Member prior to Point forfeiture are still valid even though the Award may not yet have been fulfilled at the time of Point forfeiture.
Do I understand this correctly - that points redeemed for a future award immediately extends the points expiration? This is not how it used to work with Marriott, so just asking. And what happens if I have to cancel said award after the initial expiry date?
italdesign is offline  
Old Jan 3, 2020, 2:12 pm
  #248  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Programs: AS MVP
Posts: 294
I had the same experience. My points were/are set to expire in a few weeks, I recently bought points, they posted, and I still got the "your points are about to expire" email from them.
Buying points worked before to extend the expiration. Did they change the policy?
Jlove is offline  
Old Jan 7, 2020, 2:07 am
  #249  
Company Representative, Marriott Bonvoy
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 1,088
Originally Posted by Jlove
I had the same experience. My points were/are set to expire in a few weeks, I recently bought points, they posted, and I still got the "your points are about to expire" email from them.
Buying points worked before to extend the expiration. Did they change the policy?
Purchasing Points does help maintain a Marriott Bonvoy Account in active status. It may take some time for the system to update the expiration date information.

Best Regards,

Christina Zhou
Specialist, Social Media
Marriott International

[email protected]
Brendan likes this.
Marriott Bonvoy Lurker II is offline  
Old Jan 26, 2020, 3:02 pm
  #250  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: California
Programs: American, SWA, United, IHG,Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,843
Does transferring 1000 points from chase ultimate rewards extend their expiration?
RedElmo is offline  
Old Jan 27, 2020, 3:21 am
  #251  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 257
Originally Posted by RedElmo
Does transferring 1000 points from chase ultimate rewards extend their expiration?
I just did this, and it did not update my expiration date. Just sent an email to Marriott to ask if there is a delay or if it no longer counts as a qualifying activity.
flyerfrog is offline  
Old Jan 27, 2020, 11:37 am
  #252  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: California
Programs: American, SWA, United, IHG,Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,843
Originally Posted by flyerfrog
I just did this, and it did not update my expiration date. Just sent an email to Marriott to ask if there is a delay or if it no longer counts as a qualifying activity.
Oh yikes. Please post and update when you hear back. That was my plan to keep my points fresh.
RedElmo is offline  
Old Jan 28, 2020, 1:59 am
  #253  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 257
Originally Posted by RedElmo
Oh yikes. Please post and update when you hear back. That was my plan to keep my points fresh.
So, the generic email I received from Marriott says that transfers from Ultimate Rewards no longer count as a qualifying activity.

Since point sharing, receiving(transfer) does not include in qualifying activity towards Points Expiration date, your date for point expiration is not extended further.

Here is the list I was given.Qualifying Activity
  • Completed Paid / Redemption / Incidental stays posted to the account.
    • Activity based on Arrival Date
  • Completed Marriott Bonvoy Events
    • Activity based on Departure Date
  • Points earned from Loyalty Credit Cards
  • Points earned from program partners
  • MVW Owners exchanging week or Points
  • Purchasing Points
  • Converting Points to Miles
  • Redeeming Points (including Charitable Donations)
    • Excluding hotel Awards and Travel Packages
    • Activity based on Reward Order Date


Non-Qualifying Activity
  • Earning Points through social media promotions
  • Points issued or earned through VSE
  • MVW Owners Staying on Ownership Week
    • Unless Stay has Incidental Credit
  • Vacations by Marriott
  • Registering for Promotions
  • Ordering Hotel Rewards
  • Ordering Travel Packages
  • Gifted Redemption Stays
  • Point Sharing
    • Giving or Receiving
  • FRUS, RWAD, ADJ-,ADJ+, etc (Bonuses added by Guest Services)
  • Purchasing of Gift Cards
flyerfrog is offline  
Old Jan 28, 2020, 7:36 am
  #254  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: California
Programs: American, SWA, United, IHG,Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,843
Thanks. May have to try for Marriott dining. Otherwise last resort is buy 1000 points.
RedElmo is offline  
Old Mar 1, 2020, 4:30 pm
  #255  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Seattle
Programs: AAdvantage Plat+, FoundersCard, Amex Plat, TR Diamond, Marriott Gold, Wyndham Dia, HH Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 785
Originally Posted by RedElmo
Thanks. May have to try for Marriott dining. Otherwise last resort is buy 1000 points.
There's a 50% bonus if you buy 2000 or more points. I just paid $25 for 2K + 1K bonus, but the points didn't post right away, and the terms state that it could take up to 7 business days. My existing points are due to expire tomorrow - anyone know how this is likely to play out? (I'm guessing my points will expire tomorrow and I'll have to email or call to complain and get them reinstated)

[update several hours later: The 2000 points have now posted - hopefully the extra 1000 will post soon - weird that they do it in two transactions, but whatevs]
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Last edited by huge; Mar 1, 2020 at 11:46 pm Reason: update
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