Husband has over 50k points expiring at end of month and I have some reward reservations for later in the year. Is it correct that he can only transfer 50k points max to me if his points won't cover the total outstanding points needed for whichever reservation they're applied to?

I just went through a very similar scenario a couple of days ago transferring points to my wife's account to cover a rewards reservation she had made. The Marriott rep stated I needed to be able to transfer enough points to cover the entire shortage or the max I could transfer was 50k. He then suggested I transfer more points from my SPG account which I did. You might want to consider adjusting your stays to fit his points level or moving points in a round about manner.

There are some options that you have with SPG. If your husband links his SPG account to his Marriott account, he can transfer his points to his SPG account for safekeeping. This could be enough by itself to keep the points from expiring. The SPG page says that transferring points will keep an SPG account open.

https://starwoodworldwide.custhelp.c...ints-expire%3F

But after the points are in SPG, you have options. The only limitations to transfers between SPG accounts are that both parties have to reside at the same address for at least 30 days, and the transfer has to be in increments of 1000 points. If this applies in your case, then your husband can transfer the majority of his points to you if you want.

https://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefe...language=en_US

Hope this helps!

You don't actually need to reside together, you just need the same mailing address, though you can't use a P.O. Box, APO, or SPO.

The only thing to be careful of is that early on in the merger there were reports that some folks had transferred their points to SPG to keep them from expiring (Starwood considered the transfer an "activity" thus extending the life of the points.) So they then transferred the points back to Marriott (where transfers don't count as an "activity".) And didn't realize that the points would still expire at the original date (and they not only lost the points originally in their Marriott account, they lost the extra points they moved over that were originally in the SPG account as well.)

Don't know if the above still holds out, but if so, be very careful moving points into a Marriott account where there hasn't been any qualifying activity for a few years. You might find all your points disappear.

That's a good point. If he wasn't planning on using the points this year anyway, he can leave them in SPG. It will be interesting to see how it works when the programs combine. Hopefully, any valid SPG points would transfer to the new program without penalty.

Yes that's what I thought and had read but he was told only 50k unless he could cover the entire outstanding points - same as blackhat_3_6 has mentioned

Thanks, that's what I'm planning to do but was hoping it was wrong and I could avoid having to book move things around! I think he has only has around 10k now but seems a waste losing $125 worth of points.

Not sure he has a SPG account but I was wondering this week if we should get the SPG credit card in absence of Marriott UK credit card so will look into it!

mistake post. sorry