What to do when a Marriott Bonvoy account holder dies
Marriott International has a formal process for transferring points after an account holder dies
OverviewWhen someone dies
Deceased Member Account Support
Timeline
No specific processing timeline or submission deadline published by Marriott. The transfer is processed upon Marriott's receipt and review of documentation, at its sole discretion.
WebsiteSubmit claim online →
Verified May 2026
Marriott International offers a process for transferring Marriott Bonvoy points to family members after the account holder dies.
How to request a transfer
Follow these steps to initiate a transfer of Marriott Bonvoy points after the account holder's death:
1
Submit a request through Marriott's Deceased Member Account Support:
- •Visit help.marriott.com/s/article/marriott-deceased-member-account and open the Deceased Member Account Support section.
- •Fill out the online form with the deceased member's account information and recipient details.
- •Marriott will reply by email with a secure link to upload supporting documentation.
2
Provide required documentation (per Marriott Loyalty Program Terms):
- •The deceased member's will, or an attorney's attestation that there is no will
- •Certified death certificate of the deceased member
- •Marriage certificate (if the requestor is claiming as the legal spouse)
- •Two forms of legal identification of the requestor
- •Recipient's active Marriott Bonvoy account number
3
The recipient must be either the legal spouse or a person named in the deceased member's will as the intended recipient of loyalty program points. Points can only be transferred to a single Bonvoy account; split transfers are not permitted.
4
The recipient's Marriott Bonvoy account must have been active for at least 30 days before receiving the transfer.
5
Elite Membership Status, Lifetime Elite Status, Elite Night Credits, awards, and hotel stay benefits do not transfer. Only unredeemed points are eligible.
6
Marriott processes the transfer at its sole discretion. Ensure the deceased member's account was in good standing at the time of death.
Required Documents
- Certified death certificate of the deceased member
- The deceased member's will, or an attorney's attestation that no will exists
- Marriage certificate (if the requestor is claiming points as the legal spouse)
- Two forms of legal identification of the requestor
- Deceased member's Marriott Bonvoy account number
- Recipient's active Marriott Bonvoy account number (account must be at least 30 days old)
Timeline
No specific processing timeline or submission deadline published by Marriott. The transfer is processed upon Marriott's receipt and review of documentation, at its sole discretion.
Frequently asked questions
Marriott may, at its sole discretion, allow a one-time transfer of unredeemed points to a single recipient who is either the legal spouse or named in the deceased member's will. The transfer requires a death certificate and proof of executor status. Elite status, night credits, awards, and other benefits do not transfer.
Marriott offers a discretionary estate transfer process for unredeemed points. Points can be transferred to one active Bonvoy member account, but split transfers are not permitted. The recipient must be the legal spouse or named in the will. Submit a request through the Deceased Member Account Support section on help.marriott.com.
Marriott does not publish a specific deadline for submitting an estate transfer request. However, it is advisable to submit the request promptly, as Marriott retains sole discretion over whether to approve the transfer and the account must be in good standing.
No. Elite Membership Status, Lifetime Elite Status, Elite Night Credits, awards, and hotel stay benefits do not transfer to the recipient of the deceased member's points. Only unredeemed points are eligible for the estate transfer process.
Only the legal spouse or a person explicitly named in the deceased member's will as the intended recipient of loyalty program points can receive the transfer. The recipient must have an active Marriott Bonvoy account that is at least 30 days old. Points can only go to a single account.
Per the Marriott Loyalty Program Terms and Conditions, the required documentation includes (1) the deceased member's will, or an attorney's attestation that there is no will; (2) a certified death certificate; (3) a marriage certificate, if the requestor is the legal spouse; and (4) two forms of legal identification of the requestor. The request is submitted through the Deceased Member Account Support form on help.marriott.com, which provides a secure link to upload documentation.
The recipient can use transferred points under the program's normal terms. Keeping the deceased account holder's account number and contact details on file simplifies this process for the executor or surviving family.
Deceased Member Account Support
Timeline
No specific processing timeline or submission deadline published by Marriott. The transfer is processed upon Marriott's receipt and review of documentation, at its sole discretion.
WebsiteSubmit claim online →
Verified May 2026
