Accidental transfer · Marriott to American Airlines AAdvantage
Accidentally transferred Marriott points to American Airlines AAdvantage? Here's how to sell the miles
No bank reverses a points transfer, and Marriott is no exception. The Marriott Bonvoy program terms say that once miles have been awarded to the chosen airline program they may not be changed to another airline program or converted back to Bonvoy points, and that cancellations, changes, reissuance and refunds of miles are not allowed. The Marriott Bonvoy points you moved are American Airlines AAdvantage miles now, and American Airlines AAdvantage's rules decide what can happen to them.
If you will not fly on them, Points Plug buys American Airlines AAdvantage miles from 50,000 miles at 1.19¢ to 1.42¢ per mile, depending on the balance, with payment in 24-48 hours: 100,000 miles fetch about $1,270. This page covers what the miles are worth, what American Airlines AAdvantage lets you do with them instead, and how to sell.
Written and reviewed by the Points Plug team. Last reviewed .
- Can Marriott reverse it?
- No
- Stated on its own pages
- Transfer ratio
- 3:1
- No 5,000-mile bonus
- Miles expiry
- After 24 months without activity
- Points Plug pays
- 1.19¢ to 1.42¢ per mile
- From 50,000 miles
Can a Marriott transfer to American Airlines AAdvantage be reversed?
The Marriott Bonvoy program terms say that once miles have been awarded to the designated airline frequent flyer program, they may not be changed to another airline program or converted back to Loyalty Program Points, and that once points are ordered to an account, cancellation, changes, reissuance and refunds of miles are not allowed. Marriott's help centre puts it simply: once miles are awarded to an airline program, they cannot be moved to another airline or converted back into Marriott Bonvoy Points.
That covers both mistakes people make with Bonvoy conversions: choosing the wrong airline, and converting more points than an award needed. The 3:1 ratio also means the points cannot be rebuilt cheaply, so the miles are usually worth more sold than the hotel points would have been.
How Marriott transfers work
- Points convert at 3:1 to most airlines, with 5,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points moved. United receives 10,000 bonus miles per 60,000 points; American and Delta receive no bonus.
- Conversions run from 3,000 up to 240,000 points a day, and for most airline partners the first and last name on the airline account must match your Bonvoy name.
- Marriott's points-to-miles page lists posting times per airline; most take several days, and the miles are not yours to use until they post.
- For American Airlines AAdvantage specifically: No 5,000-mile bonus.
If the points have not posted, or went somewhere you did not expect
- If the miles have not posted within the time Marriott lists for that airline, contact Marriott Bonvoy member support with the conversion confirmation.
- Marriott's terms rule out changing the airline or reissuing the miles once they are awarded, so a conversion to the wrong airline stands.
What your American Airlines AAdvantage miles are worth now
Published valuations put American Airlines AAdvantage miles at 1.40¢ to 1.70¢ each, about 1.49¢ on average, as of September 22, 2026. The published figure assumes the miles go on flights; what you actually get depends on the award, and the American Airlines AAdvantage valuation page lists the redemptions behind the range.
For the miles you hold now, Points Plug pays 1.19¢ to 1.42¢ per mile, rising with the balance; 100,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles, roughly what 300,000 Marriott points became at 3:1, fetch about $1,270. The quote form on this page shows the exact figure for your balance.
| Balance | Rate per mile | Example offer |
|---|---|---|
| 50,000 to 99,999 miles | 1.19¢ | 50,000 miles: $595 |
| 100,000 to 199,999 miles | 1.27¢ | 100,000 miles: $1,270 |
| 200,000 to 499,999 miles | 1.34¢ | 200,000 miles: $2,680 |
| 500,000+ miles | 1.42¢ | 500,000 miles: $7,100 |
Offers are a share of the program's typical published value; our rates page explains how they are set for every program.
How to sell American Airlines AAdvantage miles
- Get a quote. The form on this page is preset to American Airlines AAdvantage; enter your balance and the offer and price per mile appear before you give up anything.
- Accept the offer. Our team reaches out to confirm the details and explain how the booking will be handled. You keep your account and your login.
- The miles are used to book last-minute travel for pre-qualified customers through your account, usually in one or two bookings rather than many small ones.
- You are paid through the method you choose, typically within 24-48 hours of the booking.
The minimum is 50,000 miles in one program, and balances of 100,000, 200,000 and 500,000 earn higher rates. You never pay anything: the quote is free and the offer you accept is the amount you receive. Read how it works and the guide to selling airline miles for the detail.
Airline programs' terms restrict selling miles. Our American Airlines AAdvantage Q&A quotes American Airlines AAdvantage's own rule, so you can read it before you decide.
Other ways to use the miles
Fly on them
- Partner business and first class: Qatar Airways Qsuite to the Middle East and beyond, Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific to Asia, Qantas to Australia.
- Web Special awards on American flights, which can be priced well below the standard chart on off-peak dates.
- Short partner flights, such as Alaska Airlines on the West Coast or British Airways within Europe, where the mileage cost is low.
The American Airlines AAdvantage award chart shows what the balance books and which redemptions return the most per mile, and the American Airlines AAdvantage program guide covers the traps.
Share or pool them
American has no household pooling. Its Transfer Miles transaction moves miles to another member for a non-refundable fee shown at checkout, capped at 300,000 miles sent and 300,000 received per member each calendar year, and transferred miles earn the recipient no Loyalty Points.
Move them to another program
No. The AAdvantage terms say that unless American expressly states otherwise, miles cannot be transferred out of AAdvantage to any other loyalty program.
Points Plug can also convert American Airlines AAdvantage miles into another airline program from 50,000 miles, with the fee built into the rate the quote shows.
Top up for an award
A few thousand short of the award you wanted? How to buy American Airlines AAdvantage miles covers the price, the limits and any promotion running now.
Will the miles expire?
AAdvantage miles expire after 24 months with no earning or redemption activity; any qualifying activity resets the period. Members under 21 and primary AAdvantage credit cardmembers (while the card account is open) are exempt.
A transfer in from a bank partner counts as qualifying activity, so it restarted the 24-month expiry clock for your whole AAdvantage balance.
Source: AAdvantage FAQ. See do airline miles expire for every program's rule.
Avoiding the same mistake next time
- Find the award seat first and confirm it books with American Airlines AAdvantage at the price you expect. Only then transfer, and only the amount the award needs; the rest keeps its flexibility in Marriott.
- Read the partner name on the confirmation screen before you confirm. Several partners have similar names (Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Red, the four Avios programs) and a mis-tap lands the points somewhere else for good.
- Hold Marriott points in Marriott until a trip is certain. There they keep their cash option and their choice of partners, and transfer bonuses of 20 to 40 percent come round several times a year.
- Keep the confirmation email until the miles post, and check the airline account under the same name before assuming a transfer failed; posting times run from minutes to two weeks depending on the issuer and the airline.
- Our guide to transferring credit card points to airlines covers ratios, timing and fees for every issuer.
Marriott to American Airlines AAdvantage: FAQ
- Can I reverse a Marriott transfer to American Airlines AAdvantage?
- No. The Marriott Bonvoy program terms say that once miles have been awarded to the chosen airline program they may not be changed to another airline program or converted back to Bonvoy points, and that cancellations, changes, reissuance and refunds of miles are not allowed. The points are American Airlines AAdvantage miles now and follow American Airlines AAdvantage's rules.
- Can I move American Airlines AAdvantage miles back to Marriott Bonvoy?
- No. The AAdvantage terms say that unless American expressly states otherwise, miles cannot be transferred out of AAdvantage to any other loyalty program.
- Will Marriott refund the transfer if the award seat is gone?
- No. Marriott's pages make no exception for award seats that disappear after a transfer, which is why the usual advice is to find the seat and confirm the price before moving points. Once the miles post, the choice is between waiting for new availability, using them another way or selling them.
- How much are my American Airlines AAdvantage miles worth now?
- Published valuations put American Airlines AAdvantage miles at 1.40¢ to 1.70¢ each when redeemed for flights, with partner premium-cabin awards above that and cash-style redemptions below. As cash, Points Plug pays 1.19¢ to 1.42¢ per mile depending on the balance, so 100,000 miles fetch about $1,270.
- How does selling American Airlines AAdvantage miles to Points Plug work?
- Enter your balance in the quote form for an instant offer and price per mile. Accept it, and our team confirms the details, books last-minute travel for pre-qualified customers through your account and pays you by your preferred method, typically within 24-48 hours of the booking. The minimum is 50,000 miles in one program, and the quote is free with no obligation.
- Can I give the miles to someone else or pool them?
- American has no household pooling. Its Transfer Miles transaction moves miles to another member for a non-refundable fee shown at checkout, capped at 300,000 miles sent and 300,000 received per member each calendar year, and transferred miles earn the recipient no Loyalty Points.
- Do American Airlines AAdvantage miles expire after a transfer?
- AAdvantage miles expire after 24 months with no earning or redemption activity; any qualifying activity resets the period. Members under 21 and primary AAdvantage credit cardmembers (while the card account is open) are exempt. A transfer in from a bank partner counts as qualifying activity, so it restarted the 24-month expiry clock for your whole AAdvantage balance.
Sources
- Marriott Bonvoy: loyalty program terms and conditions (points to miles) · official page
- Marriott Bonvoy: convert points to miles · official page
- Marriott help centre: earning points or airline miles for a hotel stay · official page
- American: AAdvantage terms and conditions · official page
- American: buy, gift or transfer miles FAQ · official page
- AAdvantage FAQ · official page
Other accidental transfers
Into American Airlines AAdvantage from another program
From Marriott into another airline
- Marriott to United MileagePlus
- Marriott to Delta SkyMiles
- Marriott to Alaska Atmos Rewards
- Marriott to Air Canada Aeroplan
- Marriott to Avianca LifeMiles
- Marriott to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Marriott to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- Marriott to JAL Mileage Bank
- Marriott to ANA Mileage Club
- Marriott to Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Marriott to Virgin Australia Velocity
- Marriott to British Airways Club
- Marriott to Air France-KLM Flying Blue
- Marriott to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- Marriott to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- Marriott to Emirates Skywards
- Marriott to Etihad Guest
- Marriott to Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Every bank's rule on reversing transfers, with a page for each transfer route.
More on American Airlines AAdvantage
- Sell American Airlines AAdvantage miles: the program guide, rates and quote form.
- What American Airlines AAdvantage miles are worth: every published valuation and the redemptions behind it.
- American Airlines AAdvantage: 232 questions answered from the airline's own pages.
- The transfer partner matrix: every bank-to-airline route and ratio.