Marriott Bonvoy and Flipkart SuperCoins have launched what they call India’s industry-first dual loyalty integration, allowing seamless earning and redemption across hospitality and e-commerce platforms. We had reported on the upcoming partnership yesterday.
Dubbed “Your Cart Takes You Places,” the initiative enables Flipkart shoppers to earn Bonvoy points while buying everyday items and
Marriott guests can convert their Bonvoy points into SuperCoins for online shopping.
How does the Flipkart x Marriott Bonvoy partnership work?
Flipkart and Marriott are collaborating on multiple levels. Once you connect your accounts, you can earn Marriott Bonvoy points in addition to the Flipkart SuperCoins through the partnership. The minimum amount to spend on Flipkart in one order to earn Marriott Bonvoy points, in addition to your Flipkart points, is INR 1,000.
Here is how points are computed when you place a Flipkart order after the linkage is done.
There is an annual cap, although it is unclear whether this cap applies every year, in terms of the calendar year, or on a 365-day cycle. Regular users can earn 500 points per annum at the most, and Flipkart VIPs earn 1,000 points per annum. The points are credited once the return window for the product expires.
The following products are excluded from point earning:
- Flipkart Gift Cards
- Gold Coins/ Gold Bars/other precious metals
- Gift Voucher (E.g. Malabar Gift Vouchers sold on Flipkart)
- FK branded Carton & Packaging Boxes (Bought by sellers for the Marketplace)
- FK branded Packaging Security Bags (Bought by seller for Marketplace)
- FK printed Cello Tapes & Tape Dispensers (Bought by seller for Marketplace)
- Digital Products & digital vouchers
- Service listings
- Recharge & Bill Payments
You need to link both your accounts to enable this feature. You need active memberships on both Marriott Bonvoy and Flipkart SuperCoins, and you must link them via the microsite (https://flipkart.marriott.com/terms-and-conditions) to participate. This linking only works when you use a phone, not when you use a laptop or desktop, at least in my experience.
You can also move points both ways.
Once you link your accounts, you can also transfer points in both directions using the Flipkart app. The conversion ratio is 2:1 both ways. So, 2 Flipkart SuperCoins become one Marriott Bonvoy Point, and similarly, 2 Marriott Bonvoy points become one SuperCoin. I presume there is a barter involved on both sides, and hence, no single programme is taking the upper hand. Transfers are almost instant, but the T&C list a 48-hour timeline. There are limits involved, though.
In a single transaction, you can transfer up to 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points or Flipkart SuperCoins in the other direction. Up to a maximum of 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points or Flipkart SuperCoins can be transferred in a day.
What Does This Mean for You?
Your next Flipkart haul (electronics, groceries, clothes) can inch you closer to a Marriott stay — or conversely, your Marriott points can soften the cost of your next online haul. However, as you can see, this is not a high-value alliance that one would want to bank a stay on. A 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points is the extra points I receive as a Platinum Tier member every stay, for context.
There is a third benefit involved, which gives users of Flipkart Travel access to Member rates at Marriott. However, I’m unsure why someone would want to book via Flipkart when they have access to Marriott Bonvoy.
Bottomline
Marriott Bonvoy and Flipkart SuperCoins have unlocked a pioneering dual-loyalty system, letting your shopping morph into hotel perks, and your hotel points fuel your next cart. You can link your carts and then earn points (albeit meagre) for your shopping on Flipkart, and you can also transfer points between Flipkart and Marriott.
What do you make of this alliance?
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