At 1 SPG = 3 MR, what are the arbitrage opportunities?
#46
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 376
The miles are put into your airline account of choice. After that the use of those miles are totally up to the rules of that airline's program. Marriott has no control or even visibility into how you use (or don't use those airline miles.)
You will also receive a 7-night hotel cert of which you will have 1-year to use at any hotel you choose, within the category level of the hotel cert and hotel award availability of course. Marriott will normally let you extend that hotel cert for up-to another year (essentially giving you up-to 2 years to find a hotel to use it at.)
There are no rules linking the use of the airline miles to any particular hotel or hotel award reservation. So yes, you can sit on the free nights for at least a year and usually up-to 2 years.
You will also receive a 7-night hotel cert of which you will have 1-year to use at any hotel you choose, within the category level of the hotel cert and hotel award availability of course. Marriott will normally let you extend that hotel cert for up-to another year (essentially giving you up-to 2 years to find a hotel to use it at.)
There are no rules linking the use of the airline miles to any particular hotel or hotel award reservation. So yes, you can sit on the free nights for at least a year and usually up-to 2 years.
#47
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,110
#48
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,888
The lately discussed Marriott deals to get discounted UA miles or discounted miles & nights seems to require that you're in RewardsPlus. However I'm not eligible for RewardsPlus as far as I can tell, since I'm no longer UA Gold (and am only Marriott gold via SPG).
Have I misunderstood how this works?
Have I misunderstood how this works?
#49
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: DL, Marriott & IHG Platty; HH Diamonte
Posts: 859
Yep - noticed that too. Spend on my Ritz is going to move to SPG Amex other than when staying with Ritz/Marriott.
#50
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,682
The lately discussed Marriott deals to get discounted UA miles or discounted miles & nights seems to require that you're in RewardsPlus. However I'm not eligible for RewardsPlus as far as I can tell, since I'm no longer UA Gold (and am only Marriott gold via SPG).
Have I misunderstood how this works?
Have I misunderstood how this works?
#51
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: DL, Marriott & IHG Platty; HH Diamonte
Posts: 859
I'd suggest just sitting on the SPG points and not converting them (unless you need them to get the award ticket). 1:2 is a terrible conversion value. In the future you may stay at Starwood again and earn more, or decide to transfer to an alternate airline. The points won't go away (although make sure you have some sort of earning within 12 mos).
Personally, this whole merging is working very well on my side.
#52
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,110
I believe that's true for convering Marriott points to Mileage Plus miles, but it looks like you have to be Mileage Plus Silver to transfer in the other direction.
#53
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,362
For me the travel packages are where it's at. I bought two 7 night travel packages (cat 1-5) for 540,000 MR pts (180,000 SPG) and received 264,000 UA miles Plus two rooms for seven nights at any cat 1-5 marriott.
That's a transfer rate of 1:1.46 SPG to UA plus i have the free hotel nights. Great deal for me as I live in the midwest and United provides me some great travel options.
That's a transfer rate of 1:1.46 SPG to UA plus i have the free hotel nights. Great deal for me as I live in the midwest and United provides me some great travel options.
#54
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,782
For me the travel packages are where it's at. I bought two 7 night travel packages (cat 1-5) for 540,000 MR pts (180,000 SPG) and received 264,000 UA miles Plus two rooms for seven nights at any cat 1-5 marriott.
That's a transfer rate of 1:1.46 SPG to UA plus i have the free hotel nights. Great deal for me as I live in the midwest and United provides me some great travel options.
That's a transfer rate of 1:1.46 SPG to UA plus i have the free hotel nights. Great deal for me as I live in the midwest and United provides me some great travel options.
#55
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,120
Does anyone have any feeling about the free transfer of points within households continuing after 2017? I have a lot of SPG miles, as does my wife. But I am still travelling and she is not. I'm thinking it might be wise to move them over to my account while the option is still there. Any thoughts?
#56
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; IHG Plat; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 11,721
what makes you think that? Marriott has had at least a variation of this award for decades. Probably since they started the program. I can't see them suddenly removing this award all of a sudden.
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
Does anyone have any feeling about the free transfer of points within households continuing after 2017? I have a lot of SPG miles, as does my wife. But I am still travelling and she is not. I'm thinking it might be wise to move them over to my account while the option is still there. Any thoughts?
#58
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,782
Last year I spent 100K on RC card but it was not enough points to buy one travel package. This year I am definitely switching to SPG Amex...and get me 300K MR points for the packages. I will lost Plat for 2018 but who knows what will happen to the programs in 2018 anyway.
#59
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,682
Does anyone have any feeling about the free transfer of points within households continuing after 2017? I have a lot of SPG miles, as does my wife. But I am still travelling and she is not. I'm thinking it might be wise to move them over to my account while the option is still there. Any thoughts?
#60
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 376
debating whether to transfer the 120k to alaska or american.. any thoughts on which would be a better option for couples traveling in J or F plus best bang for the buck?