FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Experience using Marriott Gift Cards (especially overseas)
Old Nov 15, 2011 | 5:30 pm
  #483  
Delta3MM
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: N Charleston South Carolina
Programs: UA PM (by 2MM), DL GM (by 3.5MM), Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 1,655
Originally Posted by joshua362
Billy, what is the benefits of using the gift cards so much, outside the not too often promos for 10% off or such. Am I missing out on something?

Thanks - Joshua
I find the 10% enough.

Say you stay at hotels and have an average spend per night of $150. Say you stay 60 nights per year. Then, you save $900/year.

If I buy $9000 in cards ($8100), I essentally save $900 on this over the year. If my spend if spread out evenly over the year, then I'm "invested" in this card by 1/2 of the amount for the year. That means, that in one year, I've made $900 with an average investment of $4050. Now consider that the "return" is not taxable and that some people can get other people to pay for the rooms (business travel), well, it is quite profitable.

If all these nights were business travel, then you pocket $900 per year, tax free.

Billy
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