If you value a Companion Pass highly and you haven't already figured out a way to get one cheaper, there is now a complicated way you can buy one.
First, I ask bloggers NOT to copy this information and NOT to post any more than they already have. You guys have flogged the opportunity to death and given away all the pieces, so please leave it at that. Otherwise I will put you on my fecal roster (hat tip from FlyerTalk to CarTalk). This is the
Southwest forum, so I'm giving some extra help to people who actually fly the airline. People here know the Southwest rules but no so much the rules of other programs.
Oh, and the same goes for FT members. No cross-posting or linking from other forums, please. Keep this discussion here, for readers of this forum only. This deal looks pretty fragile to me at this point.
Here are the steps, which need to be started soon.
1. Create a Marriott Rewards account if you don't have one.
2. Create a Starwood Preferred Guest account if you don't have one. Use the same name and address as for the Marriott account.
3. Link the two accounts to allow points transfer.
4. Google "Starwood points purchase promotion". Find out what percentage discount you are offered on this Starwood account. Typical discount is 35%. The max of 50% is rare.
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for two more family members
at the same address. You can add a 3rd or 4th member, but don't go crazy with it or the SPG folks might not appreciate your gaming of their promotion. Trust me and just forget about getting 50% off. Settle for 35%.
6. Do not buy the points yet! Important!!
7. Steps 1 through 6 should be completed soon, or anyway by November 25 if you want to be able to redeem for your Companion Pass in the first week of January for 2-year validity.
8. Let any new Starwood accounts age for 14 days before purchasing points, to comply with the terms of the promo. I plan to purchase points late in December in case this deal is killed before then.
9. Purchase 30,000 points (the maximum) from each of three different Starwood accounts which were created at least 15 days ago. At 35% off your cost will be $682.50 times 3 = $2047.50. If you use a Starwood Amex card you will earn 2 points per dollar for this purchase, meaning you will need to buy slightly fewer points. Purchased points appear almost immediately, provided that you have not attempted to exceed the 30k annual purchase limit per account.
10. Make sure all Starwood accounts have been at the same address for at least 30 days. The longer the better, since a human being must approve this step. Fill out the online form to transfer points from account C to account A and then fill out the online form to transfer points from account B to account A. About 4 days later all 90,000 points will be in account A. Transfers can only be done in 1k increments. If your transfer is denied, assemble your proof that the family members really do live at the same address (kids are ideal) and call to request a prompt review.
11. Transfer the 90,000 Starwood points to Marriott, where they become 270,000 points. Transfers can only be done in multiples of 1000 points.
12. Phone Marriott on January 2 or later to redeem your 270,000 points for a 120,000 point Travel Package. Note that Marriott DOES allow points from a spouse's account to be combined with yours when redeeming an award in case Starwood gave you any trouble with the transfer between members. The 270k redemption gives you 120k Rapid Rewards points (or similar miles on another airline if you prefer) plus a single stay of up to 7 nights at a hotel in Marriott categories 1-5, typically a sub-$120 hotel. The RR points have heretofore qualified for Companion Pass, and we know how long it takes Southwest to change their software.
13. If you didn't wait until January to request the package your Companion Pass will expire December 31, 2017. If you waited, it will expire December 31, 2018.
Request date matters. Posting date does not.
14. I figure the hotel award is worth at least a few hundred dollars and 120k RR points are worth about $1700. If you agree with those valuations your Companion Pass is nearly free.
15. If you have or want to buy additional points, you can spend 120k more Marriott points (40k Starwood) to upgrade your hotel coupon all the way to the top category. If you plan to use all 7 nights that is a good deal. You can upgrade the category by adding points even months after your initial redemption, so experts recommend redeeming the 270k and waiting to see what hotel category you actually are going to use before you upgrade the certificate.
16. There is a real risk that Marriott will pull the plug on these Travel Packages before you can complete this plan. They've been getting slammed with redemptions and the Starwood promotion (which ends December 31) can't be helping. I suppose there's a risk of an early end to the Starwood discount as well. I don't expect Travel Packages to last beyond 2017 in anything like the current form. Personally, I'd put the over/under at 3 months, but the experts think that Marriott won't risk upsetting members until the merger is complete. No guts, no glory. I'm going to try it myself, but I do have a backup plan in case this one doesn't work.
Good luck! And please, please keep this on the down-low, in this forum only.