The issue about Marriott IT is true and widely-known (just look at the Marriott forum). But in terms of status benefits and points accrual, Marriott makes it pretty clear that anything booked through non-Marriott channels aren't eligible. Is Flying Pig not an OTA? (Genuine question, I don't know their business model). I know someone who got discount Shinkansen tickets in Japan through Flying Pig, so I'm genuinely curious about how they work.