I travel a lot on weekends especially in Northern Virginia and to a lesser extent on the East Coast. Marriott's Bonus Bucks give me a great deal in saving money and earning points. I am known as a frequent guest in two properties, and I receive great service from them. Also, Marriott has been willing to let me cancel reservations on occasion when I had to do it past the cancellation deadline without penalty. I have always been able to get problems resolved to my satisfaction. They are annoying, but I have always received excellent customer service. Of course, not everything goes well, and I have contacted Chris, Marriott's official rep on FT, about some concerns regarding a recent stay.

Marriott treats me well with upgrades. I can usually get an upgrade to a junior or full suite if it is available at properties with a lot of suites (over 5 % of all available rooms). It is not an official benefit , but I have gotten the upgrade enough times to know that it was not a one time event as a platinum. At other properties with good views, I can usually get an upgrade to rooms with views (like a corner king room at the Philadelphia Marriott West or a city view room at the NYC Marriott Marquis).

The opportunity for lifetime status is a big lure for me. I have earned almost 1 million points in the past four years, and I expect to reach lifetime gold by 2014, twelve years after I joined Marriott. Lifetime platinum may take longer depending on how long it takes me to reach 1000 nights. I only have 241 lifetime nights right now. I am considering using the travel packages to buy my way to lifetime status on American Airlines.