Mar 4, 2019, 1:50 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

NOTE: this thread is for discussing promotions and discounts on gift card purchases and cash-back rebate sites etc.

Discussion about gift card usage can be found here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...on-thread.html

For more details, see the first post of this thread: New to this thread? Start here: Intro - https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18858149-post1.html

You can use Marriott gift cards to pay for Marriott stays (not applicable for discounted prepaid rates), resort fees and parking fees, treatments at the spa, dining at Marriott properties and more. Keep in mind, however, that some Marriott brands do not accept Marriott gift cards. This includes Bulgari, Design Hotels, Homes & Villas by Marriott International and The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club and possibly more.

Historical portal earning and noticeable deals and discounts (July-2020):
Rakuten: 1.5%
MrRebates: 0%
TopCashBack & BeFrugal:

Asia Pacific: 5%

Europe, Africa, etc: 5%
US/Canada Properties: 3%

There are others as well. See evreward.com and cashbackmonitor.com for other current deals.

Pros and cons of buying hotel Gift Cards:

Pros:
1. 15% discount. We do not get additional earning from credit card since we would have earned the same points by paying with cash (credit card)
2. Good for mattress runs at reduced costs. Assume score lower room rates.

Cons:
1. Commitment to a single brand Marriott. Eliminate the flexibility of stays with Hilton, IHG, Hyatt and other brands.
2. GCs are prepaid funds. The funds do not earn anything (interest). We lose the time value of money. The longer we do not use the GCs, we more we lose.
3. GC values are not protected (perishable). The physical GCs can get lost or stolen. We may forget to use the GCs. The GCs can be hacked and value drained. After the GC purchases, the credit card protection is gone.
4. GCs are not accepted at all hotels. Marriott hotels are more decentralized and it carries so many brands. Some do not follow Marriott rules and they may not accept those GCs even though they should. A lot hotels overseas do not accept the GCs.
5. GCs have limitation. At current time, they can't be used to book prepaid hotel stays. This defeats the main purpose of buying the GCs. The GC holders are not entitled for the discounted hotel rates.
6. GCs are dominated in US $ only. Even if they are accepted at foreign location, GC holders lose further more from foreign exchange. With credit card, we may get to choose to charge in USD $ or local currency.
7. GCs can't be redeemed for cash. If GC holders ever want to get the cash out of the GCs due to financial hardship, they can only be sold at the secondary markets like eBay etc. at steep costs.

To check card balance, visit gifts.marriott.com.
For Customer Service call +1 800.442.6132 or email [email protected].
Gift Card Registration: Lost, stolen or damaged cards will be replaced only if previously registered on gifts.marriott.com. Value of replaced card will equal balance on card at the time it was reported lost, stolen or damaged.

Notes:
1) If you make an LNF/BRG adjustment to your reservation you will still get cash back.

DIRECTIONS FOR A HOTEL TO PROCESS A GIFT CARD

Click on Givex icon
Enter login and password info at 2 levels
- property info
- employee info (password is birthdate MMDD, at least at this property)
Enter gift card number
Click on Check Balance (other 2 options are Activate and Redeem)
Click on Redeem
Enter amount to use
Enter card number again
Click Calculate
Click Submit

I used an e-gift card and a plastic one. It’s the same process for both. No swiping.

MASTER THREAD: Current Marriott Gift Card, Cash Back, Tricks & Promos

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Jun 13, 2020, 4:37 am

#1921

Michilander

Join Date: Nov 2010

Location: BWI, PHL, IAD

Programs: Marriott LT Titanium; Mileage Plus 1K, 1 MM; Global Entry

Posts: 1,516

TCB is back:

Qualified completed stays in Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands properties. 5%

Qualified completed stays in European properties. 5%

Qualified completed stays in Caribbean, Latin American, and Middle Eastern and African properties. 5%

Qualified completed stays in United States and Canadian properties. 3%

I will update wiki.

Brendan likes this.

Jun 13, 2020, 4:43 am

#1922

Michilander

Join Date: Nov 2010

Location: BWI, PHL, IAD

Programs: Marriott LT Titanium; Mileage Plus 1K, 1 MM; Global Entry

Posts: 1,516

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michilander

Don't know about BeFrugal, but I left the title unchanged in the wiki because I didn't want to hose the hyperlink.

Jun 13, 2020, 11:48 pm

#1923

pbd456

Join Date: Sep 2008

Programs: A3 *G, AA exePlat, AS MVP 75k Gold, JL sapphire, UA silver

Posts: 4,035

Does paying by gift card considered as qualified but topcashback?

Jun 14, 2020, 8:34 am

#1924

Israshot

Join Date: Aug 2019

Location: NYC

Posts: 31

Marriott cancelling orders

I'm trying to buy a $300 Marriott GC on their website for the brilliant credit before downgrading the card. When I hit submit, the charge goes through on the amex side but Marriott shows an error message. I tried with one of the AU card with different information, it went through but they cancel the order after a few hours. They can't tell me over the phone what's the reason. (I bought last month a big amount with the promotion with no issues with the same card).
Any idea what's the issue?
(I'm aware about restaurant credit)

Jun 15, 2020, 7:36 pm

#1925

Brendan

Join Date: Dec 2000

Location: Charleston, SC, USA

Programs: Avis Pref+, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Life Gold, Honors Silver, IHG Plat via MC.

Posts: 6,786

Hello, YYJMSP & TheOtherHolmes! I'm on the flip-side of you. I'm a US resident, and I bought my Fairmont GCs in CAD because I took an educated guess that the grabbin' was good at that rate. Unfortunately, Marriott sold their GCs in USD only, so you've been hurt & I'm neutral on that one.

Jun 18, 2020, 10:59 am

#1926

VPescado

Join Date: Nov 2002

Location: SQL

Programs: SPG Platinum; Hyatt Platinum; UA 1K

Posts: 3,170

Quote:

Originally Posted by VPescado

Tried to use my gift card at the 4Points, San Jose, CA Downtown. The desk agent claimed they could not take them because their system needed to be upgraded in order to do so, and that was put on hold indefinitely due to C19. The guy seemed sincere. What is the fastest way to resolve? Trying to reach out to management at the property, via the GC folks, or via Bonvoy CS?

Ultimately Marriott sided with the property basically saying, the property says it can't accept them. Despite this seeming to go against the T&C's.

Has anyone had a better experience getting Marriott to push back on properties which aren't allowing the Marriott GC's? I do have a case number to follow up with - if anyone can point me to something definitive. It really does feel like a bait and switch.

Jun 18, 2020, 9:52 pm

#1927

RedSun

Suspended

Join Date: Jan 2017

Location: EWR/PHL/BWI

Posts: 4,412

Quote:

Originally Posted by VPescado

If a store, say Home Depot, tells you that its system is down and can't take GC. What would you do? You can't force the store to take your plastic. The store does not know if there is any $$ in the card. I would not say this is against T&C since the store or hotel just can't do it at that time.

This is clearly part of the cons of using GC....

Happy likes this.

Jun 19, 2020, 4:47 pm

#1928

Happy

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jul 2003

Location: Florida

Posts: 29,760

Quote:

Originally Posted by VPescado

It is not bait and switch - indeed the former SPG properties have to get system upgraded to handle Marriott GCs. Last yeat all former SPG properties at Perth could not process GCs because their systems were not updated - it was in the process but there were some issues the IT dept could not resolved. So both my staysat a 4P and a Westin ended up paying with CCs, while the managements of the properties waived the CC processing fee - in case you are not aware, Australia charges credit card process fee if paying by CC. There were also Hong Kong Marriott properties would not process GC the way it should have been but would convert the USD in local currency using hotels' inferior rates... In such scamming situations I just opted to pay with CC instead and leave the GCs to be used in other occasions.

While using GCs when they are on sale indeed would save you some money, it is not without its usual inconvenience - it is up to the users to decide if the inconvenience is worth the saving.

SPN Lifer and RedSun like this.

Jun 29, 2020, 3:17 pm

#1929

sethb

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jun 2004

Location: MSP

Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others

Posts: 12,159

I tried to buy Marriott gift cards during the recent promotion. My first effort failed, and I wrote to Marriott asking about that.

I've just received email from them, asking for a time to phone me to process the order. They should call tomorrow.

Brendan, cfischer, kevin4lee and 1 others like this.

Jul 3, 2020, 4:42 pm

#1930

margarita girl

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jun 2007

Location: Toronto

Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob

Posts: 15,521

Quote:

Originally Posted by margarita girl

Note that Marriott will not allow partial cancellation of an order. So if you had multiple gift cards on one order, you have to cancel all or none.

Marriott does it again! On May 20, I sent them an email asking to cancel one of my gift cards. Thinking this might take a while to get a response, I called the 800 number the following day, May 21, where an agent told me it was impossible to cancel just one gift card if they were on one order (as I posted above). OK fine. I found someone who was willing to take the extra gift card off my hands. No response from Marriott to my email until yesterday where they advised me that they had gone ahead and cancelled the gift card per my request.

It would be awesome if Marriott could have one set of rules and make sure that staff is trained to answer questions correctly!

Jul 4, 2020, 9:23 am

#1931

RedSun

Suspended

Join Date: Jan 2017

Location: EWR/PHL/BWI

Posts: 4,412

Just one layer of excitement if anyone ever needs to contact Marriott and its partners.

Jul 4, 2020, 10:49 pm

#1932

sethb

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jun 2004

Location: MSP

Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others

Posts: 12,159

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethb

So much for "should". Maybe next week.

Intl359Widget likes this.

Jul 6, 2020, 5:51 pm

#1933

Intl359Widget

Join Date: Mar 2018

Location: EDI/GLA

Programs: DL 2 MM Unobtainum | UA 1.1MM Gold | MR Bonvoy Titanium

Posts: 2,269

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethb

So much for "should". Maybe next week.

You got Bonvoyed... :-:

EdV likes this.

Jul 7, 2020, 2:02 pm

#1934

sethb

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jun 2004

Location: MSP

Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others

Posts: 12,159

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intl359Widget

You got Bonvoyed... :-:

I just got off the call, and already have the email with the gift cards. So they were delayed a little, but it's not like I've stayed in any hotels in the past few months either.

SPN Lifer, cfischer, kevin4lee and 1 others like this.

Jul 9, 2020, 3:10 am

#1935

clarkef

Join Date: Jan 2005

Location: Silicon Valley

Programs: Marriott Ambassador

Posts: 1,243

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedSun

I'd ask for the store to call corporate and have it processed manually.

SPN Lifer and EdV like this.