Adelphos

Is this targeted? I hadn't heard/seen this

Adelphos

Let's rank the best way to earn Marriott points (since this the goal of people who would consider spending on Marriott cards)

Direct Marriott Spend: Marriott cards (6x), Amex Green (3x), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x, transfer bonus this year), Chase Sapphire Preferred (2x, transfer bonus this year)
Airfare: Amex Platinum (5x on airfare)
Dining: Amex Gold (4x on dining), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on dining; transfer bonus this year), "Bevy/Bountiful" (4x on dining up to $15K)
Grocery: Amex Gold (4x on dining), "Bevy/Bountiful" (3x on grocery up to $15K)
General spend: Chase Freedom Unlimited (1.5x on general spend, transfer bonus this year), Most Marriott Cards (2x on general spend), Citi Double Cash (2 cents back on double cash, purchase points)

Two things to highlight yere
1) Most people argue you should never transfer MR or UR to Marriott
2) The cash back option is contingent on Marriott continuing to sell Marriott points at less than a penny - which is not promised

Marriott is kind of pursuing an American Airlines strategy with their cards - if people want their points, which many do, it makes sense to spend on the Marriott cards when it makes sense. Most people who are saying "It doesn't make sense to spend on Marriott cards" are using values that are outdated/low

Adelphos

All this said, I briefly looked at my 2022 spend - I put about $7K of spending on my Brilliant card in 2022, with half of that being Marriott spend, about $1.5K in restaurant spend (I am in the habit of using my Brilliant card for all expenses while staying at a Marriott hotel, I often just carry the Brilliant and a Visa card and use the Brilliant primarily) and the rest general. So even I don't put a lot of spend on the card even though I love it.

FWIW, my most used card (by a good amount) is Amex Delta Reserve, followed by cards like Amex Gold, Chase Sapphire Preferred, etc.

Boraxo

With all due respect, I would never put a dime on a Delta card once I hit the SUB. Nobody needs more skypesos...

Adelphos

Nobody needs more SkyPesos, but a lot of people need more MQM and the MQD waiver.

Also, three of my best redemptions in 2022 (and the past few years) were directly tied to Delta Reserve spending and SkyMiles:

1) SEA to JFK, 25K miles or so and upgrade to D1 via an RUC (no Delta Platinum without Delta Reserve)
2) JFK to BCN roundtrip, two tickets, 148L each, D1
3) JFK to OGG one way (through LAX), 40K each, D1/F, upgraded via GUC (no Delta Diamond without Delta Reserve)

Based on what I see on the Delta forum, I am a light spender on the Delta Reserve compared to many Diamonds

SPN Lifer

Actually, both my wife and I hold the $85-annual-fee Chase Marriott Bonv∘y Premier Visa card, and are the authorized user (AU) on each other's card. We find value in the 25K-point free night certificate (FNC) in excess of the annual fee.

More importantly, however, once I achieved ten years of Marriott Bonv∘y Platinum Elite status at the end of 2021, and I was merely waiting for the 30 Elite Qualifying Nights (EQN) to post on Sunday, 1 January 2023, we immediately shifted all our family spend from my card to hers, do she can be a Platinum lifer, too. Only seven more years to go.

Beaucoup Bonv∘y!

friedablass

So why do you even bother getting the sign up bonus for a Delta card? I stopped signing up for Delta cards a long time ago. If I would ever find a great Delta redemption (which hasn't happened in years) I can transfer MR which I earn plenty of through SUBs and regular as well as bonus spend.

Boraxo

Because I can.

(The same reason I got the JCB Marukai and X1 cards)

Adelphos

I got what I believe is my first Platinum suite upgrade since the refresh of the Brilliant. W Miami (Brickell). On a certificate redemption. Honestly I think I have gotten several hundred dollars of incremental value from the refresh in just a few months, maybe over $1,000.

josephstern

Not sure if this was your intention, but reading this list shows that working to earn Marriott points is pretty much never worth the opportunity cost anymore. Back in the SPG days, sure, but now - nothing compelling at all.
As I burn down my points stash, I am realizing that I'm unlikely to ever replenish it. Which is really fine.

Adelphos

Here is the thing though - I have had some really great Marriott stays the past two years or so - Ritz Carltons, Editions, Autograph Collections, Ws, Luxury Collection, even regular Marriott. As I increase my travel I intend to stay at these hotels again, as well as additional Marriott properties. So the need to pay something to stay at these hotels remains.

When I do the math, it always makes sense to redeem points rather than to pay cash - which I can generally do in all of these situations. So except in the edge case of buying Marriott points directly with cash (limited to how many you can buy a year, and no guarantee pricing stays where it is), the math seems to work out towards having a lot of Marriott points if you intend to stay at Marriott hotels.

How can this be? Because redemptions seem to generally work out to well over 1 cent per point when comparing the cash rate to the points redeemed. Which to me suggest we are ascribing too low of a USD value to Bonvoy points in the current hotel room price environment

applesauce

I mean it's certainly possible to get 1c/pt or more but in my experience it's far from the norm. I'd tag it right around .75. just now I was looking at NYC and BOS in spring and fall and they're pretty consistently 0.6c/pt whether a courtyard or premium property. Will be in Europe next month, winter, seeing 0.6-0.8c/pt. Booked the latter nights on pts and former on cash and a number of boutique hotels as they're simply a better deal. One of our favorite US properties was consistently 1.1-1.2c/pt the last couple years but next year it's down to 0.8.

Lonsinla

I missed the 150k sign up bonus that ended a few days ago. Does this offer appear regularly?

YoungBubbie

I’m lifetime platinum, but I keep the old $85 Premeir card with the $3000/1 elite night in case i need to get me to 75 nights for titanium.

nexus7556

For what it’s worth I was never able to get this corrected. Ambassador team showed no care at all. Amex offered me a one time $50 bill credit as an apology.

I guess be warned that if you stay at this property you may not get the right points.