Help me Maximize my Reward Point Usage
Mar 7, 2010 | 6:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: All
Posts: 17
Help me Maximize my Reward Point Usage
I've got a little over 300k points and am taking a two week vacation which uses them all. Somehow I feel like I'm not maximizing my point usage. Please point out some changes I could make to do this better. Maybe I'm missing some promos? All dates represent local check in date.
April 3 (1 night)
Washington Dulles Airport Marriott
20k points
April 5 (2 nights)
Zurich Marriot (Switzerland)
60k points
April 7 (2 nights)
Innsbruck (Austria)
No Marriott location!
April 9 (2 nights)
Renaissance Salzburg Congress Center (Austria)
50k points
April 11 (3 nights)
The Imperial Riding School Vienna, A Renaissance Hotel (Austria)
75k points
April 14 (4 nights)
Prague Marriott (Czech)
120k points
April 18 (1 night)
Courtyard Frankfurt NordWestZentrum (Germany)
I ran out of points!
April 3 (1 night)
Washington Dulles Airport Marriott
20k points
April 5 (2 nights)
Zurich Marriot (Switzerland)
60k points
April 7 (2 nights)
Innsbruck (Austria)
No Marriott location!
April 9 (2 nights)
Renaissance Salzburg Congress Center (Austria)
50k points
April 11 (3 nights)
The Imperial Riding School Vienna, A Renaissance Hotel (Austria)
75k points
April 14 (4 nights)
Prague Marriott (Czech)
120k points
April 18 (1 night)
Courtyard Frankfurt NordWestZentrum (Germany)
I ran out of points!
Mar 7, 2010 | 6:47 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: IAD
Posts: 418
All I can say is that the Marriott Dulles isn't that great. The Westfields Marriott is also cat. 4 and much nicer. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...ington-dulles/ If you're parking @ Dulles.
Mar 7, 2010 | 8:23 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 552
First, I'd use points for Frankfurt, rather than DC. The Frankfurt hotel is ~$100 and can be had for 15,000 points, while the DC hotel is ~$87 and will cost 20,000 points. Neither one of those is a particularly great use of points, though.
What status do you have with Marriott? Some of those redemption rates are low enough that you may be better off redeeming 135,000 points for $1,000 in Marriott Cheques and paying that way.
What status do you have with Marriott? Some of those redemption rates are low enough that you may be better off redeeming 135,000 points for $1,000 in Marriott Cheques and paying that way.
Mar 7, 2010 | 9:26 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: NC, USA
Programs: MR Plat, PC Plat
Posts: 163
MR offers the 5th night free, so if you can spend an extra night in Prague, that will provide extra value.
Also, I would personally pay $$ for any hotel that I could book for less than $.01/point. You can purchase points from Marriott (max of 50K/year) for $.0125/point. For some hotels this is a great value.
Also, I would personally pay $$ for any hotel that I could book for less than $.01/point. You can purchase points from Marriott (max of 50K/year) for $.0125/point. For some hotels this is a great value.