sammyindc

Just got a status match offer for Marriott Platinum and will be staying at several Marriott hotels in the next few weeks. What would be best, earning Marriott Points (10 points per dollar spent and 50% bonus) or earning United miles (2 miles per dollar spent) for my stays?

Thanks.

rthib

I usually go for points based on this math:

$200 avg stay
Points = 2000 base, 1000 Plat, 1000 Visa
So 4000 points or 400 miles / stay

Platinum mean 75 stays a year, so
75*4000 = 300,000 points
75*400 = 30,000 miles

300,000 points = Travel Package = 7 Nights + 120,000 miles

So points = 120K miles
Miles = 30K miles


Also, remember you only earn 2 miles at Full Marriott, all the rest are 1 mile.
Courtyard, Springhill, Fairfield still earn full 10 points

iflyjetz

If you go with miles, you cannot get lifetime status.

kaiserboy

In the past I would always do miles. I have since changed to points.

Knowing that I will have approximately 150 stays in the next 12 months I also did the math.

Thanks to rthib for his layout;

$100 avg stay
Points = 1000 base, 500 Plat, 000 Visa (Have to use corporate visa)
So 1500 points or 100 miles / stay

Platinum means 75 stays a year (150 in my case), so
150*1500 = 225,000 points
150*100 = 15,000 miles

225,000 points = Travel Package = 7 Nights + 70,000 miles

So points = 70K miles
Miles = 15K miles

sammyindc

Thanks. I will stick with points.

Bzy

Timely post and responses. I just opened my Marriott Rewards account -- have been Hilton and SPG for years). I chose miles at first but thought better of it and just switched to points.
Good to see the choice validated by FT members.
Thx.

living near shamu

Both of your assumptions and maths are correct, except the bolded lines by me.

In reality, points equals the miles in your calculations PLUS your free 7 night stay.

UNIVBFan

Anyone think the bonus miles available, especially if you're only doing short stays, makes it worth switching and picking up some extra miles instead of using points?

Also, in the calculations above, I think you still earn the VISA points regardless of whether you choose miles or points, don't you?

lkar

When I have my account set for miles (only during the US grand slam promo) I did not receive any bonus miles for elite. I remember looking at the membership benefits terms and feeling satisfied that was correct. I am only silver though -- is it only for plats or was this a mistake?

For me, it is not close, even with mileage promos unless it's something extraordinary like the grand slam promo where one cheap stay can be worth 5k miles plus a hit toward eqm. Points is much better otherwise, particularly if as mentioned one is working toward travel packages or stay at the 1 mile brands.

Nikolaos

Usually i go for the points, unless there is a promo i like. Speaking of which:

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyalt...-sep-1-dec-31/

With this promo you can earn up to 30,000 bonus UA miles!!

In general, i think that loyalty programs have been designed so as to make more attractive to get the points of the program, which are cheaper for the issuing firm. Temporary promos might change the balance..

Two notes:

1. With Marriott is ok to change from miles to points whenever you feel like. So you can make your calculations for the points/miles of the next stay and make the decision that is best of you.

2. As mentioned earlier, only full-service Marriott hotels earn 2miles per $!! Make sure that you factor this in, before you decide!!

sdsearch

The thing is, if you set things up right, for the next few weeks (first half of September), you can earn 1000 or 1500 or 2000 bonus UA miles on each stay (so make them all one-night stays at alternating hotels if possible), which makes it pretty irrelveant whether you earn 1 mile per dollar spent or 2 miles per dollar spent. (Set your account earn miles, go to your Promotion Central, and you should the info and registration for this promo.)

There is no points promo until mid-September. And it varies by person (the Fall Megabonus), and it requires the use of a Visa (not Amex, not MC, not Discover) for paying for your stay. You can see what your personal Fall Megabonus is by setting your account to points and going to your Promotion Central.

Anyway, while I wouldn't get excited about 1 or 2 UA miles per $, 2000 bonus UA miles for every one-night stay (starting with your 5th, and 1000 or 1500 bonus UA iles on your 2nd through 4th stay, no bonus on your first stay after registering) does sound much exciting. And you can earn up to 30000, so this promo works for up to about 17 stays. (While some of points or free night promos "cap out" after just a small handful of stays.) And the miles promo, unlike the points promos, does not require that you pay with a Visa.

sammyindc

Regarding the VISA requirement, it's any VISA correct? It doesn't have to be paid with a Marriott or United visa.

iflyjetz

Correct. My wife gets credit with her government Visa.

sammyindc

How many points do you need to get lifetime Platinum status?

iflyjetz

2 million. Sounds like a lot but it also requires 1000 nights, 12 years in the program, and having made platinum at least once.
If you register for the bonuses and get them, you shouldn't have any problem hitting 2 million points.
In spite of a lot of rollover nights and other bonus night credits, I'm only 105K points short of lifetime status. And a lot of my stays were at non-full service hotels.