More Questions re Marriott's Programs
 

I'm not sure why, but when I signed up for Marriott's program, I must have signed up for Marriott Miles rather than rewards. Can I switch the miles that I have in there for points? Which side of the program is better - in the collective opinion?

Thanks for your thoughts!

I switched from Miles to Rewards about 18 months ago. At the time I switched I was able to change the last two stays from Miles to Rewards points if I recall correctly. In terms of what is better, I think it depends on your situation and what promotions are currently being run. Once I passed half a million UA miles and a couple of hundred thousand miles on Am West, I switched to Rewards for the hotel stays. Currently I like the 5,000 rewards points for every third stay through early Sept offer. Since I'm not in Marriott Miles any longer I'm not sure what "Miles" promotions might be in force.

the Miles program running offers 500 miles/stay plus a bonus of 2'500 miles after each 5 stays.

at check in time (sometimes even at check-out time) you can determine if that stay should count as a reward or as a mileage-stay: In average, the mileage program is better for cheap (one night) stays, the reward program wins on higher priced (several night) stays. The mileage and reward-programs bear the same Marriott membership-number and really allow to swith from stay to stay (I tried this out several times during the last promotions in 99).

Confirm Rudi- One other small possible advantage of points over miles however is my anecdotal personal experience that points tend to post a little faster and more reliably than miles and that Marriott is relatively quickly and easily able to correct such point problems wheras miles are a bit slower- and car rentals- well, don't hold your breath!

(Hertz) car rental bonus is gone, as are the airline bonuses.

Marriott can also easily correct errors for miles postings. A couple of times I had stays paid for directly by company. I gave my Marriott miles number, but did not get credit for it. I called up customer service and they gave me credit as a stay (towards the 2500/5000 bonus for 5th stay).

[This message has been edited by pgupta011 (edited 06-29-1999).]

They sure are, and Marriott says it's better because they increased Marquis Level bonuses and now you always get them!

So, they will give credit then for miles immediately by phone, as they have done for points? Just out of curiosity, how long for the miles to post vs the points when there is no problem, and how long after you call with a problem for each to appear? Sounds like in your experience they are roughly equal!

In my case I called them, and later the super-bonus for the Marriot Miles appeared. I do not know how long it took. You are right that Marriott points will post right away, but for transfers from Marriott to the airline there is a delay.

my marriott miles take 4 to 8 weeks till they show up in my airline programs (UA, LH or SR). If I am not credited after 2 months (this happend for about every 5 th stay outside the US (both Marriotts in Mexico-City never did post automatically), a simple email to Marriott mMiles (giving them Marriott#, arival date, bill-amount in $, and Hotel name/location) always solved the problem.