Points or Miles
Apr 2, 2000 | 6:17 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Don't know....
Programs: BA LTG, SQ TPPS, CX DMP, AA EXP, Bonvoy LTT, ALL PLT, Hilton DM
Posts: 4,035
Points or Miles
What is the preference of Marriott members?
If I choose miles, do I still qualify for gold/black/plat status? Do I also get elite bonus for miles like I do for points (e.g. 20%)?
If I choose miles, do I still qualify for gold/black/plat status? Do I also get elite bonus for miles like I do for points (e.g. 20%)?
Apr 3, 2000 | 12:05 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Dallas, TX. AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Rewards Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold VIP, Starwood Platinum Preferred, Avis Preferred Select
Posts: 863
I prefer points. I have used them to get rooms at some pretty nice places that are normally very expensive.
At 10 to $1 plus the bonus, I have racked up tons. When you take miles, you get 3 to $1 - no bonus regardless of your status.
Your status is based on the number of nights you stay and have no basis on whether you select points or miles.
At 10 to $1 plus the bonus, I have racked up tons. When you take miles, you get 3 to $1 - no bonus regardless of your status.
Your status is based on the number of nights you stay and have no basis on whether you select points or miles.
Apr 3, 2000 | 5:11 am
#3
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CH-3823 Wengen Switzerland
Programs: miles&more, MileagePlus
Posts: 27,043
.. and currently with miles you would also miss the actual extra 100% bonus using VISA (till mid-2000).
Apr 5, 2000 | 5:25 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Bethesda, MD
Programs: AA PLT (1MM), MR Gold, SPG Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 219
I have to agree, pick POINTS.
I just took a couple extra days in London after a business trip, and by having the points, I got to stay in a wonderful hotel that would have otherwise cost me $400 a night.
The general rule I go by (rightly or wrongly) is you take the currency of the company you're directly dealing with -- because you end up getting more for it. If you go with miles in this instance, Marriott has to buy those miles, so you're not necessarily going to get as much bang for your buck as you would have by taking points that Marriott themselves make good on, presumably at a lower cost. Of course, if you're saving for a particular goal (like mileage to take the family or friends somewhere), then take the miles.
[Rereading that last paragraph, I'm not sure if that was clear, holler if it wasn't!]
I just took a couple extra days in London after a business trip, and by having the points, I got to stay in a wonderful hotel that would have otherwise cost me $400 a night.
The general rule I go by (rightly or wrongly) is you take the currency of the company you're directly dealing with -- because you end up getting more for it. If you go with miles in this instance, Marriott has to buy those miles, so you're not necessarily going to get as much bang for your buck as you would have by taking points that Marriott themselves make good on, presumably at a lower cost. Of course, if you're saving for a particular goal (like mileage to take the family or friends somewhere), then take the miles.
[Rereading that last paragraph, I'm not sure if that was clear, holler if it wasn't!]
Apr 5, 2000 | 9:35 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Don't know....
Programs: BA LTG, SQ TPPS, CX DMP, AA EXP, Bonvoy LTT, ALL PLT, Hilton DM
Posts: 4,035
Thank you for all your advice...
I have been getting points from Marriott but have never done any research into whether miles or points makes sense. Now, I have the answer... thanks!
BWI,
You make a good point that Marriott has to buy the miles from other airlines so it is probably not as good for us.
I have been getting points from Marriott but have never done any research into whether miles or points makes sense. Now, I have the answer... thanks!
BWI,
You make a good point that Marriott has to buy the miles from other airlines so it is probably not as good for us.
Apr 10, 2000 | 11:12 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: BAGold; AA3MMPlat; UA1MMGold; FBGold; MarriottAmb; AccorPlat; HHGold; ICPlatAmb; HyattDiscoverist
Posts: 4,378
BWI Flyer's general rule makes perfect sense. My sole exception is for those chains I don't use often, where it's unlikely I'd accrue enough local currency for an award in less than 5 years (and/or don't think I'd really want the free stay there). In those cases,I take miles.
Apr 11, 2000 | 7:41 am
#7
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: St Petersburg, FL, USA
Posts: 2,275
Forget these conga lines where you can look at ads for an hour and get 500 miles. Whoopie. If you have a weeklong stay at a property, and have some time to prepare, you can really juice it up. This should be illegal, it feels so good:
My weekly itinerary -
4 nights @ $225 Renaissance
$100 in restaurant/room service
$150 in hotel taxes
My cash awards -
Reserve room through Travelers Advantage ($900 * 5% rebate) = $45
Purchase $1100 in Marriott gift certificates at Volumebuy.com @ 25% discount on a 1% cash back Visa = $11
[Note: a 10% discount is available anytime, with special 25% off sales sometimes]
At checkout, use $1100 of certificates, pocket 25% discount ($1100 * 25%) = $275
Pay for $50 balance with 1% cash back Visa = $0.50
Total cash award for stay = $331.50
My point awards -
$1000 in room charges * 10 points/$ = 10,000 points
Gold member (for a little while longer @ 20% bonus) = 2,000 points
Pay balance of charges with Visa, get double points = 12,000 points
Total points for stay = 24,000 points
Repeat weekly until the gift certificate offer and double Visa offer expire. The 10% off Marriott gift certs are available anytime. This is even better than the Hyatt game I outlined a while back: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum60/HTML/000070.html
My weekly itinerary -
4 nights @ $225 Renaissance
$100 in restaurant/room service
$150 in hotel taxes
My cash awards -
Reserve room through Travelers Advantage ($900 * 5% rebate) = $45
Purchase $1100 in Marriott gift certificates at Volumebuy.com @ 25% discount on a 1% cash back Visa = $11
[Note: a 10% discount is available anytime, with special 25% off sales sometimes]
At checkout, use $1100 of certificates, pocket 25% discount ($1100 * 25%) = $275
Pay for $50 balance with 1% cash back Visa = $0.50
Total cash award for stay = $331.50
My point awards -
$1000 in room charges * 10 points/$ = 10,000 points
Gold member (for a little while longer @ 20% bonus) = 2,000 points
Pay balance of charges with Visa, get double points = 12,000 points
Total points for stay = 24,000 points
Repeat weekly until the gift certificate offer and double Visa offer expire. The 10% off Marriott gift certs are available anytime. This is even better than the Hyatt game I outlined a while back: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum60/HTML/000070.html
Apr 11, 2000 | 4:41 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 411
Tino, I'm not familiar with Traveler's Advantage. Is this an AOL site? I like the idea of getting some cash back for my travel reservations. Are there other places to pull that off? Thanks!
Apr 11, 2000 | 6:24 pm
#9
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: St Petersburg, FL, USA
Posts: 2,275
The name is Travelers Advantage, run by Cendant. It's $60 a year, but you get a 5% cash rebate off any air/hotel/car travel you buy.
You get the rebate after you send in the receipt for completed travel. It's a pain, but if you are like me, you have to do yer receipts anyway. The phone number is 1-800-835-8747.
Also, within a week or so of signing up, you can set up a "Profile" with them that includes your credit card # and FF#s, then they give you an exclusive phone number. (trust me, it's significantly better than the sub-minimum wage grunts from Nashville you usually get).
The service is very spotty, but if you have a few minutes to make reservations, it can be very lucrative.
More details upon request.
You get the rebate after you send in the receipt for completed travel. It's a pain, but if you are like me, you have to do yer receipts anyway. The phone number is 1-800-835-8747.
Also, within a week or so of signing up, you can set up a "Profile" with them that includes your credit card # and FF#s, then they give you an exclusive phone number. (trust me, it's significantly better than the sub-minimum wage grunts from Nashville you usually get).
The service is very spotty, but if you have a few minutes to make reservations, it can be very lucrative.
More details upon request.
Apr 15, 2000 | 6:52 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Richmond, VA
Posts: 411
Tino: thanks for the tip; sorry I didn't follow-up earlier!
Has anyone else had any experience with Travelers Advantage?
Has anyone else had any experience with Travelers Advantage?