The MR visa gives you MR silver status,
without the stay requirement.

-David

Thanks, David, but I'd rather stick with my visa card that gives me airline mileage points.

With all due respect to my loyal Marriott colleague, the Hilton VISA gives you Silver Status with NO ANNUAL FEE and gives you 3 points at the hotels and 2 points elsewhwere.

The Hilton AMEX gives you Silver Status with NO ANNUAL FEE and gives you 5 points at hotels and 3 points elsewhere.

Hilton has Marriott BEAT!!!

Maybe in some areas....but they can't touch the 200K award that Marriott has...2 tix anywhere in the world where there is a Marriott....7 nights free in any Marriott ....25% off Hertz rental for up to 8 days..and 100 minute phone card..They actually deposit enough FF miles into your account to get you where you want to go...say Asia...OZ..Middle East...You don't even have to go there...they really don't care how you use the miles after deposited.It's usually around 120K miles into your FF account...worth about $2400....7 nights free...avg $1400-$2100(if maximized)doesn't have to be used in conjunction with the miles...use anytime..anywhere(subject to availability)..So you see...this award alone can crush Hilton and the double-dipping....200K Marriott points is not very hard to come by since it's 10 points per $$ and the Mega bonus will usually net you 20K or so to give you 10% right there. I'll take this over double-dipping for a lousy 500 miles(correct me if I'm wrong) anytime!!!! Marriott for me!!!!

IM4,

Again, great for people such as yourself who travel enough, and are at enough Marriott locations when they travel, to chock up enough points for platinum.

For the majority of us who have to spread their hotels around a bit and cannot realize platinum, then Hilton and, to a lesser degree Starwood, are for me!

Everyone has their own perspective on value, but to me -- Marriott is the best.

Marriott hotel awards range from 1 night at 7,500 points up to 125,000 points for 7 nights. The 200,000 point award is the best.

Hilton hotel awards range from 1 night at 10,000 points up to 195,000 for 6 nights (70K pts higher for 1 less night). Hilton offers a 6 night package w/ 2 airline tickets for 400,000 points (VIP only GlOP award). Even on the low-end, most nice Hampton Inn hotels require 20,000 points for 1 night.

So you earn points & miles with Hilton, but it requires a lot more points to earn a free night.

However, those points flow more freely if you use a HHonors AMEX or Visa. Therefore, if you do not travel on business much, OR AT ALL, and not all of your leisure time is spent at some Marriott hotel (hopefully this is true!), then, even with the higher point level requirements, the infrequent and/or leisure traveler has a better chance of attaining that reward.

This is all the more so, given the current 50,000 bonus point promotion that Hilton is now running for just 4 stays at any of their hotel brands, including Hampton!

[This message has been edited by DOC 2 BE (edited 01-30-2001).]

As a HH gold, I haven't stayed at a Hilton yet this year, all my stays so far are RIs. I agree with some of you that the Elite programs here at Marriot is more valuable than the Hilton one.

If I keep staying like this, I might make it to the Plat level this year!

Give me the 200k Marriott reward anytime!!! I have personally used it three times for my past three vacations. By and far, Marriott has the best rewards over any program I have witnessed or experienced. Also, I have been a member of their program since 1985 and I am absolutely impressed with the high standards I have received.

Once you have used a Marriott 200k reward, there is no turning back...you have truly received something of tremendous value as a gift for your loyalty!

Well said Bob...have used the award myself and am getting ready to cash it again....Yahooo!!!!

[This message has been edited by IM4Travel (edited 01-30-2001).]

But, you guys do most of your traveling on business, right? And a fair amount of travel it is, right?

Wrong...it's fairly easy to accumulate 200K points if you focus on it..

Cam:

It was just a suggestion for you to be able to get or keep the silver status 20% point boost for your board meeting stays for a year ... Isn't the annual fee on the MR Visa card waived for the first year? You can use it once for the 5,000 point bonus, keep it for 12 months to maintain or get silver status point boost, perhaps using it just for your required stays at Marriott and the extra bonus points they earn on that card, and ditch the card when the annual fee comes up ... which gets you a bit closer to the 200k choice award, while getting silver status for a year for free. Meanwhile, if your board meeting related stays this year total 15 nights, you can maintain the status for free for next year without the card.

Hope this helps.

-David



[This message has been edited by LIH Prem (edited 01-31-2001).]

Cam:

I checked and the MR Visa annual fee is waived for the first year, however, the front page of the offer shows the 5k bonus point offer, but the terms and conditions link state that the bonus is only valid until 12/31/00, so I would check on that with First USA before you go that route.

It's still worth it because it's free for a year, but it's even better with the 5k bonus point boost.

-David

Im4, my fellow Garden Stater, you have just got to tell me and everyone else, how you can manage to stay at Marriotts over 200 times a year, and it not be on business!!!

Either you are retired or you have some sort of dream job that permits you over 6 months of vacation time!!

What is the secret? I may even abandon my medical studies!!!