I just noticed that the Marriot point to miles conversion system is really bad. Compared to Hilton you get 2,000 miles for 10k points. But you earn 10pts for every $1 you spend at the hotel.
However, Marriot has different levels, you only get 5pts/$5 with RIs for example. If I choose the Earning miles, then I'll get 1 mile for every dollar that to me sounds like a better option.

What are your opinion on this??

Thanks

------------------
Al

Marriott has three points to miles conversions.

10,000 pts = 2,000 miles (5:1)
20,000 pts = 5,000 miles (4:1)
30,000 pts = 10,000 miles (3:1)

200,000 pts = 7 nts, up to 120K miles? (5:3)

Al -

It is all a matter of "FOCUS". Me - I take the miles at Marriott (into AAdvantage as you might have guessed) because I feel Hilton & Hyatt have better hotel LOCATIONS for "freebies". Wife and I are partial to Hawaii for the freebie trip.

Oh yes, back to "focus". The way I got to Lifetime Platinum (actually 2.3 million miles to date) is to pour every mile into AAdvantage that I can earn.

Since Hilton has the "Double Dip" I can "focus" AND get free stays in Hawaii BOTH. For Hyatt, I take enough points just to cover a trip to Kuai'i once every two years or so, and then I put all the rest of the Hyatt stays into AAdvantage.

dAAvid -

If you would've taken the POINTS instead of miles...you probably would've already had enough for the freebie to Hawaii...the 200K award can't be beat...no matter how you slice it..you get 120K FF miles...7 nights free at any Marriott as well other amenities.You don't even have to stay at a Marriott in Hawaii when you use the award..everything is separate...120K miles +++ 7 nights to use somewhere else...... ))

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

what?? this ratio is very tricky, because with 30,000pts you spend $3000 dollars and if you get miles it would be 3000x3=9000 miles, this is if you stay at non-RI and SpringHill Suites, so are they trying to hold you from getting miles??

Actually, for free flights in the US, the conversion is 2.4 x 1 .... (60000 points gets you 1 free ticket ( usually 25K miles)...

Actually, AFang, the points value also depends on where you stay. I think it's only RI that offers the 1 point per $1. Marriotts provide 10 points per dollar.

Hello,

Here's my situation, what do you suggest I do?

Just spent 5nights * 2 rooms = 10 nights at the Ren. Ilkai Wakiki for around $1100 for all 10 nights ($111/nt). If I get the Mariott points i'll get the 11000 points plus the 2*5000(Mega bonus points) for a total of 21000 points. On the other hand I could get Aeroplan pts (Air Canada FF) totalling about 3300 miles. Or should I keep the Mariott pts and then convert them into FF points.


Thanks,


bLuJaay

At the higher levels, the Marriott rewards are very hard to beat. My latest conversion was for 150,000 points (nominally 50,000 miles) for which I got 5 free on-season nights in Grand Cayman (worth a minimum of $2,000) and 35,000 miles deposited into my OnePass account. If you extend the second grade math, you can see that the real benefit derived from the 15,000 airline
miles foregone was over $133 per thousand (compared to the generally accepted nominal value of $20/thousand). Extending the math even further, you can see that the 150,000 points gave a total benefit of more than $2700 ($2,000+ for the hotel room and for argument's sake, 35,000 miles at $20 per to equal $700). This shows these points to be worth a minimum of $18 a thousand, or only fractionally less than airline miles.
I will agree with Bigtex 1 that Hilton and Hyatt have more better locations for awards, but I have no familiarity with their programs and doubt that their points can be as valuable as Marriott's (at the aforesaid higher level awards).
All this does not even value the points as highly as the 200,000 point award that IM4Travel described above, but I only have 5 days to spare in February and lots and lots of points for the summer.

Monitor,
Thanks for the great info. You really convinced me to stick with points.



------------------
Al

Hey, did they just change the point conversion factor. I was getting ready to convert some points to top off my AA program, and I sure thought last week it said 30,000 points converts to 10,000 miles, but just now it was reading 30,000 converts to 7,500 miles, anybody else notice this?
Cindi

Hey, did they just change the point conversion factor. I was getting ready to convert some points to top off my AA program, and I sure thought last week it said 30,000 points converts to 10,000 miles, but just now it was reading 30,000 converts to 7,500 miles, anybody else notice this?
Cindi

It is still 10k for most airlines. Only 7k per 30k points for several new partners. See: http://www.marriottrewards.com/awards/trewards.asp

Thanks, I must have just stumbled on the promotion page for the new partners. I appreciate your clarification. I was counting on those 10K miles :-)