Transfering points to MR
 

I booked a three night stay at the Marbella beach resort in Spain. The only reward availability left was for the two-bedroom villa which costs 100,000 points. Using Amex and my current point total i am up to 82,000. Is there any creative ways to transfer points into MR from FF programs? Does my Platinum level membership status help at all?

PLEASE HELP!!!

You can purchase 10,000 points of this reward from Marriott Rewards, so that only leaves you 8k miles to earn. I would suggest the MR Visa. When are you going? You have the upcoming 25k bonus starting next week (the 15th).

Also, I would continue to check award availablility as something with less points may become available. Good luck!

Thanks Baglady,

I do keep checking to see if there is any other rewards that become available, but i had a Hilton CSR tell me once that even if someone cancels a reward stay, it goes back into circulation as a non reward room. Don't know if its the same at Marriots. I will purchase 10K points, but i still need to get another 8000 within the month, and wont qualify for the credit card.

If you have a Diners Club card you can convert FF miles into MAR points. The exchange rate is lousy, but you can do it.

Start by transferring FF miles from your airline FF account to Diners, converting the FF miles into Diners Club Rewards points on a one-for-one basis. You must do this in 10,000 FF miles/points increments. http://www.citibank.com/dinersus/clu...s/mls2pnts.htm

Next, convert Club Rewards into Marriott points at the rate of 2,500 Diners Club points for each 1,500 MAR points you need. http://www.citibank.com/dinersus/clu...m/guestpgm.htm

Thus, it would take 30,000 FF miles to get your 18,000 MAR points.

This is not a great deal.

Assuming you believe the FF miles are worth about two cents each, the 30,000 FF miles are worth about $600. Based on the way you are using the MAR 100K certificate, the MAR points could be worth as much as 1.2 cents each (based on a nightly rack rate of about $400) or a total of $196 (18,000 X 1.2 cents). Trading in $600 of value for $196 of value isn't a great deal, but it might be better for you than paying retail rates for the villa!

If you really need to do this within a month, there isn't enough time. Diners says it takes as much as 45 days, but in fact it normally takes less. However, if you already have enough Club Rewards points, you can omit the first of the two steps and may be able to get the exchange done in time.

Note: You can use this same methodology to trade FF miles in one airline's program for FF miles in another program. However, in doing so, you will generally wind up with half as many new FF miles as you trade in. The notable exception is British Air FF miles. A current Diners promotion allows you to exchange FF miles from other airline programs into BA FF miles on a one-for-one basis, by following the indicated steps.

[This message has been edited by Dave M (edited 06-12-2001).]