Making mistake? miles vs. points
Dec 18, 2001, 6:24 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Sacramento, CA No longer UA 1K Marriott Silver, Hilton diamond
Posts: 40
Making mistake? miles vs. points
Looking for some suggestions. I have been using getting credit to my FF United miles and not marriott points. However it appears that I will hit the Gold level with Marriott and now I'm wondering - should I have been using points instead of miles? Which way is a better way to benefit? Look forward to your responses.... I fear that I have made a bad choice.......
Dec 18, 2001, 8:04 pm
#2
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Programs: AA- Lifetime Platinum; Marriott - Lifetime Platinum: Starwood - Gold; IHG - Platinum
Posts: 2,201
As a general rule of thumb I think most would agree that it is usually best to earn Marriott points. Keep the points or miles within its respective program.
An exception would be if you don't plan to patronize a particular program very much.
An exception would be if you don't plan to patronize a particular program very much.
Dec 18, 2001, 9:51 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Sacramento, Ca USA
Programs: United 1K MM - 1.7M actually, Marriott Platinum Premier, Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,231
I would take the points -- the bonuses are such that if you stay a night at a full service Marriott (i.e., not a Fairfield or Courtyard or Residence), you are earning almost a third of a free night. And they do have some nice properties around the country -- the Camelback Spa in Scottsdale and the Ihilani on Oahu are two of our favorites.
Dec 19, 2001, 7:56 am
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Potomac Falls, VA
Programs: AA Plat 2MM, MR Gold, Avis Pref
Posts: 41,109
Ditto on the points, I believe these are far more valuable than miles. Like someone else said, the gen'l rule of thumb is to keep them in the currency of the program you are participating in.
Dec 19, 2001, 11:07 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: SLC
Posts: 600
Take points. If you later decide that you need miles, you can then buy them with your marriott points at an even better return than you would have gotten had you simply earned miles from the beginning. Plus, all the bonuses make it even better.
http://www.marriottrewards.com/awards/airrewards.asp
http://www.marriottrewards.com/awards/airrewards.asp