Cool thanks!

My guess is Marriott may even eliminate the Travel Package or raise the point levels once it sees the number of redemption after the transferrability from SPG, especially after January 1st when the hold up demands of getting WN points spike the number of redemption much higher.

SPG has a similar program called Nights and Flights. It is available for mid tier hotels only.

Given that, I am guessing some sort of package will survive, but whether it will look more like Marriott or SPG is anyone's guess.

Per the T&Cs, the airline miles and points would go into the same person's FF and Marriott accounts. Once the FF miles have been deposited, who can use them and how is totally dependent on the airline program's rules. Technically, the hotel cert is supposed to be used by the person whose account it resides in (i.e. the person who has their name on that cert.)

But with that said, in the US, most hotels won't have any issue with adding a second name to the reservation and that 2nd person checking in (with the 1st person never having to show up.) So if you want to use the hotel cert for a stay in the US, you can most likely have the FF miles and the hotel cert go to one person, but the 2nd person can still use the hotel cert.

Outside the US, it really depends on the hotel in question. Most every Asia and Europe hotel I've stayed in wanted to see my passport when I was checking in. That could be problematic as the 2nd person's passport won't be the same name as the person in the reservation. So I'd be very hesitant in saying that the 2nd person could use the hotel cert without the 1st person being there as well.

Probably not until they actually "merge" the two programs. My guess is they won't fully merge until 2018, but it could happen later in 2017 if everything goes smoothly with the merger.

I think there was already public comment from Marriott that the x-fers to MR were much higher than expected and appeared to be disproportionately oriented towards redemption of these awards.

My guess is this ended up being pretty expensive for them; perhaps not a long-term trend versus pent-up demand to redeem starpoints for airline miles more favorably, but my guess is it was visible enough for them to re-evaluate the current attractiveness of the program.

A and B both have some points and redeem together.

You meant if A has 7 free night then it can be used for anyone not only A?

Yeah...I think it only can be applied to US hotel

Are TP nights not treated the same way as normal points nights, which I've never seen any suggestion that there are issues with the 2nd guest checking in and staying without the account holder being present?

I did hear that the credit card certificate nights are for the account holder only, but not the TP nights.

Good question. Normal awards can be ordered (i.e. created) in anyone's name. TP awards (at least in the past) were ordered (i.e. created) in the person's name who ordered the award. Thus technically only the person who ordered the award could use it.

But with that said, its been quite a few years since I tried to use a TP hotel award cert for someone else. So maybe it is possible that has changed. I'll defer to anyone who has more recent experience and knowledge. ;)

Just to confirm, I can receive the 20% AA bonus twice if I were to order a second package under the current promo and there is no cap as per the UA packages?

I thought the SOP for booking awards for other people was to book it under the primary member's name, and then add the other person's name as second guest, which allows him or her to check in by him/herself without you being present?

I found a Marriott Insider thread where they describe doing exactly this with TPs, so I am reasonably confident that it will work.

My experience is anyone can use the 7 night certificate. I have given it to others for use inside and outside the US. All relatives. Calling Marriott in advance and saying who was going to use it. There has never been an issue.

Some other people posting (who also know a lot about MR) are giving differing opinions.

I have ordered 2 AA packages and the bonus points posted with both, Per AA term and conditions you can do it multiple times and receive the bonus.

Is it true that these can only be booked over the phone and the phone center closes at 7pm?!?!

I just had some points hit earlier today and wanted to redeem for the 20% AA bonus, but it seems like I might be out of luck. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Edit: I ended up calling the Japanese call center since it was still open, but hopefully there is a better way I'm not aware of. I tried twitter too, but didn't get a response from Marriott Rewards.

aa.com said the current 20% bonus ends today, 11/14. https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...tt-rewards.jsp