Jul 30, 2016, 4:21 pm
Last edit by: Slickw
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Legacy to New Travel Package Conversion (effective August 2019)
A Marriott supervisor can currently convert your legacy travel package into the new category mapping. If you hold a Category 6, 8, or Tier 1-3 legacy certificate, it's ideal to downgrade your certificate before converting so that points don't potentially get lost in the process.
The codes for the new partial packages are:
New Cat 1-4: QP83
New Cat 5: QP91
New Cat 6: QP99
New Cat 7:
The legacy certificates map to the new certificates as such:
Cat 1-5 => Cat 1-4
Cat 6 => Cat 1-4
Cat 7 => Cat 5
Cat 8 => Cat 5
Cat 9 => Cat 6
Tier 1-3 => Cat 6
Tier 4-5 => Cat 7
==================================================
If you are unsure where you will use your 7 night stay, when you request the package, just ask for a category 1-5 hotel. That way you are out of the least number of points. If later, you decide to book for a higher level category, then you can do so and pay the difference the travel package points. If you can't use your certificate within the year, then as close to the one year anniversary (without going over!) call to extend the certificate for one more year. That's as long as they will typically allow, one extension. There is an option to expedite the mileage delivery to within three business days (sometimes faster) for $15. There are reports that this fee may be waived for platinum members.
Effective April 1 2017 re: Southwest & the companion pass:
"Purchased points, points converted from hotel and car loyalty programs, and e-Rewards, e-Miles, Valued Opinions and Diners Club, points earned from Rapid Rewards program enrollment, tier bonuses, flight bonuses, and partner bonuses (excluding points bonuses earned on the Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase) do not count toward Companion Pass."
************
Can I book SPG properties with my Marriott Travel Package? As of 9/1/2018 apparently not. see https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30155836-post6529.html
Legacy to New Travel Package Conversion (effective August 2019)
A Marriott supervisor can currently convert your legacy travel package into the new category mapping. If you hold a Category 6, 8, or Tier 1-3 legacy certificate, it's ideal to downgrade your certificate before converting so that points don't potentially get lost in the process.
The codes for the new partial packages are:
New Cat 1-4: QP83
New Cat 5: QP91
New Cat 6: QP99
New Cat 7:
Originally Posted by Marriott Rewards Insider
Members who purchased a Category 6, Category 8 or Tier 1-3 certificate prior to 8/18 are able to request a one-time exchange for a Travel Package one category lower. This process will cancel your current Travel Package, reissue a Travel Package one category lower and result in a refund of 30,000 points to your account. To submit a request, follow these steps:
Source: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...es-update.html
- Select “Packages - Deals” from the “Topic” drop down menu
- Submit your request
Source: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...es-update.html
The legacy certificates map to the new certificates as such:
Cat 1-5 => Cat 1-4
Cat 6 => Cat 1-4
Cat 7 => Cat 5
Cat 8 => Cat 5
Cat 9 => Cat 6
Tier 1-3 => Cat 6
Tier 4-5 => Cat 7
==================================================
If you are unsure where you will use your 7 night stay, when you request the package, just ask for a category 1-5 hotel. That way you are out of the least number of points. If later, you decide to book for a higher level category, then you can do so and pay the difference the travel package points. If you can't use your certificate within the year, then as close to the one year anniversary (without going over!) call to extend the certificate for one more year. That's as long as they will typically allow, one extension. There is an option to expedite the mileage delivery to within three business days (sometimes faster) for $15. There are reports that this fee may be waived for platinum members.
Effective April 1 2017 re: Southwest & the companion pass:
"Purchased points, points converted from hotel and car loyalty programs, and e-Rewards, e-Miles, Valued Opinions and Diners Club, points earned from Rapid Rewards program enrollment, tier bonuses, flight bonuses, and partner bonuses (excluding points bonuses earned on the Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase) do not count toward Companion Pass."
************
Can I book SPG properties with my Marriott Travel Package? As of 9/1/2018 apparently not. see https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30155836-post6529.html
Marriott Travel Packages
Jul 23, 2008, 4:53 pm
#226
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,720
WOW! However, is that MR points or FF miles -- still quite impressive!
But I hear you. Am doing a re-think on the travel pkgs -- at least my spouse's. Since I can put FF miles into my AA account only from my MR account -- I think we will pass on the travel pakg option with hers.
More views on this issue, requested!
But I hear you. Am doing a re-think on the travel pkgs -- at least my spouse's. Since I can put FF miles into my AA account only from my MR account -- I think we will pass on the travel pakg option with hers.
More views on this issue, requested!
Jul 23, 2008, 4:54 pm
#227
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: Marriott LT Plat, AA Lifetime Gold, United Premier Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 148
Excellent question Njupin... I too grappled with the pending issue over the past month, while in the process of booking a travel package to Rome next summer. I was at almost 600k of Marriott points. I always book my trips well in advance to take advantage of availability. I did book the 0910 pack (7 night cat 7 and 120k AA miles) at the end of the day. I plan to use the AA miles on long haul international as stated by Bpauker, to get the most value.
Even with award tix fees, taxes and fuel charges....getting international award tix is still a good value.
In my current situation...my Marriott earn rate is much faster...and will continue to be much faster than any of my preferred airline earn rates (AA, DL, UA). This past spring I used 240k of "airline" AA miles to go to Cancun, depleting my AA account down to a "measly" 250k. If my earn rate improves on the Airlines then I will tend NOT to book a travel package and use the Marriott points for hotels only.
I am elite in AA (LT gold....also going for LT Plat) and UA so that helps. Transferring miles from Marriott to AA helps in the quest for LT PLAT.
Even with award tix fees, taxes and fuel charges....getting international award tix is still a good value.
In my current situation...my Marriott earn rate is much faster...and will continue to be much faster than any of my preferred airline earn rates (AA, DL, UA). This past spring I used 240k of "airline" AA miles to go to Cancun, depleting my AA account down to a "measly" 250k. If my earn rate improves on the Airlines then I will tend NOT to book a travel package and use the Marriott points for hotels only.
I am elite in AA (LT gold....also going for LT Plat) and UA so that helps. Transferring miles from Marriott to AA helps in the quest for LT PLAT.
Jul 23, 2008, 5:45 pm
#228
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Freeload Univ. Where are you sitting?
Posts: 14,818
Example: to put miles in your wife's AA account with a travel package where she has only 100K Marriott points but you have a million. Order the reward (by phone, I imagine) and tell them you'll be making up the difference from your account. They will take 170K from your account (100K + 170K = 270k) and dump it in her account, issue the cert in her name (or yours, I think) and put the 120K miles in her AA account.
Jul 23, 2008, 5:47 pm
#229
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,720
But you can put AA (or any other airline Marriott deals with) miles in either of your accounts.
Example: to put miles in your wife's AA account with a travel package where she has only 100K Marriott points but you have a million. Order the reward (by phone, I imagine) and tell them you'll be making up the difference from your account. They will take 170K from your account (100K + 170K = 270k) and dump it in her account, issue the cert in her name (or yours, I think) and put the 120K miles in her AA account.
Example: to put miles in your wife's AA account with a travel package where she has only 100K Marriott points but you have a million. Order the reward (by phone, I imagine) and tell them you'll be making up the difference from your account. They will take 170K from your account (100K + 170K = 270k) and dump it in her account, issue the cert in her name (or yours, I think) and put the 120K miles in her AA account.
Problem is that I have over 300,000 in my account and she has over 500,000, so neither could do this maneuver -- at least not right now.
Will consider it when mine drops below the amount required for the award, but I think that for the present, I will just redeem a hotel only award from her account -- but could be persuaded by contrary posts on this issue!
Jul 23, 2008, 5:54 pm
#230
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,720
By the way, in doing research for this post, I came across HHoppe1 post about now being able to upgrade/downgrade hotel portions of a travel package -- could not do this before and did not know of this change.
This was important to me as I am sitting on a 7 night Category 6 reward and would have loved to downgrade it and get the 15,000 points refunded to my account -- Guest Rewards confirmed that this can be done.
However, Berlin is such a hot destination right now, that whereas a couple of years ago award availability was wide open for the Marriot and the CY City Center -- that is not the case now.
Problem is the 7 night award is booked under the wife's reward number and they will not substitute my name and awards number for hers.
Was told that SOP was to cancel the reward reservation and then re-book under me. Problem is, space is so tight, unlikely would get the dates wanted -- Calendar shows many dates already sold out for Standard Rewards.
So unless one of you know a special phone number to make the switch, will have to content myselfy with the 7 night awards stay taken from her account, and upgrade/downgrade my Cat 6 for some other stay -- no biggie, but would have preferred to clear the books before using another reward.
This was important to me as I am sitting on a 7 night Category 6 reward and would have loved to downgrade it and get the 15,000 points refunded to my account -- Guest Rewards confirmed that this can be done.
However, Berlin is such a hot destination right now, that whereas a couple of years ago award availability was wide open for the Marriot and the CY City Center -- that is not the case now.
Problem is the 7 night award is booked under the wife's reward number and they will not substitute my name and awards number for hers.
Was told that SOP was to cancel the reward reservation and then re-book under me. Problem is, space is so tight, unlikely would get the dates wanted -- Calendar shows many dates already sold out for Standard Rewards.
So unless one of you know a special phone number to make the switch, will have to content myselfy with the 7 night awards stay taken from her account, and upgrade/downgrade my Cat 6 for some other stay -- no biggie, but would have preferred to clear the books before using another reward.
Jul 23, 2008, 7:08 pm
#231
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: South America
Programs: AA Platinum 1MM - Marriott Silver
Posts: 353
I believe that travel packages are better now than ever. International flights to/from my country have gone up 50-80% this year so converting MR points to AA miles is a great deal for me. If you are pursuing your 1MM threshold for lifetime gold, that's a major reason to keep on using them. Gold makes a lot of difference with AA.
Jul 23, 2008, 11:31 pm
#232
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Toronto (YYZ)
Posts: 6,279
The travel packages are the only awards I redeem with MR. For me they provide the best value.
I booked an Executive First ticket to Brazil on Air Canada (75K miles) over New Years plus 7 nights at The JW in Rio ^ and I still have 35K miles which can fly me anywhere in North America in Y.
I booked an Executive First ticket to Brazil on Air Canada (75K miles) over New Years plus 7 nights at The JW in Rio ^ and I still have 35K miles which can fly me anywhere in North America in Y.
Jul 24, 2008, 6:27 am
#233
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,518
Another factor to consider is how quickly you'll use the airline miles. For the last several years, as my MR balance increased, I'd always assumed that whenever I was ready to book a weeklong Marriott reward stay, I'd redeem the package and stash the miles into my AA account.
But I'm up over AA 400K miles now, and don't have any immediate plans for any overseas vacations. So it'll take me a while to burn thru what I already have, and given how qucikly the airlines are changing their programs, I would be hesitant to drop another 120K miles to AA. Who knows how much airline devaluation may occur over the next 3-5 years before I'd be ready to use them?
On the other hand, if my airline balance were minimal and I had short-term flight plans, I wouldn't hesitate to redeem a MR package and use the miles for the trip, even if I had to pay whatever ~$50-100 redemption fee the airline might currently be imposing.
But I'm up over AA 400K miles now, and don't have any immediate plans for any overseas vacations. So it'll take me a while to burn thru what I already have, and given how qucikly the airlines are changing their programs, I would be hesitant to drop another 120K miles to AA. Who knows how much airline devaluation may occur over the next 3-5 years before I'd be ready to use them?
On the other hand, if my airline balance were minimal and I had short-term flight plans, I wouldn't hesitate to redeem a MR package and use the miles for the trip, even if I had to pay whatever ~$50-100 redemption fee the airline might currently be imposing.
Jul 24, 2008, 7:31 am
#234
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,337
The best value is clearly to continue using the travel packages. It allows you to get the hotel reward at the same points as if you did it separately as well as the airline miles at 1:1 which is phenomenal. If you did the hotel & mileage redemptions separately, the mileage redemption is over 2 points per 1 mile.
YMMV, but I always prefer to get the most value out of a reward.
YMMV, but I always prefer to get the most value out of a reward.
Jul 24, 2008, 11:10 am
#235
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium, AA 1MM, UA 1MM
Posts: 369
The best value is clearly to continue using the travel packages. It allows you to get the hotel reward at the same points as if you did it separately as well as the airline miles at 1:1 which is phenomenal. If you did the hotel & mileage redemptions separately, the mileage redemption is over 2 points per 1 mile.
YMMV, but I always prefer to get the most value out of a reward.
YMMV, but I always prefer to get the most value out of a reward.
The only advantage of separate redemptions is that it now appears that the hotel samplers allow you to use the free stays on different dates, rather than as a single 1-week block. Depending on your schedule it can be a bit tricky to find a solid week to stay at a particular hotel.
Last edited by Rom Sac; Jul 24, 2008 at 11:10 am Reason: Typo
Jul 24, 2008, 8:43 pm
#236
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: HH Silver, MR Plat Prem & LT Plat, Hyatt Plat,SPG Plat, Hertz PC, National EE, UA 1K
Posts: 3,407
700K-900K MR points alone. NOT including 350K+ airline miles a year.
Let me clarify.....
The TP's are a GREAT VALUE, IF you dont have enough FF miles. The problem I have is that FF flights are becoming so difficult to use, I am planning on using my MR points for hotel stays, and NOT flights. I buy my flights, u/g using miles or buy F/J, and use MR points for STAYS only!
YMMV, but this works for me!
Jul 25, 2008, 6:38 am
#237
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: All over
Programs: Most
Posts: 10,839
Actually I have a "modified" strategy. Redeem travel packages and get AA miles to get lifetime PLT/Gold. Then transfer from AA to Hilton where I can redeem "free" nights even when a hotel is sold out. Beats Marriott's availability.
Jul 25, 2008, 7:29 am
#238
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: DCA, EGE, IAD
Programs: MR LTT, BA Gold, AA LTP, UA Silver
Posts: 6,078
The TP's are a GREAT VALUE, IF you dont have enough FF miles. The problem I have is that FF flights are becoming so difficult to use, I am planning on using my MR points for hotel stays, and NOT flights. I buy my flights, u/g using miles or buy F/J, and use MR points for STAYS only!
Jul 25, 2008, 7:34 am
#239
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Reno, NV (RNO)
Programs: AA Platinum, AS, UA, DL, HHonors Gold, Marriott LTP, Hyatt, IHG Platinum
Posts: 4,707
By my point / mileage valuations and calculations, it appears the cat 7 - 120K miles package effectively increases the value of Marriott points by 35-40%. (I value Marriott points at .70-.75 cents each and AA miles at about 1.35 cents each.) That's a huge increase.
On the other hand, as some have noted, if you don't need the miles for award travel in the immediate future, it may be better keeping the points with Marriott. The potential for airline devaluation is great, much greater in my view than the potential for hotel point devaluation. Also, to maximize the benefit of the travel package, you need to do a 7 night award stay. Many people, myself included, don't stay in one place for that long.
I am toying with the idea of redeeming for a travel package for a trip to London next summer. Air award is already booked so it is a choice of booking 7 hotel nights using my HHonors points or going with Marriott and racking up an additional 120K miles toward AA Lifetime Platinum status. I'm 450K miles away and getting 120K miles closer is very appealing, but I don't need the additional AA miles to sit in my account. The HHonors redemption is actually a better deal if I only look at the hotel stay, but the AA miles give a solid edge to the Marriott award. On the other hand, I'm Diamond with HHonors and will only be Silver with Marriott so upgrade chances much higher with HHonors. Decisions, decisions.....
On the other hand, as some have noted, if you don't need the miles for award travel in the immediate future, it may be better keeping the points with Marriott. The potential for airline devaluation is great, much greater in my view than the potential for hotel point devaluation. Also, to maximize the benefit of the travel package, you need to do a 7 night award stay. Many people, myself included, don't stay in one place for that long.
I am toying with the idea of redeeming for a travel package for a trip to London next summer. Air award is already booked so it is a choice of booking 7 hotel nights using my HHonors points or going with Marriott and racking up an additional 120K miles toward AA Lifetime Platinum status. I'm 450K miles away and getting 120K miles closer is very appealing, but I don't need the additional AA miles to sit in my account. The HHonors redemption is actually a better deal if I only look at the hotel stay, but the AA miles give a solid edge to the Marriott award. On the other hand, I'm Diamond with HHonors and will only be Silver with Marriott so upgrade chances much higher with HHonors. Decisions, decisions.....
Jul 25, 2008, 9:10 am
#240
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Freeload Univ. Where are you sitting?
Posts: 14,818
On the other hand, as some have noted, if you don't need the miles for award travel in the immediate future, it may be better keeping the points with Marriott. The potential for airline devaluation is great, much greater in my view than the potential for hotel point devaluation.
I came to the conclusion a couple of years ago that the bang-for-the-buck ratio was much better with hotels than with airlines. Now, with them charging for baggage, and even getting an award ticket, it's hard to economically justify scrambling for miles.
I've burned most of mine, and my future plans are along the lines of doing what it takes (promos, cc's, etc.) to get the miles for a particular trip, and then use them up.
Meanwhile, I'm getting Marriott and Choice points faster than I can use them, and Hilton (with their AMEX) keeps building up in the background.
Works for me.