Award points deduction timing
 

IIRC, when I redeemed an award with Hilton, you didn't have to have the points available at that instant, as long as you had them when you presented the cert (or something like that).

With the Marriott website, I can check award availability and book on the spot. So, are the points deducted at that moment?

I'm sitting with about 75K points, and expect to be about 100K by the end of the month. I was checking award availability around November, by which time I would probably have ~100K-110K.

Do I have to wait until I have all the points required, or is there some provision for locking in an award and paying for it later? Maybe through the platinum line?

Book it!
 

You can book the stay without the actual award, all you need is the award when you check in, if you don't you pay $$. I'm Plat and when I book an award, I usually don't call Bearcat/SLC until about a week before the stay to order the certificate. One reason I do this is that my plans may have changed, add a night, not make the stay at all, etc. I always go with the "paper award" not the e-mailed one. The one and only time I used the electronic award, the hotel misplaced it! :p

jnbinpvb is correct. You can book a reservation at any time. In fact, I would recommend doing so to ensure there is still reward availability at the hotel you want.

Then as long as you order your reward at least 24 hours prior to check-in, you will be able to use your points.

I love this.

Question asked. Question answered. Bada-bing, bada-boom.

Or do we all just like to whine and kvetch for 3 or 4 pages? :)