Award Certificate Rules
 

I'm intrigued by the awards with 7 nights plus airline miles. Doing the math, they are selling you the miles at 1 pt = 1 mile. Since I earn 16 points/$, that's not a bad deal. During promos (like the current 25,000 point one), I get as much as 40-60 points/$ (depending on how I figure it), which makes it a really good deal.

But ... the FITO (fly in the ointment) is the 7 night cert.

As I understand it:

1. You can't split the award between two or more hotels.
2. You can't split the award at the same hotel; i.e., all seven nights must be consecutive.
3. If you can only find 5- or 6-night availability, you effectively waste the extra night(s).

Is all this true?

FITO maybe
 

For what its worth..Marriott has two split codes...

#563 which allows for three different hotel stays in a week in Hawaii

#564 allows three different properties in the UK

Both are for 150,000 points but no air. :rolleyes:

BigLar,

#2 is actually incorrect. As long as you redeem the reward during the same stay, you can use it for different nights throughout. For example, let's say you book a stay for 10 nights and the first 5 nights are for points, 3 night are for a paid rate, and then the last 2 nights are using points again. You could still use the consecutive 7 night reward for that since it is all in the same stay.

Thanks,

Chris

So #563 is for 3 different hotel stays in Hawaii......can you just stay in 1 hotel for the 7 nights?

Yes. They send you a mixture of 3 and 2 night certs.

Although it's not a great option, you can return the hotel portion of the 235K air/hotel award and get 45K miles credited back to your account. You can also give the hotel award away to anyone else (just specify the name when you order the award or send it back in and they will reissue). You also can extend the award for another year by asking (just call, then send it back in).

Remeber also that you can buy 10% (OK, if you're nice, 20%) of the points toward an award for $0.01/point. So if you're 23K (47K) points short of the 235K award, you can buy them for $230 ($470).

All those options really help you maximize your points usage. I have returned certificates in the past for points - I'm using my current 7 day cat 5 cert for a week at one of the hotels in Hawaii - one that I'd have to pay $175/day minimum to stay at. Better than just 45K points back.

I've redeemed many points, and except for the Paris Marriott, I really haven't had too much time getting the dates and times I wanted. Of course, I generally try to avoid peak times at places, and your results may vary.

The hotel/air awards are the best value for me.

BIlly

Just to clarify - on extending the award for a year by sending it back in, the miles stay in your FF account. Is that correct?


How long in advance can MR reservations be made? 1 year?

res out
 

either 330 or 335 days :)

You can book Marriott Rewards 50 weeks in advance (350 days). However, they load a week's worth of inventory once per week (I think on Mondays), so if you're looking for a 7 night stay, you can call 343 days in advance, or maybe a little longer if day 343 isn't the day they loaded the inventory.

Also, the Hawaii award mentioned earlier can't be used at Vacation Club. I have a 2 night KOA and 7 night LIH stay (5 are points, 2 are paid) and inquired if I could use #563 for the 7 nights I have with points, but since I'm staying at Kauai Beach Club and not the Hotel, I can't :td: .

SeAAttle,

In answer to your questions, it depends on how the reward is issued. If it is an electronic reward (for your use as the member) simply call Marriott Guest Services when the reward is about to expire and ask to have it extended for another year.

If the reward was issued in paper form (for yourself or someone else) it will need to be mailed back in order to be reissued. And you are correct in that once the miles have been sent to your frequent flyer account, they will remain there regardless.

Thanks!

Chris

For certain properties, even if you check 50 weeks in advance there's no availability for standard awards.

Up To?
 

The question I have about the hotel + air mile awards revolve around the "up to" verbage. For each award, you get seven nights at the hotel and "up to" 50k or "up to" 70k or "up to" 100k in air miles. How do you know how many miles you actually get?

Bob

It all depends on how many Marriott Rewards points you want to burn, and what category hotel cert you want. Just check the MR charts to see how many airline miles you receive for a given amount of MR points.

http://marriott.com/rewards/usepoints/morepack.mi

I have always taken advantage of the Hotel, Air & Car packages. One thing I did find out today is:

When you are awarded the 7 nights, you cannot split the certificate into 2 three night stays for the same nights. Like, if you want one room for yourself, you cannot have another room for the same 3 nights for someone else.

Still, I have enjoyed these awards and one of the main reasons I continue to spend so many nights a year at Marriott properties. :)

True. The credit for returning the hotel portion of an air-hotel package award varies depending on the hotel category.

Category 1-5: 45,000 points
Category 6: 50,000 points
Category 7: 55,000 points.

You might ask whether it makes any sense to get a travel package if you need only FF miles and not the hotel certificate. Absolutely!

Example:

Assume the two of you decide to fly economy class to Hawaii. On UA you would need 70,000 FF miles. You can get all of those 70,000 FF miles from Marriott with airline-only awards at a cost of 185,000 Marriott Rewards points (three awards for 50K, 10K and 10K FF miles).

A Category 1-5 air-hotel package with 70,000 FF miles also costs 185,000 points. However, you can turn the hotel part of the package back to Marriott for a credit of 45,000 points, reducing the net cost of your FF miles to 140,000 points!