Going negative / borrowing Marriott points
 

My parents are a couple thousand MR points short of an award.
Will Marriott allow them to go negative, or will they need to buy some points to top up?
They're short about 2,000-3,000, which by their usage of their FirstUSA MR credit card, they would earn back within a month, at most 2 months (and would have earned by the time they would stay at the hotel).
Thanks

I had to "go negative"for a res-I did not have enough points at time I made reservation,but will by the time I stay on this award.MR had no problem with this.
You can buy a certain percentage(10%?)of points to make it to an award level.
Or you could go shopping on the new shoping portal-1000 point bonus for purchases of at least $100
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=454167
Of course the miles will take a few weeks to post.

If thet are just using a hotel certificate, they do not need the cert to make the reservation, do not need it until the stay itself.

They will let you go negative, you just have to have the balance prior to the stay.

Buying is a good option as well, as you can buy a point for one cent. Since there are awards that include air miles and hotel stays, and the air miles are added onto the award stays at one point per mile, you are esentally getting airline miles for one point per marriot point.

I value airline miles between 1.1 cent to 2.5 cents and higher, depending on how they are used (BC upgrades and BC seats the most valueable to me). Buying at 1 cent is a no brainer for me.

Also, Marriott will let you buy more than 10% if you're short (up to 20%, if you're nice).

I've bought points, many, many times. Many.

Billy