Bonus bucks questions and issues [Merged threads]
#16
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: chicago, IL
Programs: AA Plat, AA 2MM Miler,Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 40
What is a BONUS BUCK?
Been Platinum fro a number of years now and just read somethign relating to Bonus Bucks adn when someone should expect them. I have never heard of a bonus buck and don't know where I have been. Marriott is my choice in my travels. First choice city after city. Bonus Bucks.... maybe they are brand new.
#17
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: CHS
Programs: UA Premier, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,109
Bonus Bucks are a promotion that Marriott has been running at various hotels/areas for the last several months. They seem to have replaced the old free weekend night promos (Stay 3, Get 1 Free) for Category 1-4 properties.
You earn Bonus Bucks by staying at a full-service (Renaissance, Marriott) property offering a rate based on the 'OTP' promotional code. Currently, you receive a $100 Bonus Buck coupon for a stay based on the OTP promotion rate paid with a Visa. Here's an example of such a promo.
The Bonus Bucks can be used towards the cost of a future stay of two nights or more at any full service property.
Notes:
-They do/did offer the same promo for $50 with some Courtyards and Residence Inns. I'm not sure if the BB awarded through this promo are interchangeable for full-service properties
-For some reason, this promo doesn't always show up when you search for promos from the 'Specials and Packages' tab on the front page of Marriott.com. You have to keep trying to use the OTP code when ever you make a reservation. This is kind of irritating to me.
-You can buy BB on E-Bay for about 30-40 cents on the dollar.
-Personally, I like this over the free nights promos. With the free nights, it made it more difficult to requalify for status. Last year, I used 6 of the old free night promo awards and it had an affect on my requalifying.
You earn Bonus Bucks by staying at a full-service (Renaissance, Marriott) property offering a rate based on the 'OTP' promotional code. Currently, you receive a $100 Bonus Buck coupon for a stay based on the OTP promotion rate paid with a Visa. Here's an example of such a promo.
The Bonus Bucks can be used towards the cost of a future stay of two nights or more at any full service property.
Notes:
-They do/did offer the same promo for $50 with some Courtyards and Residence Inns. I'm not sure if the BB awarded through this promo are interchangeable for full-service properties
-For some reason, this promo doesn't always show up when you search for promos from the 'Specials and Packages' tab on the front page of Marriott.com. You have to keep trying to use the OTP code when ever you make a reservation. This is kind of irritating to me.
-You can buy BB on E-Bay for about 30-40 cents on the dollar.
-Personally, I like this over the free nights promos. With the free nights, it made it more difficult to requalify for status. Last year, I used 6 of the old free night promo awards and it had an affect on my requalifying.
#18
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 6,790
Bonus Bucks have been around for a long time. (If you do a search for the term on this forum, you'll get a lot of hits).
Sometimes they're given as an enticement to stay at particular properties at particular rates.
Sometimes they're given as enticements to buy products from "partner" companies (I believe there was a deal not long ago with HP printers or some such that gave multiple $100 Bonus Buck certificates with the purchase).
Sometimes they're given in relation to other Marriott products (a couple years ago you could get a $25 Bonus Buck certificate free when you bought a Marriott Gift Card for $50 or more).
Sometimes they're given as an enticement to stay at particular properties at particular rates.
Sometimes they're given as enticements to buy products from "partner" companies (I believe there was a deal not long ago with HP printers or some such that gave multiple $100 Bonus Buck certificates with the purchase).
Sometimes they're given in relation to other Marriott products (a couple years ago you could get a $25 Bonus Buck certificate free when you bought a Marriott Gift Card for $50 or more).
#19
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: chicago, IL
Programs: AA Plat, AA 2MM Miler,Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 40
pay for room wih bucks??
Originally Posted by BillMorrow
Bonus Bucks are a promotion that Marriott has been running at various hotels/areas for the last several months. They seem to have replaced the old free weekend night promos (Stay 3, Get 1 Free) for Category 1-4 properties.
You earn Bonus Bucks by staying at a full-service (Renaissance, Marriott) property offering a rate based on the 'OTP' promotional code. Currently, you receive a $100 Bonus Buck coupon for a stay based on the OTP promotion rate paid with a Visa. Here's an example of such a promo.
The Bonus Bucks can be used towards the cost of a future stay of two nights or more at any full service property.
Notes:
-They do/did offer the same promo for $50 with some Courtyards and Residence Inns. I'm not sure if the BB awarded through this promo are interchangeable for full-service properties
-For some reason, this promo doesn't always show up when you search for promos from the 'Specials and Packages' tab on the front page of Marriott.com. You have to keep trying to use the OTP code when ever you make a reservation. This is kind of irritating to me.
-You can buy BB on E-Bay for about 30-40 cents on the dollar.
-Personally, I like this over the free nights promos. With the free nights, it made it more difficult to requalify for status. Last year, I used 6 of the old free night promo awards and it had an affect on my requalifying.
You earn Bonus Bucks by staying at a full-service (Renaissance, Marriott) property offering a rate based on the 'OTP' promotional code. Currently, you receive a $100 Bonus Buck coupon for a stay based on the OTP promotion rate paid with a Visa. Here's an example of such a promo.
The Bonus Bucks can be used towards the cost of a future stay of two nights or more at any full service property.
Notes:
-They do/did offer the same promo for $50 with some Courtyards and Residence Inns. I'm not sure if the BB awarded through this promo are interchangeable for full-service properties
-For some reason, this promo doesn't always show up when you search for promos from the 'Specials and Packages' tab on the front page of Marriott.com. You have to keep trying to use the OTP code when ever you make a reservation. This is kind of irritating to me.
-You can buy BB on E-Bay for about 30-40 cents on the dollar.
-Personally, I like this over the free nights promos. With the free nights, it made it more difficult to requalify for status. Last year, I used 6 of the old free night promo awards and it had an affect on my requalifying.
thanks youhave been albig help
#20
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,007
I'm w/ him.. :)
I've been around for a while & while I read about Bonus Bucks I didn't know what they were either. And too afraid to post I didn't figuring people would realize I'm the dumbest Platinum person around...thanks to the OP
#21
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 6,790
Originally Posted by patrick finnigan
How about food and cocktaisl good there too??
#22
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Sunshine State - Delta GM/Marriott platinum
Posts: 103
I must reluctantly admit, too, I had no idea what a bonus buck was before now, and I've been platinum for three or four years. I'd also read about them on here, but I had no clue about the OTP rate, etc. Guess there's really no such thing as a dumb question after all. Thanks for the info!
#23
Join Date: May 2000
Location: HH Gold, Marriott Gold, PC Plat, Emirates Silver
Posts: 2,676
I thought all OTP rates included a Fri or Sat night stay - the 2 for breakfast rate? have I been missing out?
What is the expiration date of the bonus bucks?
What is the expiration date of the bonus bucks?
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Some place in this wonderful world (usually at 39,000 ft in seat 1C)
Programs: CO Gold Elite / NW Gold Elite
Posts: 13,747
Originally Posted by mileshound
I thought all OTP rates included a Fri or Sat night stay - the 2 for breakfast rate? have I been missing out?
What is the expiration date of the bonus bucks?
What is the expiration date of the bonus bucks?
#25
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA
Programs: UA 2P, AA LT Gold, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 3,158
Here's the thorny question:
Let's say you stay 2 nites at $149 a nite and use a $100 bonus bucks. How many base points do you receive? 2980 or 1980? My experience varies - in Europe (UK and Germany) they actually reduce your room rate for one of the two nites by $100 in local currency (actually more like $85 after using their horrible exchange rate). In Japan they posted it as a credit and used a decent exchage rate, not the ripoff rate they use to exchange currency at the FD. In the US 99% of the time they post it as a credit to my folio just like I had handed them $100 cash. At the SEA Ren two weeks ago, they entered it in such a way that it showed up on the folio as "Bonus Bucks" and my points got trimmed by the amount of the BBs. I observed the FD clerk look up the procedure on a cheat sheet so I think this is the first time it has been done correctly as opposed to a "workaround". Bottom line - I have received fewer points 100% of the time in Europe and no reduction in points 100% of the time in Japan and 98% of the time in USA. Any insights, socrates or Chris J?
A somewhat related question - if I use the Summer EEO coupon for a free weekend nite with purchase of same, do I get one night stay credit or two towards Gold/Plat next year?
Let's say you stay 2 nites at $149 a nite and use a $100 bonus bucks. How many base points do you receive? 2980 or 1980? My experience varies - in Europe (UK and Germany) they actually reduce your room rate for one of the two nites by $100 in local currency (actually more like $85 after using their horrible exchange rate). In Japan they posted it as a credit and used a decent exchage rate, not the ripoff rate they use to exchange currency at the FD. In the US 99% of the time they post it as a credit to my folio just like I had handed them $100 cash. At the SEA Ren two weeks ago, they entered it in such a way that it showed up on the folio as "Bonus Bucks" and my points got trimmed by the amount of the BBs. I observed the FD clerk look up the procedure on a cheat sheet so I think this is the first time it has been done correctly as opposed to a "workaround". Bottom line - I have received fewer points 100% of the time in Europe and no reduction in points 100% of the time in Japan and 98% of the time in USA. Any insights, socrates or Chris J?
A somewhat related question - if I use the Summer EEO coupon for a free weekend nite with purchase of same, do I get one night stay credit or two towards Gold/Plat next year?
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Winter Garden, FL
Programs: Delta DM-3MM United Gold-MM Marriott Lifetime Titanium Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 13,498
Bonus Bucks are supposed to be treated like cash (and this is what happens 99% of the time in the U.S., as you say). You should get Marriott Rewards points for the gross amount, before deducting the Bonus Bucks.
When using EEO certificates, I have always gotten the full number of nights credited. I suppose that the free night should not be credited, but Marriott's computers don't seem to be sophisticated enough to recognize use of the certificate and then split the stay into creditable nights and non-creditable nights. It may be too much trouble to bother with.
Bruce
When using EEO certificates, I have always gotten the full number of nights credited. I suppose that the free night should not be credited, but Marriott's computers don't seem to be sophisticated enough to recognize use of the certificate and then split the stay into creditable nights and non-creditable nights. It may be too much trouble to bother with.
Bruce
#27
Join Date: May 2000
Location: HH Gold, Marriott Gold, PC Plat, Emirates Silver
Posts: 2,676
When do the bonus bucks expire - not the promo ending but the actual expiration of the $100 certificate?
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Winter Garden, FL
Programs: Delta DM-3MM United Gold-MM Marriott Lifetime Titanium Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 13,498
They vary. My latest one is 12/29/04, as I recall.
Bruce
Bruce
#29
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Programs: DL GM, Marriott Silver
Posts: 109
Can bonus bucks be used with an award stay?
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Winter Garden, FL
Programs: Delta DM-3MM United Gold-MM Marriott Lifetime Titanium Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 13,498
I'm pretty sure the answer is no. Award stays are not at "publicly available rates."
Bruce
Bruce