Points AND or OR Miles
 

I was recently at the Ft Laud Harbor Beach Property (nice BTW).

On their electronic sign with hotel activities / room assignments, they would occasionally run a promotion for Marriott Rewards saying Points and Miles.

I thought the Marriott program (unlike Hilton's) was points or miles. So I visitied the website to double check or sign up for the program improvement. Website says Points or Miles.

I was at the property several days and saw the electronic ad sign a couple of days later again - saying "AND".

Anyone knows if Marriott has a program tweak where they offer both?

thanks,
Alan

No they don't offer both per say. (Double dipping)

I personally selected to earn points because Marriott always runs really good promotions such as Mega Bonus or Double up with Visa... etc. That way you get much more opportunity to accumulate points. Then I usually redeem for a travel package (hotel & air)that includes 7 free nights and airline miles. Example 165 Marriott points will give you 7 free nights at a cat 1-5 hotel and 50K Air Canada/United/Delta/
American miles. You can redeem for more just check the rewards chart.

For more info on this type of reward please follow this link:

http://marriott.com/rewards/usepoint...WT_Ref=mi_left

A few weeks ago I stayed at the Victoria (BC) Marriott. They had a promo where they were offering a free upgrade to lounge floor, or X number of Aeroplan miles.

Ron.

From aaupgrade: He puts it BEST! ^

Welcome! As others stated, don't do airline miles and here is a good example why:

If I earn miles and have spent $20000 at full service Marriotts over then past couple years then I would have earned 40,000 miles in my favorite airlines program (in my case AA) and 1 mile per dollar charged, or an additional 20,000 miles, assuming one has a mileage earning CC in the same program. Total of 60,000 miles.

If on the other hand I chose points I would have earned 340,000 points ($20000 x 10=200,000 + 20% silver bonus 40,000 + 5 points per dollar spent for using MR Premier VISA 100,000). More if one is Gold or Platinum. Also many bonus promotions only apply to those earning points, Winter Double Points promo I earned another 100,000, and the Spring Promo I earned 30,000 points. But even not counting those bonus points, for the 340,000 points I can get a week at a category 6 Hotel, plus 120,000 AA miles by cashing in a 250,000 points for a travel package and I would still have 90,000 MR points left over. Since a week at a Category 6 usually runs 130,000 points, that means I just swapped 120,000 (250,000 points for travel package less 130,000 points for the free week award) MR points for 120,000 AA miles, a 1 for 1 exchange. So reducing this to comparable currency, by earning points it basically translates to a net of 90,000 points, a free week at a category 6 Marriott, and 120,000 miles which is more than double the earning power under the miles earning preference of 60,000 miles (40,000 miles and 20,000 miles from a CC).

On top of that, there was a promotion at American Airlines that ended on May 31 last year that gave a 20% bonus in points transferred from Marriott Rewards, so I got 144,000 for my 120,000 Marriott Reward points. With the double point and mega bonus point promos, my Platinum elite status bonus points, and AA points transfers bonus (if it comes around again) the comparison for me would be more like 240,000 points, a free week at the Vail Marriott, AND 144,000 AA miles as compare to 60,000 miles (40,000 miles and 20,000 miles from a CC). A huge difference IMO.

My recommendation is to change your earning preference to points, the rate of return is much better.