Marriott Travel Packages - What Airline Points to Convert to?

[kamchatsky]

Given the recent merger of Marriott and SPG, I am looking at their Marriott Travel Packages in detail. It does have some great deal. I am looking at converting Amex MR points to SPG then to Marriott reward points.

I am looking at staying for 7 nights at Tokyo later this year, I am looking at purchasing the travel packages which gives me 7-night reward certificate plus a whole bunch of airline points of choice:

Flight and Hotel Packages | Marriott Hotel Packages

I am looking at Cat 8 Marriott hotels (either Tokyo Marriott or The Price Sakura Tower Tokyo) so I am looking at 360000 Marriott points ( = 120000 Starwood Points = 240000 Amex Points). This would get me 7 nights free on Cat 8 hotels, plus the following option of airline miles:

- 132000 United Mileage Plus
- 120000 BA Avios, or AA Advantage Miles, or Alaska Miles, or Delta Skymiles, or VS Virgin Atlantic
- 85000 Qantas Points, or SQ Krisflyer, or CX Asia Miles, or EK Skywards Miles, or EY Etihad Guest Miles, or Avianca LifeMiles

At the moment I could not decide which airline miles to get, as I still have a large bunch of AA, QF and VA miles.

The question is, which one would you choose and why?

 

[joyceful]

I found a lot of value with AA booking JAL J class flights. 40k one way J from MEL-NRT, 52.5k NRT-HNL, plus about $60 AUD taxes per sector. Very easy to search via ba.com.

Star Alliance does seem to have better availability... but seems stingy on USA flights again. Where are you headed?

I am planning 4J from Perth to Tokyo, with united mileage (star alliance), should be able to get 160k points for 4J. I am aiming SQ

 

[joyceful]

I am planning 4J from Perth to Tokyo, with united mileage (star alliance), should be able to get 160k points for 4J. I am aiming SQ

Just called, and united milleage side max can only get 2J (SQ), so I need to get another 2J from KF

 

[drron]

I found a lot of value with AA booking JAL J class flights. 40k one way J from MEL-NRT, 52.5k NRT-HNL, plus about $60 AUD taxes per sector. Very easy to search via ba.com.

Star Alliance does seem to have better availability... but seems stingy on USA flights again. Where are you headed?

Yes virtually the only attraction for Aadvantage now is booking partner airlines.

 

[potm]

Just called, and united milleage side max can only get 2J (SQ), so I need to get another 2J from KF

Very hard to book SQ, I think only 330 is available for partner redemptions. Thai should be much easier.

 

[foggy]

Does anyone know if there is a reason I can't book PVG - TPE with AVIOS? i can book pvg - hkg and then hkg -tpe but for some reason it won't do pvg - hkg - tpe?

 

[Henry Wilbury]

Forgive my ignorance, I have wandered over to this thread from the Diners, SPG and AA forums and am still having trouble understanding the world of Marriott rewards.

I normally transfer Diners points to AA via SPG to collect the bonus on the way. With the SPG = Marriott merger, is it the case that if I transfer from SPG to AA via Marriott rewards, I can get the same number of AA points but with some additional Marriott hotel stays as well?

 

[Moindardt]

Forgive my ignorance, I have wandered over to this thread from the Diners, SPG and AA forums and am still having trouble understanding the world of Marriott rewards.

I normally transfer Diners points to AA via SPG to collect the bonus on the way. With the SPG = Marriott merger, is it the case that if I transfer from SPG to AA via Marriott rewards, I can get the same number of AA points but with some additional Marriott hotel stays as well?

Hi Henry

Essentially the way it works is that you buy a 7 day certificate for the same points as you would normally pay for 7 awards nights and then pay extra to get the AA points at 1mile per Marriott Rewards points or 3 Miles per SPG, which is better than 1.25 SPG to AA. Keep in mind, a 7 day voucher is not the best use as it is 5th night free, so a 5 day one would be better but people comment on how hard it is to get them.

This is the table: Flight and Hotel Packages | Marriott Hotel Packages

AA is on Hotel and Air Package 1. With the recent AA 25% bonus on transfers from hotels, I redeemed 2 x Cat 1-5 +120k miles (you can upgrade levels by paying the points difference). This worked out to be 150k with the bonus. So, for a comparative 180k SPG, I got 2 x 7 days + 300k AA. If I was to normally convert the SPG, I would have gotten 225k (or 281.25k with the bonus). As you can see, effectively 2 x 1 week vouchers for free.

I am looking at using them in London where I will add in another 120k each to take them to a level 9 and use them for A$700/nt rooms. Effectively getting 2 rooms for a week for 240k Marriott points (80k SPG) worth $9800 or $.04ppd ($.12 SPG ppd). Considering how bad London is for Value for Money, it makes it very worthwhile.

Hope this helps

Moindardt

 

[Henry Wilbury]

Thank you for your rapid reply Moindardt.

My head is starting to spin out at the upside. And there is no downside to going from SPG to AA via Marriott because - even if you throw away the accommodation certificate - you automatically end up with a few more AA points than converting directly from SPG to AA?

 

[Moindardt]

Thank you for your rapid reply Moindardt.

My head is starting to spin out at the upside. And there is no downside to going from SPG to AA via Marriott because - even if you throw away the accommodation certificate - you automatically end up with a few more AA points than converting directly from SPG to AA?

Pretty much. I looked for the catch and there isn't one. The voucher is pretty easy to use in most place. You can also upgrade the room with $$ difference (surprisingly not to bad). Have a look on Marriott and do it for a 7 day period with points for where you want to go and you will see how useful it is.

 

[Henry Wilbury]

Thanks Moindardt. Outstanding!

 

[JohnK]

Pretty much. I looked for the catch and there isn't one. The voucher is pretty easy to use in most place. You can also upgrade the room with $$ difference (surprisingly not to bad). Have a look on Marriott and do it for a 7 day period with points for where you want to go and you will see how useful it is.

The voucher is easy to use but only if you have plans to go where Marriott hotels are located. 7 nights is a long time to spend.

Looks like my 7 night certificate is going to struggle to get used.

 

[Radio8tiv]

The voucher is easy to use but only if you have plans to go where Marriott hotels are located. 7 nights is a long time to spend.

Looks like my 7 night certificate is going to struggle to get used.

I used mine for only a six night stay and will have to forgo my last night, but seeing as it's in New York and I'll be arriving on Black Friday, I feel I still get value because the standard rates are over $2000us

 

[HTG2016]

Pretty much. I looked for the catch and there isn't one. The voucher is pretty easy to use in most place. You can also upgrade the room with $$ difference (surprisingly not to bad). Have a look on Marriott and do it for a 7 day period with points for where you want to go and you will see how useful it is.

We recently redeemed our 7 nights certificate in JW Marriott Phu Quoc in Vietnam brand new Cat 5 property with daily room rate up to almost 400 USD per night , together with 3 x J ticket with Thai Airways ( 90k United Points ) with 62K points in United Miles to spare , excellent used of 90K SPG Points in my opinion . Building up my SPG balance for next redemption via Marriott but not with united due to upcoming devaluation 1st Nov , look like AA Points is good value if there is 25% bonus coming up .

 

[Irishbazz]

Just cleared out my Amex account and tried to book Phu Quec for next April, but looks like they have closed it out as no redemption available all next year, still available up to December this year though. No doubt will be reclassified during the annual March category shuffle.

JW Marriott Khao Lak will have to do but albeit cat 7 redemption. Singapore points rocked up today, four days inclusive the weekend.

 

[wchiri]

Hello all,

I have 500,000 velocity points and ~ 600,000 amex MRpoints and want to go Singapore for 5 nights with wife and 1 year old.

Options thus far for business class:

krisflyer - 130,000 + $267 taxes + 10% adult fare (~$400)
velocity - 212,000 + $267 taxes (infant free)
united mileage - 100,000 + $267 taxes + 10% adult fare ($400)

2 seats are avaiable.

I have read about a package - Flight and Hotel Packages | Marriott Hotel Packages . Does this solve both problems of flight and hotel bookings?

We need 5 nights in a nice hotel in singapore - will this package be of any benefit or should I book flights and hotels separately?

Hope someone who may have been in a similar situation can shed some light on the best use of the points!

 

[potm]

The travel packages are awesome value.
Keep in mind though you won’t be able to book any Singapore J tickets using United miles if the flight has a first class cabin.

It also use to be 60,000 miles until about 3 months ago.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Does this solve both problems of flight and hotel bookings?

Not really. You can't simultaneously book the flight plus accommodation. I usually book the flight using my existing points. Then contact Marriott to book the package. Then contact Marriott again to book the hotel. Then wait for the frequent flyer points to hit my account. So for me the airline points are like a 'refund' for the points I've already spent.

My recent experiences are detailed here:

Marriott Travel Packages

It's a very slow and frustrating experience. Many at Marriott seem to have no idea what it's all about. But once you get the right person things go smoothly. But expect to have multiple contacts with Marriott over multiple days as the person that books the package for you cannot book the hotel room for you and none of this can be done online.

 

[Steady]

Check the maths, the Travel packages I’m aware of that come with Airline points, are for 7 nights - it may work out cheaper just to book 5 nights where I think you get one night free so only pay points for 4 nights?

Edit; happy to be corrected

 

[Dr Ralph]

Check the maths, the Travel packages I’m aware of that come with Airline points, are for 7 nights - it may work out cheaper just to book 5 nights where I think you get one night free so only pay points for 4 nights?

Edit; happy to be corrected

That's all correct. You'll forfeit the extra nights if you book a package and don't use the full 7 nights. But you wont get any airline miles if you book the 5 nights for 4 deal.

 

[wchiri]

So the ritz carlton Singapore can be booked with the 7 nights?