re: Credit Card Rewards and Points Discussion

I have a few questions if anyone have the Marriott Rewards card? Does the annual fee kick in right at the start or at the end of the first year?

I just received a mailing for 80,000 Bonus Points. Would put me at ~125,000 points total. I have held off on this one in the past, but looking to head to a beach destination in the next 12 months or so. Also, 1 free night at category 1-5 seems well worth the $85 annual fee. What's 125,000 Marriott points look like for somewhere in Mexico/Hawaii/caribbean?

LSUShock

Marriott rewards pisses me off. They reward you with Cat 1-5 stuff and subsequently raise all their properties that are worth anything to 6 and above. They are pretty subpar to other loyalty programs. Before you let the Cat 1-5 night fool you, click on the link below and see how many you can find (Cat 1-5) that you would actually want to stay at.

Award Mapper

Select only Marriott and set slider to 25,000. Don't be fooled by it when it says a Ritz Carlton is "Category 1-5". It is actually Tier 1-5 in case of RCs.

Spoiler: There aren't that many, if any at all.

I earned 2 Cat 5 nights and am ending up having to use them for 80-100$ redemptions. Eh.

Max out to 5 other chase cards instead. Also 35K SPG >> 125K Marriott.

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looking to head to a beach destination in the next 12 months or so.

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Any specific areas in mind?

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Hawaii

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Maui:
4 nights at Andaz Maui + 4 nights at Grand Wailea (Chase Hyatt + Citi Hilton x 2. 1 for you + 1 for wife. Use 2 free night certificates from each card)

Kauai:

4 nights at Grand Hyatt Kauai + 5 nights at Sheraton Kauai (2 Chase Hyatt + 2 SPG. Use 2 free nights from Hyatt Card + 48K SPG points with 5th night free)

Honolulu, Kona have more options but I'd suggest Maui or Kauai over those.

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Mexico, or somewhere in the Caribbean

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Tons of options here. Highlight would be 4 Hyatt nights at Hyatt Zilara or Ziva at Cabo, Montego Bay, Cancun etc.

Show me 2 nights at a similar Marriott property in any of these areas within 125K points :)


Marriott hits a home-run with business travelers. No doubt. The Courtyard and Residence Inn chains are a job perfectly done and a market perfectly cornered. But problem is their rewards program for leisure travel.

If you want to go marriott route, my suggestion to you would be both you and wife get personal cards for sure, and maybe think about tacking on the business ones as well. Then redeem for 5 or 7 night nights + flights redemption.

Hyatt and IHG next for you.

UA next. I like this offer as well, and going to try and go for it end of this month. But only because I have all others.

Chase Refer a Friend

Please send me a referral to that UA offer if you have one. I can't find it. May go for that end of this month.

Trick: E-mail yourself a referral as well. Then copy the application link and save it. Next time you want to refer someone, instead of having to go through Chase and waiting 1-3 weeks for them to send the e-mail, just send over that link.

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Marriott Rewards card

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There is a business version that offers 70k bonus points and does waive the annual fee for the first year. Just FYI.

Yeah. Unfortunately it is. CSP, Freedom and SW Prem should pop up though.

Simply bad luck in that case. Nothing you can do about that

No I don't think it is a bad idea to cancel your SW card.

From the other thread, if I am thinking right, you may have some Chase points? If you have 50K, you can get a cheap flight to Boston and then on to Ireland from there for 25K RT per person using British Airways Avios transferred from Chase. This is one of the most lucrative redemptions out there.

Hyatt Diamond Status + 19K-33K points for ~$1050-$1250?

Details:
- Hyatt is running a promo where you would earn 75,000 Hyatt points after staying 25 nights between 4/1 and 6/30
- Points + Cash count
- Cat 1 P+C is 2,500 Points + $50 per night
- Earn 5 (regular members) - 6.5 points (Diamond) per dollar spent at Hyatt Hotels
- Diamond members get extra 500-1000 points as a welcome amenity at check-in. (1000 points only if you can find a non "House" or "Place" cat 1)

Mattress run 25 stays:

+ Outlay is 62,500 Hyatt (transferred from Chase) + $1250

+ Earn: 75K from Promo + 6250-8125 from Spend + 12.5-25K points for diamond members
+ Buy Hyatt GC from raise or giftcardgranny at 16% off to bring down $1250 cash outlay to $1050
+ Earn some CC points for buying those GCs.

Tl;DR: So essentially for $1050 it is possible to buy Diamond Hyatt Status plus upto 34K Hyatt points. Thoughts?

ETA 1: Ofcourse, this is 100% mattress run. You can always adjust the numbers by sprinkling in actual stays as well.

ETA 2: Might be a good time to do Hyatt Diamond Challenge where you earn Diamond status after staying 12 nights. You also earn 6000 points for staying first 6 nights and are granted platinum throughout the challenge. Promo is tiered so you will earn 15K bonus after staying 10 nights and 30K if you can stay 3 more at 15 nights.