Marriott Bonvoy Marriott International

Marriott More Points Ahead to March 31 with analysis of 9K per 3 stays offer (targeted)

a screenshot of a hotel

Marriott Bonvoy has a More Points Ahead targeted promotion offer for stays through March 31, 2020.  At least two versions of this offer are mentioned by members on FlyerTalk. My offer is earn 9,000 bonus points after 3 stays, up to 27,000 bonus points after 9 stays by March 31. This appears to be the more common promotion. The other version mentioned on FlyerTalk requires stays with a weekend night earning 4,000 bonus points after first stay including a weekend night, 6,000 points after second stay and 8,000 points after third stay for total 18,000 bonus points.

Marriott More Points Ahead

Version 1: Weekend Night Stays (minimum one night stay) by March 31, 2020

First Stay including weekend night = 4,000 bonus points.

Second Stay including weekend night = 6,000 bonus points.

Third stay including weekend night = 8,000 bonus points.

Can be completed with minimum 3 weekend nights as 3 separate stays.

18,000 Total Bonus Points

 

Version 2: Earn 3,000 bonus points per 3 stays by March 31, 2020

Stay 1-3 = 9,000 points.

Stay 4-6 = 9,000 points.

Stay 7-9 = 9,000 points.

Can be completed in minimum 9 nights as 9 separate hotel stays.

27,000 Total Bonus Points.

a black background with white text

Version 1 of this offer looks like the better value to me, which is probably why more members reported on FlyerTalk receiving the 27,000 bonus points offer.

Terms and Conditions

27,000 bonus points after nine eligible paid stays.

  • Register today.
  • Stay at any of our more than 7,000 participating hotels and resorts worldwide now through 03/31/2020.
  • Get 9,000 bonus points after three stays*, 9,000 additional points after six stays and 9,000 more points after nine stays.

*A “stay” is defined as one or more consecutive nights spent at the same hotel, regardless of checkin/checkout activity, on any points-eligible rate (“Qualifying Rateâ€).

Registration is required. Registered Members can earn 9,000 bonus points after their third (3rd) eligible paid stay, 9,000 bonus points after their sixth (6th) eligible paid stay and 9,000 bonus points after their ninth (9th) eligible paid stay for a maximum of 27,000 bonus points during the promotion’s earning period (the “Promotionâ€). Earning period starts the day after members register through the end of the month, plus an additional three (3) months (the “Earning Periodâ€). Bonus points will be awarded to the member’s account within 3–5 business days after the qualifying stays post. Registered Members electing to earn miles are not eligible for this promotion. A “stay” is defined as one or more consecutive nights spent at the same hotel, regardless of checkin/checkout activity, on any points-eligible rate (“Qualifying Rateâ€). Nights stayed prior to enrollment are not eligible for this offer. Only one (1) room per hotel or resort is counted toward Registered Members’ stays. Credit toward this Promotion is given for nights consumed at participating Marriott hotels that occur within the Earning Period. Homes & Villas by Marriott International, ExecuStay, Marriott Executive Apartments and Marriott Vacation Club® owner-occupied weeks are not eligible for the Promotion, and nights spent while redeeming an award are not eligible for the Promotion. For a list of current participating hotels, visit www.marriott.com/loyalty/earn/hotels.mi. Rooms booked through most third-party online retailers and select travel agency bookings are ineligible to earn for this Promotion. This Promotion is nontransferable and is valid for one-time use. This Promotion is subject to modification, cancellation or limitation at Marriott’s discretion, with or without notice. All Marriott loyalty program terms and conditions apply, which are subject to change with or without notice. For more information, visit www.marriott.com/loyalty/terms/default.mi. Void for Marriott International, Inc. employees. This Promotion may be combined with other promotions in market during the same time; however, earnings are exclusive of each other. Promotion is applicable to individual members only and not to groups. Marriott International, Inc., is not responsible for omissions or typographical errors. Void where prohibited by law.

© 2019 Marriott International, Inc.

Analysis: 

The way I analyze a hotel loyalty promotion is to actually consider the cost of a potential trip I’d like to take. Currently Marriott hotels interest me in Spain, where I would like to travel and visit areas of my ancestors in regions of Portugal and Spain. I have March as a potential travel window and that fits with my current offer for 9,000 points after 3 Marriott stays.

Recently I analyzed the value of buying Marriott Bonvoy points while they are on sale for $8.75 per 1,000 points considering the large number of Marriott brand hotels in Spain at off-peak 5,000 points reward nights this winter. My analysis concluded that $43.75 per hotel night is a good budget travel option for areas of Spain this winter when 20 or so hotels are off-peak category 1 reward rates.

Loyalty Traveler – Marriott Buy Points deal for 20 category 1 AC hotels in Spain at $35 to $44 per night (Nov 18, 2019).

Loyalty Traveler – Budget travel at 20 Marriott Category 1 AC Hotels across Spain (Nov 18, 2019).

My current Marriott Bonvoy promotion offers 9,000 points after 3 stays. Many of these same category 1 hotels in Spain are priced at $50 to $70 per night, along with several higher category Marriott brand hotels in Spain at low published paid rates. Assume Marriott Bonvoy points are worth at minimum $8.75 per 1,000 points. I have confidence in finding good redemption value opportunities at many hotels worldwide when pricing my Marriott points at $8.75.

Assume three separate one night stays can be completed for about $200. I’ll estimate these stays earn at least 1,700 base points + 425 elite points (I’m Marriott Lifetime Gold elite) + 9,000 bonus points.

11,125 points earned for $200 in hotel spend is equivalent to $97.35 rebate in points based on the $8.75 value for 1,000 points.

The better value for me looks to be paying for 3 nights in Spain at $67 per night and earning nearly 50% rebate in points value from paid stays. While I can potentially book Marriott off-peak category 1 hotel nights for $44 in purchased points, I can potentially pay $66 per night and earn about $32 in Marriott Bonvoy points for a net room rate of $34 per night. This is an even better deal for cheap Marriott hotels that are priced at higher reward category than Marriott Bonvoy Category 1.

Of course, my quick analysis needs to be backed up by actual rates to verify this is close to accurate for real travel.

Northeast Spain – Galicia – is the area of Spain I am attracted to based on my research, yet I have never visited this region. There are three Marriott hotels in Galicia, Spain.

a map of a country
Galicia region of Spain includes Marriott Hotels in A Coruna, Santiago de Compostela and Vigo.
Vigo, Spain AC Hotel Palacio Universal – category 2 

Friday March 6, 2020 = 10,000 points or 56 EUR/61.60 EUR after tax = $68.12

Points earned on $60 base rate = 600 base + 150 Gold elite + 250 Gold elite welcome amenity = 1,000 points.

a screenshot of a hotel

 

Santiago de Compostela, Spain – Hotel Palacio del Carmen, Autograph Collection – category 4 

Saturday March 7, 2020 = 25,000 points or 74 EUR/81.40 EUR after tax = $90.02

Points earned on $80 base rate = 800 base + 200 Gold elite + 500 welcome amenity = 1,500 points.

a screenshot of a hotel

 

A Coruna, Spain – AC Hotel A Coruna – category 1

Sunday Mar 8 = 5,000 points or 50 EUR/55 EUR after tax = $60.82.

Points earned on $55 base rate = 550 base + 137 Gold elite + 250 welcome amenity = 937 points.

a screenshot of a hotel

3 Marriott Stays in Galicia, Spain = $218.96 for 3 hotel nights and earns 3,437 stay points + 9,000 promotional bonus points = 12,437 Marriott Bonvoy points.

12,437 Marriott Bonvoy points are worth $108.82 based on the current promotional rate to buy points at $8.75 per 1,000 points.

This is basically a Marriott Bonvoy 50% rebate in points value earned on $219 in hotel spend and effectively means I can spend $219 in Spain on three hotel nights and earn back about $109 in points value.

Looks like a good deal and this Marriott promotion offers more incentive for me to plan a trip to Spain in winter 2020.

 

1 Comment

  • Dan December 8, 2019

    You’ll love Galicia – go! Gorgeous beaches, great food and wonderful people.

Comments are closed.

BoardingArea