Transferring Points - Marriott Rewards

Hi, I'm new - be gentle with me.

Having recently joined Flying Club, and then this site, I'm keen to make the most of the benefits, and I can't seem to get my head around most of it.

I'm also a Marriott Rewards member and was wondering if anyone had any views on the relative merits of transferring points from that scheme. I stay in hotels more often than I fly, but flying is obviously more costly - so not sure where I get the most bang for my points!

Thanks in advance...

[Nottingham Nick]

My own very personal view is that you rarely get anything like good value when you transfer points from hotel to airline schemes and vice versa.

There are exceptions to this however - the first one being when a scheme offers bonus points for transfers - as SPG used to do fairly often.

The second instance is when the points are in effect orphaned, i.e. you won't use that hotel / airline again before the points expire, so any benefit in the scheme you transfer into is profit.

We have recently transferred a load of SPG points into my FC account Hilton points to Sue's FC account, as we have firmly nailed our hotel colours to the Marriott mast and would not have used or added to the other hotel points. Neither transfer rates were great but SPG seemed to offer a lot better value than Hilton.

With regards to your Marriott points, I have found that by far the most cost effective way to spend them is at Marriott hotels - the longer you stay the better the value.

Nick

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
My own very personal view is .............. I have found that by far the most cost effective way to spend them is at Marriott hotels - the longer you stay the better the value.

Nick

Thanks Nick - confirms my thoughts on it. Just trying to find ways to boost FC points as got 3 or 4 long trips coming up in the next 18 months or so, and want to make them as comfortable as possible!!

I agree, if you look at what the Marriott points buy you, it's great value. I would keep them in that programme. I'm not aware of them expiring.

It's the same when you look at VS miles to buy tickets or upgrade. In my mind, the VS miles are more valuable to upgrade a class or buy a non-economy ticket. Using miles for an Economy ticket does n't save you much at all, due to the Tax you still have to pay.

I know Virgin have a 3 year expiry on their mileage account, as long as you keep accruing them you are OK, other airlines like United have an 18 month window, which is a little 'tight' in my mind.