Marriott Lifetime Platinum! finally!

[dioxide45]

Thank you! I called a regular number a couple of days to make a reservation for Singapore Marriott and it was not a pleasant experience. I will try this next week as I have another reservation to make for Hong Kong and when the reservation window opens up.

Why not just make the reservation online?

 

[VacationForever]

Why not just make the reservation online?

I used a travel package and online system does not allow a travel package to be attached. Only an agent can do that.

 

[Ann in CA]

What a way to start the New Year! FINALLY, I am Lifetime Marriott Platinum! I had wayyyy over 1,000 nights, but was short on points. Today, January 1st. I transferred 50,000 miles from United Airlines to my Marriott account and now will have over the 2,000, 000 points needed. I transferred 35,000 more then I actually needed. What a way to start the New Year!

It seemed to take forever to get here, now finally I am here Happy New Year

Congratulations! How would I transfer United Points to Marriott? We have funneled points to my husband’s account and he should already be Lifetime. However, they told me that points transferred from my account to his would not count toward Lifetime, and when we put my number as primary owner on MVC account last year, all MVC points have gone to me so he did not finish up the points requirement last year. We have several options for transferring airline points but didn’t realize we could do that. Do have United in his name. Also, thought I would get the SPG card for him, so good to know those can’t be transferred. Thanks for all the great info!

 

[rthib]

I used a travel package and online system does not allow a travel package to be attached. Only an agent can do that.

You don't have to call to make reservation. You can make reservation and then attach reward later.

 

[VacationForever]

You don't have to call to make reservation. You can make reservation and then attach reward later.

The system would ask if you want to use cash or reward. If you choose reward, it will pull the points again. If you use "cash" option, it poses an issue later if "reward" rooms are no longer available when you call to attach a reward redemption to it, thereby invalidating the reservation + there is no longer an reward-eligible room. You still ALWAYS need to call to attach a travel package certificate to the room. There is no way around it.

 

[rthib]

The system would ask if you want to use cash or reward. If you choose reward, it will pull the points again. If you use "cash" option, it poses an issue later if "reward" rooms are no longer available when you call to attach a reward redemption to it, thereby invalidating the reservation + there is no longer an reward-eligible room. You still ALWAYS need to call to attach a travel package certificate to the room. There is no way around it.

Yes, you need to call to attach the reward.
No, you do not need to call to make the reservation.
If you haven't ordered travel package and are worried about you point balance not being enough to order package, just call and order travel package for any hotel.
Then when window opens you can make reservation yourself online. Platinum line is his and miss sometimes on reservations.

I do it all the time. I trust myself to make reservation then it is always a quick call to attach the reward.

 

[mav]

Hello Ann in Ca,
I am 1K on United Airlines, and one of the perks is that anyone gold and up can transfer 50,000 points per year to their Marriott account, and those points count towards lifetime . It usually takes 7 to 10 business days to clear, and then lifetime points go up by 50,000 points.
Here is the link https://secure.unitedmileageplus.com/reg/rewards_plus/index.html
Hope this helps.

 

[mav]

Congratulations! How would I transfer United Points to Marriott? We have funneled points to my husband’s account and he should already be Lifetime. However, they told me that points transferred from my account to his would not count toward Lifetime, and when we put my number as primary owner on MVC account last year, all MVC points have gone to me so he did not finish up the points requirement last year. We have several options for transferring airline points but didn’t realize we could do that. Do have United in his name. Also, thought I would get the SPG card for him, so good to know those can’t be transferred. Thanks for all the great info!

Thank you for the well wishes
Hello Ann in Ca,
I am 1K on United Airlines, and one of the perks is that anyone gold and up can transfer 50,000 points per year to their Marriott account, and those points count towards lifetime . It usually takes 7 to 10 business days to clear, and then lifetime points go up by 50,000 points.
Here is the link https://secure.unitedmileageplus.com/reg/rewards_plus/index.html
Hope this helps.

 

[VacationForever]

Yes, you need to call to attach the reward.
No, you do not need to call to make the reservation.
If you haven't ordered travel package and are worried about you point balance not being enough to order package, just call and order travel package for any hotel.
Then when window opens you can make reservation yourself online. Platinum line is his and miss sometimes on reservations.

I do it all the time. I trust myself to make reservation then it is always a quick call to attach the reward.

I think you and I are saying something different. Let's say this is not my first rodeo.

 

[NiteMaire]

Thank you for the well wishes
Hello Ann in Ca,
I am 1K on United Airlines, and one of the perks is that anyone gold and up can transfer 50,000 points per year to their Marriott account, and those points count towards lifetime . It usually takes 7 to 10 business days to clear, and then lifetime points go up by 50,000 points.
Here is the link https://secure.unitedmileageplus.com/reg/rewards_plus/index.html
Hope this helps.

If you're Marriott Platinum, you can register for RewardsPlus. This will get you United Silver, which will let you do the same. I transferred 50K last year, and just started the process for another 50K this year.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

 

[jd2601]

I believe Platinum Premier gives you now gold with United and as you mentioned Platinum gives you Silver. Nice perk!

 

[dioxide45]

I think you and I are saying something different. Let's say this is not my first rodeo.

If you have previously converted to the travel package and have the certificate in your MR account, doesn't the option exist to attach the certificate at the time you are reserving online? This is how it works when we make a reservation and want to use our free night CC certificate.

There is a way around having a points reservation that you really need not take all your points. You first make a dummy reservation that uses most of your MR points. Then you make the real reservation that you do want. You then cancel the original reservation and the points are then returned to your account. You can then attach a certificate to the real reservation by calling Marriott Rewards customer service. This is very useful for us and we have used it when we don't yet have enough points for a travel package. So we make the dummy reservation then the real one followed by cancelling the dummy. Then when we have enough points for the travel package, we convert and have them attach the certificate to the points reservation.

 

[NiteMaire]

If you have previously converted to the travel package and have the certificate in your MR account, doesn't the option exist to attach the certificate at the time you are reserving online? This is how it works when we make a reservation and want to use our free night CC certificate.

I recall seeing this in the past. Now it doesn't show up when I try to book with a reward. Seems like I'd have to call to attach the travel cert now (hmmm).

I have a 1 night Cert from a promotional reward, but I can't attach it as well. I haven't reached my first anniversary for my Marriott card so I can't determine if I'd be able to attach that one.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

 

[VacationForever]

If you have previously converted to the travel package and have the certificate in your MR account, doesn't the option exist to attach the certificate at the time you are reserving online? This is how it works when we make a reservation and want to use our free night CC certificate.

There is a way around having a points reservation that you really need not take all your points. You first make a dummy reservation that uses most of your MR points. Then you make the real reservation that you do want. You then cancel the original reservation and the points are then returned to your account. You can then attach a certificate to the real reservation by calling Marriott Rewards customer service. This is very useful for us and we have used it when we don't yet have enough points for a travel package. So we make the dummy reservation then the real one followed by cancelling the dummy. Then when we have enough points for the travel package, we convert and have them attach the certificate to the points reservation.

For the 1-night freebie that is given for the Marriott Visa, you can use that to attach to an online reward booking. For travel packages, there is not a way to attach it.

Back in Nov, I did not have enough for both a Cat 8 and Cat 9 so I booked two Cat 1-5 5-night travel packages, wanting to use them in Dec 2018 in Singapore (Cat 8) and Hong Kong (Cat 9). I needed the United Airlines points plus wanting to get their 25K bonus.

Anyway, I got the first Cat 1-5 hotel portion upgraded to Cat 8 for Singapore a couple of weeks ago. The math for that, they deducted 75K, and refunded 10K, net increase of 65K which is consistent, i.e., upgrading from 235K Cat 1-5 to 300K for Cat 8. Why I am breaking this down... read below for the Cat 9 upgrade.

BTW, I did think about using your workaround in booking and cancelling because I do now have alot of MRPs in my account, great minds !!!

Since I will need to call Marriott to upgrade my 2nd Cat 1-5 cert to Cat 9 anyway, I have to make that 1 call to Marriott Rewards desk first. The 2nd call will be to attach the certificate so I might as well have Reservation desk make the reservation and attach the certificate at the same time. Here is what happened today with regards to upgrading the package. On the chart, Cat 9 5-night travel package requires 345K points. It should require 110K points to upgrade from Cat 1-5 to Cat 9, right???? The agent repeated several times that the upgrade would take 95K points. I told her it should be 110K but I was not going to argue with her. When it was completed, it showed that it took 105K and refunded 10K, net of 95K. So Cat 9 5 nights should really require 330K. What am I missing here???? If there is such a discrepancy, I will book Cat 1-5 travel package first before upgrading to Cat 9 in the future. In the past I just booked a straight Cat 9 travel package.

The Hong Kong stay date has not opened up yet and when it does I will call the Marriott Platinum Reservation desk to book the dates and attach the certificate.

 

[Ann in CA]

Thanks! He was Gold with United from Platinum premier one year, but think he is only Silver now. Will check it out. Will see what I can do!
Ann

Hello Ann in Ca,
I am 1K on United Airlines, and one of the perks is that anyone gold and up can transfer 50,000 points per year to their Marriott account, and those points count towards lifetime . It usually takes 7 to 10 business days to clear, and then lifetime points go up by 50,000 points.
Here is the link https://secure.unitedmileageplus.com/reg/rewards_plus/index.html
Hope this helps.

 

[Ann in CA]

Hello Ann in Ca,
I am 1K on United Airlines, and one of the perks is that anyone gold and up can transfer 50,000 points per year to their Marriott account, and those points count towards lifetime . It usually takes 7 to 10 business days to clear, and then lifetime points go up by 50,000 points.
Here is the link https://secure.unitedmileageplus.com/reg/rewards_plus/index.html
Hope this helps.

Thanks! Will try that!
Ann

 

[Ann in CA]

If you're Marriott Platinum, you can register for RewardsPlus. This will get you United Silver, which will let you do the same. I transferred 50K last year, and just started the process for another 50K this year.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

. Thanks! He’s Silver with United now due to MR Platinum so will try to use that. I’m just starting to use the new TUG board again and hope the replies show up where intended!
Ann

 

[frank808]

Thanks! He was Gold with United from Platinum premier one year, but think he is only Silver now. Will check it out. Will see what I can do!
Ann

Getting gold status on United by being plat premiere just started in 2017. Your husband should still be gold until Feb 2018. At least my United account still shows me as gold.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[rthib]

. Thanks! He’s Silver with United now due to MR Platinum so will try to use that. I’m just starting to use the new TUG board again and hope the replies show up where intended!
Ann

Don't forget to get your Platinum status match at SPG, then apply for Crossover rewards on Delta which gets you perks and upgrade there too.

 

[icydog]

I would never convert Mileage Plus miles to Marriott Reward Points. You lose too much in value that way. According to the ThePointsGuy.com its not a great idea as you can see from this excerpted paragraph.
All United elite members (including Premier Silver flyers) can convert up to 50,000 MileagePlus miles each calendar year to Marriott Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio. Unfortunately, this isn’t a spectacular value proposition. TPG pegs United miles at 1.5 cents apiece in his most recent valuations, while Marriott Rewards points come in at just 0.7 cents apiece. You’re thus giving up more than half of the value of your miles if you go this route.

 

[mav]

I would never convert Mileage Plus miles to Marriott Reward Points. You lose too much in value that way. According to the ThePointsGuy.com its not a great idea as you can see from this excerpted paragraph.
All United elite members (including Premier Silver flyers) can convert up to 50,000 MileagePlus miles each calendar year to Marriott Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio. Unfortunately, this isn’t a spectacular value proposition. TPG pegs United miles at 1.5 cents apiece in his most recent valuations, while Marriott Rewards points come in at just 0.7 cents apiece. You’re thus giving up more than half of the value of your miles if you go this route.

Hi icydog,
I appreciate the info. I have tons of miles because I am working on million miler, so I don't use my miles for flights, only upgrades. I can only transfer 50,000 a year anyway. We flew 187,000 miles last year, and most years do about that so I have lots of miles. Million miler has been a long time coming, but we should hit it this year. Marriott lifetime Platinum has taken awhile too. Before we retired our jobs did not require travel, so all of this has been on our dime. I do have to say I have enjoyed out timeshares, but I LOVE hotels! Marriott, Hilton, IHG, yes I do. It doesn't take long to get spoiled by room upgrades, fabulous maid service, clean sheets and towels, complimentary breakfast and lounge access, etc. We are heading back to Jerusalem this April to spend 10 nights at the Waldorf Astoria for free, using hotel points. I would never have been able to stay at a Waldorf Astoria if not for points. I can't wait! And it includes complimentary breakfast. I have heard the breakfast buffet at that hotel is legendary . We stay at the lower priced hotels and redeem at high end.

 

[BocaBoy]

....... they told me that points transferred from my account to his would not count toward Lifetime....

That is absolutely not true. All points going into your Marriott Rewards account count toward Lifetime levels with the single exception of transfers from SPG to Marriott. My wife is working toward Lifetime Platinum and every year for the past 4-5 years we have transferred 50,000 points from my account to hers, most recently earlier this week. Those points have always counted. They are also deducted from my lifetime totals, which is not important to us because I have nearly 7 million lifetime points.

 

[pedro47]

Congratulations now I have a new goal to shoot for in the years to come.

 

[mav]

That is absolutely not true. All points going into your Marriott Rewards account count toward Lifetime levels with the single exception of transfers from SPG to Marriott. My wife is working toward Lifetime Platinum and every year for the past 4-5 years we have transferred 50,000 points from my account to hers, most recently earlier this week. Those points have always counted. They are also deducted from my lifetime totals, which is not important to us because I have nearly 7 million lifetime points.

WOW! How did you amass so many lifetime points?? That is amazing! That's great your wife is now working towards lifetime, since it doesn't transfer.

 

[TimGolobic]

Let's start an offshoot thread.

As of this morning, 2035 nights, and 5,035,927 points lifetime. I will concede that much of that is from credit card spend and bonus nights credit. Pay your HOA dues with your MR Visa card and earn the 5x bonus.