[2012] Marriott Rewards - Status "Buyback"

[SueDonJ]

If you dropped a status level and are looking for ways to get it back, check out Elite Buy Back Promotion on marriott.com. May not be the best use of MR Points but it's an option ...

Here's all it takes to reinstate your level:
Points required to buy back Platinum status - 40,000 (a savings of 20,000 points)
Points required to buy back Gold status - 25,000 (a savings of 15,000 points)
Points required to buy back Silver status - 7,500 (a savings of 12,500 points)

Remember, if you don't have enough points in your account, you can always buy up to 50,000 points every year.

This offer is valid through April 2, 2012 and allows only one level of buyback, which must match the Elite level you enjoyed in 2011.

I had no idea such a thing existed; it's great what you learn on flyertalk.

 

[RBERR1]

I was one night short from reaching one status higher. I wonder if I can call them and see whether I can pay to get there.

 

[thinze3]

I had no idea of this either. I'll have to tell you, if one were planning a big trip, say to Rome and Paris, this would be a good deal. Breakfast at Champs Elysees runs about $45 per person. Gold Elites get free breakfast.

Did you also get the email about now being able to "buy" airline tickets online at Marriott Rewards using your Rewards points? That was new to me as well.

http://www.marriottrewardsairandcar.com

 

[Numismatist]

If you dropped a status level and are looking for ways to get it back, check out Elite Buy Back Promotion on marriott.com. May not be the best use of MR Points but it's an option ...


I had no idea such a thing existed; it's great what you learn on flyertalk.

That's funny, they just gave me back my Gold this year even though I didn't have enough nights...

 

[mas]

That's funny, they just gave me back my Gold this year even though I didn't have enough nights...

It seems like they did this for a lot of members...I had 57 nights in 2011; was platinum status and they gave us platinum for 2012 even though we were 18 nights short.

 

[classiclincoln]

"I was one night short from reaching one status higher. I wonder if I can call them and see whether I can pay to get there."


If you're really into keeping your status, it might be cheaper to book a room someplace just to get the night credited.

 

[griffinhouse]

I had 90 nights in 2011 to continue my Platinum elite status. When I looked at the roll over nights I found they only gave me 2 rollover nights from 2011. When I checked with Marriott they told me that 13 nights were rolled over from 2010. Seems fair but I wasn't expecting that.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

I had 90 nights in 2011 to continue my Platinum elite status. When I looked at the roll over nights I found they only gave me 2 rollover nights from 2011. When I checked with Marriott they told me that 13 nights were rolled over from 2010. Seems fair but I wasn't expecting that.

Don't feel too bad, I think we've all had the same issues as to how they figure the rollover nights.

I chalk it up to the Marriott Voodoo Math that they use. As long as I come out even or ahead of the game then we're all good




.

 

[dioxide45]

I had 90 nights in 2011 to continue my Platinum elite status. When I looked at the roll over nights I found they only gave me 2 rollover nights from 2011. When I checked with Marriott they told me that 13 nights were rolled over from 2010. Seems fair but I wasn't expecting that.

Last year they rolled over roll over nights, if you asked. This is how it was originally communicated on FlyerTalk. However, the T&C were updated so roll over nights wouldn't roll over. There is another thread on here where SueDonJ explains how the rollover works and does all the math.

 

[dioxide45]

I was one night short from reaching one status higher. I wonder if I can call them and see whether I can pay to get there.

Many people who were short on points to renew were renewed in to their prior elite level. That included us. We were gold in 2011 and only had a little over 30 nights. They renewed our gold for 2012 anyway. Your case is a little different since you were just short on nights to reach the next level. You may be able to get them to bump you to the next level if you ask nicely.

The elite level buyback program isn't new, I have read about it on FlyerTalk in the past. I really don't think there is enough value for the average traveler in the buyback program. Now for the business traveler that had a low level of travel one year and expects a lot of travel in the next year, this is probably worth while to consider.

 

[SueDonJ]

I was one night short from reaching one status higher. I wonder if I can call them and see whether I can pay to get there.

It's worth a try - I find that they're pretty good about working with their elite customers. At the very least, maybe they'll offer you one of the challenge promotions where they give you the status based on future stays. (Not sure of all the details but I'm sure they'll be able to explain it.)

If you're really into keeping your status, it might be cheaper to book a room someplace just to get the night credited.

They count nights in a calendar year so it wouldn't do any good to book a night now. It used to work that way with a rolling 12-month count, but not anymore.

Last year they rolled over roll over nights, if you asked. This is how it was originally communicated on FlyerTalk. However, the T&C were updated so roll over nights wouldn't roll over. There is another thread on here where SueDonJ explains how the rollover works and does all the math.

Here's the 2011 - 2012 MR Rollover Nights thread. And, in the week or so after they first processed this year's rollover stuff, they did some tweaking to correct errors. Anybody who has only checked their account once may want to look again.

 

[SueDonJ]

... Did you also get the email about now being able to "buy" airline tickets online at Marriott Rewards using your Rewards points? That was new to me as well.

http://www.marriottrewardsairandcar.com

Yeah. On flytertalk they don't seem all that jazzed about this new thing, but I'm waiting for folks like you on TUG to see how you work it. Sometimes the TUG people use MR stuff and see MR values differently from the road warriors on flyertalk.

 

[sfwilshire]

I wound up one night short and was surprised that I didn't get notice that they had extended my status. Then I saw the offer to extend it for 40K points on my Account Overview Page. Not happy about that option, I called the Platinum desk. The very polite agent admitted that he didn't know why they didn't extend me automatically and said he would take care of it. After a couple of days, the points extension offer disappeared, so I assume he did so.

Sheila

 

[dioxide45]

Yeah. On flytertalk they don't seem all that jazzed about this new thing, but I'm waiting for folks like you on TUG to see how you work it. Sometimes the TUG people use MR stuff and see MR values differently from the road warriors on flyertalk.

We looked at flights to Hawaii for November of this year (we aren't going this year, just looking at them). It was about 1,000,000 MRS for four people. we could get four people there with two travel packages for a lot less.

 

[pwrshift]

At 192,000 MR points for one return economy seat from Toronto to Rome. I don't think so.

I had no idea of this either. I'll have to tell you, if one were planning a big trip, say to Rome and Paris, this would be a good deal. Breakfast at Champs Elysees runs about $45 per person. Gold Elites get free breakfast.

Did you also get the email about now being able to "buy" airline tickets online at Marriott Rewards using your Rewards points? That was new to me as well.

http://www.marriottrewardsairandcar.com

 

[BocaBoy]

It seems like they did this for a lot of members...I had 57 nights in 2011; was platinum status and they gave us platinum for 2012 even though we were 18 nights short.

They have done this for lots of members for many years. They are reluctant to take away status if a member is anywhere close to renewing. That may not hold true if the same member is short again the next year, however. Also, I do not think they very often, if ever, give an increased staus to someone who is close--only renewals of existing status.

 

[MichaelColey]

Many airlines and hotels extend status to some members who don't requalify, especially when the economy is down.

In 2009 with US Airways, I hit Chairman's (top tier, 100k miles), my wife hit Platinum (75k miles) and my kids hit Silver (25k miles). We quit flying US Airways in 2010 (switching over to AA). They dropped me and my wife down to regular members the next year, but left our kids at Silver for an extra year.