Marriott hotel price compared to cost in points. What value do we actually get from Marriott compared to Chase Sapphire Reserve? Basically rambling...

[jwalk03]

Through Chase Ultimate Rewards:

View attachment 87388

UR points are worth 0.015 per when you use them to book travel through the UR Portal (if you have a Sapphire Reserve card) or 0.0125 (if you have a Sapphire Preferred Card.)
0.01 per when redeemed for other options like statement credits or cash or if you have a Freedom or regular Sapphire no fee card

 

[rickandcindy23]

We have the Sapphire Reserve and usually book airfare with the points. I booked Lihue (Kauai) to Seattle for our return on 8/22. Such a good use of UR points. I had 550,000 before that 139,000 point spend.

 

[Red elephant]

I have that card too. The problem is that I already have access to lounges, and usually don't pay luggage fees, so it's hard to find use for $300 of incidentals with food and wifi (which I don't usually get anyway). Using it to get economy seats in the front seems kind of unnecessary.

I use mine for seat upgrades. Exit row seats or economy plus. Upgraded to business class to South Africa .

 

[frank808]

The requirements for the $300 credit on the Ritz card are more stringent. It only applies to airline incidentals. (Baggage fees, seat upgrades, inflight purchases, lounge costs, etc.)

I have that card too. The problem is that I already have access to lounges, and usually don't pay luggage fees, so it's hard to find use for $300 of incidentals with food and wifi (which I don't usually get anyway). Using it to get economy seats in the front seems kind of unnecessary.

I am able to use the RC $300 credit and the Aspire $50 a quarter credit on United for travel bank purchases. Every year I get $600 from RC and $800 from Aspire(until this year, Aspire was $1000 credit annually for HGVC charges).

Brings the AF on RC card down to $150 for the 85K certificate and a better priority pass than what Amex or Capital One PP accounts provide. Get to goto participating restaurants and use the Chase lounge in Boston. Chase opened another lounge in JFK recently. The Chase lounge in Boston was better than my Polaris lounge experiences at SFO and EWR.

Amex Aspire I make $50 a year per card. I get $400 credit for my HGVC maintenance fee on card us $50 each quarter for a total of $200 for using it on United. In essence making $50 ($400 HGVC credit + $200 Airline credit is $600. Annual fee is $550 so a positive of $50). So for my annual $550 annual fee on Aspire card, I make $50 and get one FNA annually. Have 4 Aspire cards between wife and I so we get 4 FNA + $200. I get paid to carry the Aspire card. Only other card that I have, that pays me, is the Pen Fed Pathfinders card. That card pays me $100 each year for carrying it. There is a $95 AF if you are not an advantage Member. Since we are advantage members, the Pathfinders cars pays me $100 annually.

 

[Superchief]

We have the Sapphire Reserve and usually book airfare with the points. I booked Lihue (Kauai) to Seattle for our return on 8/22. Such a good use of UR points. I had 550,000 before that 139,000 point spend.

I often do the same thing. It usually requires fewer points, and you also get mileage credit for the miles flown. I usually don't use the CSR points for Marriott stays because they don't provide the MR points and titanium benefits because they consider it to be a 'discount' stay.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I often do the same thing. It usually requires fewer points, and you also get mileage credit for the miles flown. I usually don't use the CSR points for Marriott stays because they don't provide the MR points and titanium benefits because they consider it to be a 'discount' stay.

That's a good point.

 

[jackio]

I second transferring CSR points to Hyatt. Their redemption value is usually 12,000 to 15,000/nt especially around airports. Plus they include breakfast.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I second transferring CSR points to Hyatt. Their redemption value is usually 12,000 to 15,000/nt especially around airports. Plus they include breakfast.

I have done that quite often to stay at the Hyatt in SFO. It's so convenient to get to that hotel at the airport. We have stayed there three times.

I arranged a stay after a long flight at the Hyatt at MCO (Orlando) and then cancelled it.

I told Rick to use his Hyatt card for everything that doesn't get 3X (CSR). He uses it at the grocery store, WalMart, Home Depot, Lowe's, and basically everything but restaurants. It's worked out well, if he remembers to use it. Sometimes he is at Home Depot buying supplies and calls to ask what card to use.

We love Hyatt, and the exchange rate is excellent. I wonder when they will change that. The Hyatt on Maui is super cheap for a night, and we luck into a one bedroom often.

 

[DanCali]

I use mine for seat upgrades. Exit row seats or economy plus. Upgraded to business class to South Africa .

Economy Plus upgrades on United Domestic I already get - I don't fly them much anymore but managed to get Lifetime Gold (1 Million Miler) from my road warrior days...

I am able to use the RC $300 credit and the Aspire $50 a quarter credit on United for travel bank purchases.

The United travel bank would be a good use (I do it with the $200 Amex Platinum credit)! Do they let you do that when you call Chase to get reimbursed? In what increments do you do it?

 

[frank808]

Economy Plus upgrades on United Domestic I already get - I don't fly them much anymore but managed to get Lifetime Gold (1 Million Miler) from my road warrior days...



The United travel bank would be a good use (I do it with the $200 Amex Platinum credit)! Do they let you do that when you call Chase to get reimbursed? In what increments do you do it?

I buy it as the full $300 travel bank option. The only bad part is you have to wait till the charge acutally posts. Which could be a couple days pr more later. Then call into chase customer service to get reimbursement. Chase seems to do it manually unlike Amex. In these past 4/5 years call has been answered quick and reps have always been pleasant. Reps usually say I do see that $300 united charge and will apply the credit. In the same call I get my $300 credit, I then hand over phone for my wife to get her $300 credit. Worked fine every year.

 

[Quilter]

I buy it as the full $300 travel bank option. The only bad part is you have to wait till the charge acutally posts. Which could be a couple days pr more later. Then call into chase customer service to get reimbursement. Chase seems to do it manually unlike Amex. In these past 4/5 years call has been answered quick and reps have always been pleasant. Reps usually say I do see that $300 united charge and will apply the credit. In the same call I get my $300 credit, I then hand over phone for my wife to get her $300 credit. Worked fine every year.

Are you calling to get the $300 annual travel credit on the CSR? I automatically get the credit without calling.

 

[DanCali]

Are you calling to get the $300 annual travel credit on the CSR? I automatically get the credit without calling.

No, this is for the Ritz Chase card. They have a $300 airline incidentals credit similar to the Amex Platinum $200 credit. I've used it on things like lounges, wifi, and luggage fees but normally don't end up using it all, so nice to know about the United travel bank option.

 

[claraj]

Is there a similar travel bank option on other airlines like Delta?