Marriott Rewards Question - # MCVI resort weeks redeemed for Marriott points

[seema]

Let us say that one wants to stay at a category 7 hotel in Western or Central Europe for a week. Let us say that one wants 2 business class tickets. For Air Canada, that would mean 150,000 Marriott points for the hotel, plus 160,000 Marriott points converted to Air Canada's Aeroplan frequent flyer plan - to get 2 return business class tickets between Canada or Continental USA and Europe. Of course, one gets a 25% discount with Hertz car rentals.

The question is whether there are any other airlines which require fewer than 80,000 miles or points per business class ticket per person.

For Air Canada, one would need 310,000 Marriott points to get the category 7 hotel and 2 business class tickets. If one was solely relying on MVCI resort weeks as the sole source of points for such vacations, one would need (in most cases) almost 3 years of redemption. Are there other frequent flyer plans requiring lower redemption levels to get this type of award - so that only 2 weeks of redemption will get the points?

 

[LAX Mom]

I used a travel package for 235,000 points. The miles with United (120,000) were enough for airfare for 2 to Phuket, in coach. If you want business class, it's going to cost you more than one package.

If you have to give up 3 annual weeks in a 2 bedroom/2 bath villa with kitchen just to get a travel package including business class seats to Europe and a 7 night stay in a hotel, then I think it's too many points!

I know others would disagree, but I'd rather have the stay in the villas for 3 weeks and fly in coach! I've flown in business/first class many times, but I wouldn't pay that much of a premium for it. You arrive at the same time, and in my opinion that's the purpose of the plane ride- to get from point A to point B.

edited to add- Sorry, I didn't really answer your question. But I don't think any of the travel packages have enough miles for business class travel across the Atlantic.

 

[pwrshift]

As a fellow Canadian, I fly Air Canada ... but on UA FF miles. As UA is a member of Star Alliance, using UA miles they can book you on a host of airline partners like Air Canada. Interestingly, you don't have to pay the excessive fuel surcharges that AC has when booking through UA. It takes 80,000 FF miles to fly biz class to Europe on UA or partner airlines. A host of UA partners fly non stop to various European locations so bypass AC and join UA. The Aeroplan points for flights is utter nonsense for some of their flights -- 80,000 is the 'saver' level of FF miles through Star Alliance.

http://www.staralliance.com/en/travellers/index.html

When you buy a $35,000 Grande Lakes Orlando Marriott you'll end up with about a million MR points. At 540,000 MR points for 2 seven-night Category 7 (top) hotel weeks in Europe (worth $7000?) you also get 240,000 FF miles and use 160,000 of them for two biz class seats! A trip of a lifetime...and with a million points you can do it twice! That $35,000 price tag, btw, is the price of the TS and 7 years MF for points trading and non use for a two bdrm suite that locks off into two 1 bdrm suites each with a kitchen. To really use the MR points plan you need a nest-egg of points - the kind you can only get buying direct when the economy is soft (like now) - spend them and replenish what you use by turning in your week EOY. I have 6 Marriott weeks and every year turn in two for 220,000 pts -- MF costs of less than $2000 -- that yields 440,000 pts for an EOY trip, plus points earned at hotel stays, etc. it works.

If you use points for hotel stay certificates by themselves and FF miles separately, you are wasting thousands of points. Use them only for Air+Hotel packages. Scroll down this location for the hotel+air pkgs.

http://www.marriott.com/rewards/usepoints/morepack.mi

Brian

 

[davidvel]

When you buy a $35,000 Grande Lakes Orlando Marriott you'll end up with about a million MR points.

Brian- They offer $1 Million incentive points for this purchase?

 

[pwrshift]

Here is a post about the Grande Lakes deal, which might be a little different now, but it shows how you can get 2 million points for buying 2 suites.

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=561412&postcount=33

 

[LAX Mom]

Brian-

I read your post and it is very tempting! I love Marriott points!

Did Marriott really sell those platinum 2 bedroom units at Grande Lakes for $26,505? I know it's Orlando, but I've been watching prices in Hawaii & ski resorts. For platinum that seems pretty decent.

 

[pwrshift]

Hi Lisa ... the Platinum Plus weeks (Pres Day week, March break, other prime time) were more money but pricing overall was very attractive -- perhaps the economy?? You're right --- VERY tempting.