Almost the same answer....
It can actually be used until early 2010, assuming that you wait until about January 13 to get the package or that you extend it by then, since the certs are valid for a year. But as stated, no extensions. The "Marriott Concierge" a group of Marriott employees officially assigned to respond to selected questions on FlyerTalk, responded to the same question in mid-November:
Question: In the past, we have been able to extend the hotel portion of the travel package each year for another year if we were not able to use it. Will this option still be available?
Response: If you are wanting to know if you will be able to extend one of the current travel packages after January 15th, effectively extending its expiration until sometime in 2010, the answer is “no you will not be able to.”
The hotel portion of the new packages will be extendable.
Also, keep in mind that some hotels will move up a notch in hotel category (e.g., from category 6 to category 7). If you want to use a travel package hotel cert for a stay at one of those hotels, you'll have to have your reservation in place by January 14 or you'll have to pay additional points for the upgrade, if your hotel cert is for a lower category than the new level for the hotel.
