If you know that you will be traveling at some point but are not sure when, there is a new opportunity to save with Marriott. You can do this in two different ways: purchase gift cards at a discount right now or purchase points with a very hefty bonus.
Purchase discounted Marriott gift cards
Marriott is selling gift cards right now for 20% off from May 11th through May 17th. Marriott GiftCards and eGiftCards may be purchased up to $5,000 per person per credit card per day. These also do not expire.
eGiftCard orders are delivered within 1-7 business days due to order verification.
It’s not unheard of to get discounts on hotel gift cards.
In fact, it’s often possible to find discounts but it is more convenient to purchase them directly from the hotel as you might have more assurances of validity were something to go wrong.
These gift cards have to be used at the property which means that you generally can’t use them for pre-paid rates. So if you are someone who likes to purchase advanced purchase rates in order to save money, consider that your discount might be canceled out by being forced to pay for higher rates.
But if you like to purchase flexible rates, then these gift cards can make a lot of sense since you will end up saving up to 20% off sometime in the future.
You also can use these gift cards for different purchases at the property like spa treatments and dining expenses so even if you do purchase a prepaid rates, they can still be pretty useful.
Here are the increments you can purchase them in and their corresponding discounted rates:
- $50 for $40
- $100 for $80
- $250 for $200
- $500 for $400
- $1,000 for $800
Purchase Marriott points with a 60% bonus
The other thing that you can do May 18 through June 30 is purchase Marriott points with up to a 60% bonus. This is perhaps the largest bonus ever provided on Marriott points and allows you to purchase them at a rate of .78 cents per point.
This is almost equal to the WalletFlo valuation of point $.77 per point, making this a much more attractive offer than prior bonuses. If you have intentions of using points at top properties or simply to top out redemptions, then purchasing these points proactively could make a lot of sense with this higher bonus.
Marriott is working to make their hotels safe and sanitary in the future so if you have travel plans a few months out, you might be able to experience these new procedures first hand.
Final word
The hotel industry is hurting tremendously so they naturally are looking for ways to attract customers even if it is in the more distant future. I think both of these opportunities could be great ways to save for the right folks especially those who book flexible rates or who know how to really get outside value for the points at luxury properties.
H/T: VFTW
Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo. He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio.
i would be careful about buying points because of the risk they unilaterally close your account in which case you forfeit all points. it seems to have happened to some people,. so just a caveat as they can close it without cause at their discretion apparently.
Thanks. Always a good factor to consider. đź‘Ť