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Marriott Bonvoy to scrap ‘Travel Package’ hotel redemptions next week

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It appears that Marriott Bonvoy is scrapping its ‘Travel Package’ redemptions next week. An update to the programme terms and conditions online, now removed, said that packages will not be offered after 19th January.

A ‘Travel Package’ allows you to redeem a large chunk of Marriott Bonvoy points for a seven night hotel stay plus either 50,000 or 100,000 airline miles.

Here is the price list, taken from the Marriott website here:

Importantly, there was no obligation to use the airline miles in conjunction with the hotel booking. The miles were dropped into your frequent flyer account and you could do whatever you wanted with them, whenever you wanted.

Back in the old days, before Marriott bought Starwood and the programme was called Marriott Rewards, ‘Travel Packages’ were – slam dunk – the sweet spot. The savings you could make over booking a seven night hotel stay and swapping points for 50,000 or 100,000 miles were significant. The only snag was that, pre the Starwood acquisition, Marriott didn’t really have many hotels where you would want to spend seven nights.

When Marriott Bonvoy launched, ‘Travel Packages’ were repriced and most of the value was removed. When peak and off-peak pricing launched, ‘Travel Packages’ staged a minor revival. Because the price was fixed irrespective of when you used it, there was some value if you redeemed it for seven ‘peak’ hotel nights.

Marriott to scrap 'Travel Package' redemptions next week

Redeem off-peak, of course, and you were clearly out of the money. For example:

  • 7 nights in a Category 8 hotel off-peak (one night free) = 70,000 x 6 = 420,000 Bonvoy points
  • 100,000 Avios = 240,000 Bonvoy points
  • Total when purchased separately = 660,000 Bonvoy points

Alternatively:

  • Cost of a Category 8 travel package + 100,000 Avios = 750,000 Bonvoy points

This isn’t why Marriott Bonvoy is scrapping the packages, however. It is scrapping them because from March, Marriott Bonvoy will move to revenue-based redemptions, with no category charts. With no category charts, you can’t price travel packages.

It isn’t clear what will happen to anyone with an unused ‘Travel Package’. Marriott will, apparently, be making a formal announcement next week – it looks like it never intended to give advance notice of this change.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (April 2024)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points sign-up bonus and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

and for small business owners:

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

Category

Marriott Bonvoy

Comments (55)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Ruth4325 says:
    15 Jan15 January 10:50

    Children travelling on BA – am I right in thinking that a 16 year old and 14 year old can travel together without parental permission whether parents are on the same flight or not?

  • Matthew says:
    15 Jan15 January 10:56

    My concern that as it’s going revenue based, then surely the points to airmiles route will devalue as everyone will cash out this way instead of a discount off a hotel room.

    Should we be doing this asap?

    • Rob says:
      15 Jan15 January 11:39

      Hilton showed that revenue based redemptions can work IF you keep a category cap so sweet spots remain.

      IHG has screwed up, as HI Express hotels at 100,000 points show.

      Remains to be seen how Marriott plays it.

      • Matthew says:
        15 Jan15 January 11:49

        I agree. Category caps will be crucial.

      • Jonty says:
        15 Jan15 January 14:30

        I’ve had the opposite experience at the bottom of the UK/European market. Hilton’s cheapest European redemptions have gone up hugely while IHG has some real bargains. The biggest issue with both is that a quick check of category lists and maps is replaced by an almost random search for sweet spots in both

        • RonnieB says:
          15 Jan15 January 17:49

          I agree, IHG is hugely a better bargain in USA where you can get a Crowne Plaza for 15k a night compared to min 30k for equivalent Hilton

          • marcw says:
            15 Jan15 January 19:04

            Yep. Plannning a roadtrip in the USA and experiencing something similar. HIE are in the 15-25k range while Hampton Inns are in the 30-45k range.

  • Matthew says:
    15 Jan15 January 10:57

    Can anyone remember if the voucher for the hotel stay (via travel package route) was book by or stay by expiry? I’m wondering like others whether doing this would be beneficial one last time?! Or just clear out to airmiles full stop.

  • Russ says:
    15 Jan15 January 11:05

    Would it have really caused so much bother if they gave some proper notice? I remember the last time Marriott shafted us on the hotel packages so I’m not buying any in anticipation. These were really useful though for buying miles in obscure airlines in chunks large enough to be handy.

    I don’t think it is prudent to take for granted the other points to miles option is safe and if, or when, they pull that then Marriott may as well start packing

  • DevonDiamond says:
    15 Jan15 January 12:46

    I remember the club card pet insurance offer – didn’t it spawn a Mumsnet thread as someone’s partner found insurance documents for a fictitious pet and thought their other half was having an affair 😀

  • NorthernLass says:
    15 Jan15 January 14:48

    I’m in the process of booking a trip to the US over next Xmas and New Year. Out in F to IAD, 3 days in DC, fly to MIA, 12 days in the Keys then 3 days in Chicago for New Year before flying home. I’ve decided to blow my stash of Bonvoy and Hilton points on this as obviously hotel prices are $000’s pn at this time of year so I’m pretty much guaranteed to get good value from the points. We need 2 rooms (or a large suite) these days so I don’t think we’d get much change out of £10k if we were paying cash. Breakfast (or room credit) as HH gold adds even more value. We’ve never been away for Xmas before due to our jobs, I’ve promised myself this will be the year!

    • Clive says:
      15 Jan15 January 16:23

      We just did a month in Thailand over the Christmas and New Year holiday and I can tell you it was a lot less stressful than being at home. If prices are right next year will probably do the same.

      • NorthernLass says:
        15 Jan15 January 16:26

        That’s what I’m thinking, just get away from it all!

        • Geoff 1977 says:
          15 Jan15 January 19:38

          “ just get away from it all!”

          Probably being nosy here but what do you mean by get away from it all?

    • Mike says:
      15 Jan15 January 17:24

      Anna – sounds amazing.

    • Richie says:
      15 Jan15 January 22:13

      Have done NYE in Chicago before, it snowed very heavily and was good fun, sounds like a good idea.

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