Best use of 500k Bonvoy points (could get to 600k) before the rewards change?
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I never use the points, they just slowly accumulate. Where I stay (SE Asia usually) is usually so much cheaper for cash that I don’t consider points.
I’ve done travel packages with bonus Avios before but that isn’t an option so do I just keep accumulating or can I benefit from something now which would cost loads more later ?
Try Middle East, more value for points than SE Asia
The only reason to burn now is if you want to redeem at those ‘once in a lifetime’ properties – Al Maha in the desert, Gritti Palace in Venice, St Regis New York – the places where you’d get 1p+ per point. Or anywhere half decent over Easter, Christmas.
If you are generally redeeming at mid level places outside of peak times, I doubt you will see a huge change when it moves to redemption pricing. No harm locking in some bookings now given that you can cancel for free of course.
Anyone tried the W Verbier? I also noticed that you can do the st regis maldives overwater for a small extra above the standard rate
I genuinely wouldn’t worry about this “devaluation” then. Perhaps you’ll benefit from lower redemptions if the cash prices are low where you normally stay.
On a side note Hotel Danieli is leaving Marriott and becoming a four seasons.
Can you no longer convert to airline points or book flights?
- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
I’ve just booked 5 nights in a 1 bedroom suite (the kind that’s more like an apartment with a full kitchen etc) at the Key West Marriott Beach Resort for late December when prices are hovering around $800 pn for 390k points. There will be 3 of us so we’ll have plenty of space and also not be stung for 2 lots of “resort fees” which would apply if we’d booked 2 separate rooms!
Try Middle East, more value for points than SE Asia
I’ll reluctantly use their nice airlines but have no desire to ever go there.
The only reason to burn now is if you want to redeem at those ‘once in a lifetime’ properties – Al Maha in the desert, Gritti Palace in Venice, St Regis New York – the places where you’d get 1p+ per point. Or anywhere half decent over Easter, Christmas.
If you are generally redeeming at mid level places outside of peak times, I doubt you will see a huge change when it moves to redemption pricing. No harm locking in some bookings now given that you can cancel for free of course.
Other half wants to go to Switzerland covering 19th February 2023 – far out I know but significant birthday and she wants to go with some girlfriends so I wouldn’t necessarily mind a top end spa place if you know one ! I don’t in cuckoo clock land.
Grand Hotel Majestic Suisse Montreux perhaps? Cat 6 so usually 50k but 40k off peak and 60 peak.
I have just completed three nights at Al Maha in Dubai and cannot recommend it highly enough. The redemption is for full board (bar alcohol and soft drinks). Superb value for money, excellent guest service and a unique location. Opinion seems to differ over the appropriate length of stay. Personally, I could have stayed for five nights, even though we had completed all the activities they offer by the third day, and I slightly regret not booking a longer stay. But it depends how much you enjoy sitting by the private pool that comes with all rooms, as that’s what we would have done for any additional time.
I am hoping to return next January, though it will depend whether and by how much the points per night increases. Bookings are open until 25th Dec at the moment for the standard 100k per night.
Can you no longer convert to airline points or book flights?
Transfer to airline points here https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/redeem/travel/points-to-miles.mi or book flights here https://www.airandcar.marriott.com/apps/shopping/#/search/air
So 600k points at 3:1 is 200k miles plus 10 x 5k bonuses so 250k Avios for instance.
Ignoring any Amex 241 vouchers, that 250k Avios is about 1.5 times the Avios needed for my (pre covid) normal LHR-BKK routing. But it comes with £600+ fees.
Alternatively, I fly with Etihad (usually) for (pre covid) an average of £1750 in business. Net off the BA taxes (and ignoring the crap BA 8 across seating) and I have about £1150 x 1.5 so £1750 of flights for my 600k Bonvoy.
That is worse than converting them to Nectar which would give me £2000 of value.
A hotel at 50k per night would give 15 nights if booked under 4+1 so the hotel would be £2000 (max cash equivalent) / 15 = £133 a night.
Moxy hotel in Southampton is 10/12.5k a night and the cash rate is £52 now to £175 or so in peak summer. Maybe some value there, if hardly aspirational !
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