Right after I booked our flights to Amsterdam and Paris for next Christmas, I did a quick search to see what hotels may be available to book using points. Marriott resorts came up in both locations.
As I have indicated in the past, Marriott allows you to book rooms on points even if you do not yet have the points in your Marriott Rewards account. So, I did. I do not know if these will be the hotels where we ultimately stay, but there was no downside to booking some rooms for us now. However, I do not have enough Marriott Rewards points in my account for these rooms. Two rooms in each city in Category 8 hotels for a total of 8 nights requires ALOT of Marriott points.
Just in case I do end up needing these Marriott points, I took advantage of an offer that Marriott recently sent me via email. For every person that I recommended who got the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier card, I would receive 20,000 Marriott Rewards points.
I have often thought about having my parents get certain cards and somehow taking the points. My mother is basically only loyal to her Chase Freedom card, based on my recommendation, and redeems the points for cash back. Over the years, my parents have built up some excellent credit.
I asked my mother to apply for the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier card with its 80,000 bonus point offer. She got approved instantaneously! She made me an additional card holder. I of course offered to pick up the $85 annual fee and will be the one to spend the required $3,000 in the first 3 months. Upon her getting the 80,000 points, we will start implementing a plan for her to get those points to me….
50,000 points will be easy for her to transfer to me. Marriott Rewards allows transfers between members of up to a maximum of 50,000 points for a transaction fee of just $10. Gold and Platinum Elite members transfer for free.
As for her additional points, I plan to take advantage of this provision in the Marriott Rewards Terms and Conditions
“Immediately prior to Reward Redemption and only once per calendar year, a Member may authorize the transfer of the necessary number of Points into the Rewards Program account of a friend or family member, in order to qualify for a specific Reward. This transfer may exceed the 50,000 Point maximum per calendar year.
In the instance of transfer exceeding the 50,000 Point maximum only the necessary number of Points needed to redeem the specified Reward, rounded to the nearest 1,000 Points, may be transferred — no more, no less.”
I will advise as to how all of this turns out in the end. Even if we do not stay at those Marriott properties in Amsterdam and Paris, I will still be 100,000 points richer because my mother got the card. Thanks Mom!!