A Points and Miles Retirement Gift for My Parents
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Update 1/1/17: Following a change in policy, it is no longer possible to use hotel transfers to qualify for the Companion Pass.
My parents selflessly raised four kids and helped put us all through college. They cringe when I say I "owe" them, because they never did it to be paid back. That's why it's so great to be able to do nice things for them whenever possible — such as scoring VIP seats at a Knicks game with SPG and a Mother's Day trip to Chile.
My Dad recently retired from a long career in healthcare consulting, which required him to travel a ton. In fact, I always call him the original Points Guy, because I learned to use his points in the 90s to take our family of six to the Caribbean every year — pretty much for free. Who would have known that 20 years later I'd have a career in points, and needless to say that both of my parents have been instrumental in helping me get to where I am today. And I'm super blessed with a job I love — helping others travel more for less.
So for my Dad's retirement present, I decided to get him a less-than-traditional gift — a Marriott Hotel + Air package. For their anniversary, my parents wanted to visit Vancouver, so I got them seven nights at the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel, a Category 7 property requiring 30,000-35,000 Marriott Rewards points for a free night.
As part of the package, they also got 120,000 Southwest points, which as you'll see, count toward the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, which I wrote about in my Travel + Leisure column this week. In fact, I made a similar redemption in 2014 when I received seven nights and 120,000 Rapid Rewards points (and the Companion Pass) after booking a Marriott Hotel + Air package at a Category 8 property — the JW Marriott Cannes.
As for this trip, my parents got CAD 3,199.53 ($2,242) in value from a seven-night stay at the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel, as well as 120,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points for a total of 330,000 Marriott Rewards points. Southwest points can be valuable when redeemed for Wanna Get Away fares at almost 2 cents apiece in some cases. So, at 2 cents apiece, 120,000 Rapid Rewards points is equivalent to $2,400. Multiply that by two (for the Companion Pass), and those 120,000 Rapid Rewards points are worth $4,800. Add in the $2,242 value for the hotel and you have a whopping $7,042 in value for 330,000 Marriott Rewards points — or more than 2.1 cents per Marriott Rewards point!
But here's the real kicker: The Companion Pass is valid for nearly two years. We did the transfer on January 8, and as of today, the account shows 120,000 Companion Pass qualifying points — 10,000 more than they needed to qualify for the Companion Pass. Plus, they'll have the pass until December 2017! All in all, I can't stress how amazing this perk is — it's a no brainer in my eyes.
If you're short on Marriott points, you can transfer Ultimate Rewards points instantly at a 1:1 ratio, earned with cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred. I value Chase points at 2.1 cents apiece and Marriott points at 0.7 cents each, so on the surface it doesn't make sense to transfer. However, if you're able to get as much value out of your Marriott points as I did here, transferring points over from Ultimate Rewards could be a good move.
I'm hoping my parents maximize the pass as much as possible — they certainly have the time to do it!
Have you booked a Marriott Hotel + Air package and received the Southwest Companion Pass as a result? How have you maximized the Companion Pass?
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.