Marriott's Fall 2016 MegaBonus Offers Two Earning Options
Marriott offers MegaBonus promotions multiple times per year, giving members of its loyalty program the opportunity to earn extra points and even free nights in some cases. For the fall 2016 MegaBonus announced today, the hotel brand's changing things up a bit. Rather than offering targeted bonuses to members based on their account and status details, Marriott will let you choose one of the following two options when you book eligible paid stays:
- Earn 5,000 bonus points after two stays.
- Earn 10,000 bonus points after every 10 nights, up to 50,000 points.
To register for this promotion, click here. You must register by December 15, 2016, and the eligible earning period is from September 15, 2016 to January 15, 2017. Also note that a stay (relevant for the first of the two options) is defined as "consecutive nights spent at the same hotel," so you wouldn't (in theory) be able to book two separate reservations on one trip and meet the requirement that way.
Note that this MegaBonus doesn't apply to award stays, though it does include a wide array of hotel brands, from JW Marriott and Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott to Ritz-Carlton. If you book a stay during the promo period, it could be worth paying with the recently revamped Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card, which earns 5 points per dollar on Ritz and partner hotel (including several Marriott brands) stays, and entitles you to a $100 hotel credit for paid stays of two nights or longer. You could also consider the Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card, which also earns 5x points on Marriott and Ritz hotel stays, and is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 75,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months.
Overall, this latest MegaBonus is a nice way to earn some extra points if you have any eligible hotel stays planned in the next few months. If you were to max out the promo and earn 50,000 points for 50 stays, you'd be getting about $350 in value based on TPG's valuations — and those rewards can definitely get you at least one free night (or more if you redeem at a lower-category hotel). Make sure you're realistic about how many stays you'll be able to complete, though, since you can only choose one of the two offers during registration and it doesn't look like you'll be able to switch after the fact.
Will you be taking advantage of this promotion?
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| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
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