United Airlines and Marriott have teamed up to offer bonus MileagePlus miles when purchasing Marriott gift cards from today through September 7. Click here (or the image below) for the promotion website.
MileagePlus bonus promotion with Marriott
It’s an online only promotion where if you buy three of the $500 gift cards, you’ll get the maximum bonus of 7,500 MileagePlus miles. Shipping costs an additional $8.50 (2-3 day express delivery).
This is certainly a no-brainer if you’re a Marriott loyalist and United flier. Just be sure to use the most valuable rewards credit card in your wallet for even more miles or points! Here’s the nitty-gritty:
Terms and Conditions:
Marriott GiftCards, purchased in $100 increments earn 500 bonus miles, $250 earn 1,000 bonus miles or $500 earn 2,500 bonus miles allowing a maximum of 7,500 bonus miles to be awarded per member during the promotional period. United MileagePlus member number will be awarded the bonus miles, regardless of purchaser. Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. This is an online promotion only and not valid on Marriott GiftCards or eGiftCards purchased on property, via 3rd parties or 1 800 813 GIFT. Shipping and handling fees apply. Promotion is valid August 7, 2013 – September 7, 2013 only.
The Marriott GiftCard can be used for all purchases and services charged to a Marriott guest room folio. The Marriott Gift Card cannot be used to guarantee a room reservation, but may be used as payment at check out. If you are not a registered hotel guest and are planning to use this card at a spa, restaurant, retail store, or other outlet, please confirm in advance that the Marriott GiftCard is accepted. Gift Card purchases earning United MileagePlus are not eligible for return or refund. GiftCards purchased with this promotion are not eligible to earn Marriott Rewards points. While supplies last.
Please allow four to six weeks after date of purchase for miles to post to your MileagePlus account. Terms and Conditions are subject to change without notice. All MileagePlus rules and regulations apply. All Marriott Rewards rules and regulations apply.
– Follow Darren Booth on Twitter, @FrequentlyFlyin, for more airline, hotel and travel industry news, reviews and opinions.
With ink card at office supply stores, looks like it is the same.
Since this promotion is run through the Marriott site, you can use your Chase Sapphire to earn 2 points per $1 spent additional on this purchase.
I did a write up last week on how I am going to use this promotion to earn 10 miles per $1 on Marriott stays. http://www.doitforthepoints.com/2013/08/earn-up-to-11-mileageplus-miles-per-1.html
Definatly worth particpating in this offer, if you have Marriott stays coming up.
Now, this is a great deal.
I’d only do this if you think united miles are worth 3x southwest miles, which is hard for me to imagine.
I agree with Scott.
If I could only buy 1 $500 Marriott gift card, which would I rather have: 2,500 United miles or 6,000 Southwest points? Since Southwest miles have a fixed value, around 1.67 cents per mile, 6,000 x 1.67 cents = $100.20. If we divide $100.20 by 2,500, we would have to get more than 4 cents per point for every United mile. That is difficult, but not impossible to do.
@JD: Thanks for the link – nice write-up!
@Scott & @Grant: Southwest certainly shines here for transactional value, but for the non-Southwest flier (like me), those United miles still hold great interest in this promotion if I frequented Marriott.
If you want united miles, buy the $500 Marriott gift cards from staples.com using ink bold through the chase portal. You’ll get 4000 chase points/united miles that way.
@Scott: Great (and better) alternative than this promo for United/Chase Ink Bold holders… thanks!
@Mark: I can’t find a list of non-participating hotels anywhere, but the T&C’s state: “Marriott GiftCards may be used at participating JW Marriott®, EDITION℠, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, AC Hotels by Marriott℠, Marriott Hotels & Resorts®, Gaylord Hotels®, Courtyard® by Marriott, Fairfield Inn & Suites® by Marriott, SpringHill Suites® by Marriott, Residence Inn® by Marriott, TownePlace Suites® by Marriott and Marriott Vacation Club℠ and participating hotel outlets: retail, spa, golf and food and beverage. Marriott GiftCards may also be used at participating Ritz-Carlton hotels.”
I’d call a specific hotel to confirm they’re accepted if it’s worrisome to you. As far as where’s the best place to purchase these cards, note that this promo is online only using the specific link I included in this post. For alternative Marriott-United mileage earning, note Scott’s comment above (the Ink Bold card earns a better return on office supply purchases than the CSP, fwiw).
Do all Marriott hotels take these cards? And where’s the best place to purchase these if I have a CSP?
I just got off the phone with my favorite Ritz Carlton and they say they accept the Marriott gift cards………
@JustSaying: Great to hear!
There is language that the gift cards do not earn marriot rewards. Does that mean you don’t get points with Marriott when you buy the card only or does it mean that when you use the gift card at the Marriott to pay your bill that you do not earn Marriott rewards for your stay?
@Chris: My interpretation is that you won’t earn Marriott Rewards points for the card purchase itself (makes sense). I’m certain you’d earn your normal MR points when using the cards at a property to pay your bill, but as always… a call to MR could confirm this. (In full disclosure, I’m not a Marriott loyalist and have never used a Marriott gift card.)
@Scott, @Darren,
The Chase portal says this about earning 3 x rewards per dollar spent: “Not eligible on gift cards, gift certificates or any other similar cash equivalents.”
So how do you calculate $500 Marriot gift card equalling 4,000 MP points by purchasing at Staples via the Chase portal? I don’t see how one could earn more than 2,500 points for spending with Ink Bold?