SPG -> Marriott Transfer Question

knick1959

Level 2 Member
I'm scheming to acquire a SW Companion pass for (hopefully) early in 2018. So my planning starts NOW, as we turn into 2017. I'm studying the nights+flights thing that Marriott offers. Being well over the 5/24 ratio with Chase, I doubt I can score a SW card of any kind. I'm willing to try, but want to work on a plan that doesn't require this.

Wife and I have accounts to play with. We have NO Marriott points to speak of, having used them up recently (wasn't much there anyway).

I'm also assuming I can score a Marriott BIZ card and 80k. I can perhaps MS on that a bit, but I'm looking at the 3x transfer factor available for SPG points at the moment. Have a good start and can generate a few more. I have 20k SPG points but no longer have a card. My wife has 25k+ with an active card ... so she's the likely source for 15k more points via spending.

Here's the question. My plan was for ME to get the Marriott Biz and generate the bonus. I might try right after that try for an SW card (reducing the Marriott point requirements a bit), but chances are slim. Transferring my 20k to Marriott and then a predicted 40k from my wife ... I get 260k Marriott points and we are within striking distance of a 7 day Marriott based trip and the SW companion pass. But ... can my wife transfer her SPG points to MY Marriott account, or visa-versa?

Alternatively, can you book the nights+flights deal like you can with a normal award night, where we can combine points from a married couple as long as we're redeeming them? This would have to work to get SW miles out of the deal all in one of our accounts.

If this will prove difficult (transferring and combining), SHE may be the one at the center of this idea (use her accounts instead of mine).

Sorry for the length. This is all just a scheme right now, but I should get to executing soon if this ends up being my plan. Then I'll hope the rules don't change during the year to come.

Unfortunately, I did NOT win the work raffle for 500k Marriott points a couple of weeks ago :(. In hindsight, I should have bought MORE tickets, as the odds are always better than any public raffle. I may invest more next year, depending on how close this plan comes :).
 
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knick1959

Level 2 Member
Sorry, just thought of this. Assuming same-household transfers will work ok in this scheme, I may have HER try for a Marriott Biz card, too. We've both had the personal card too recently to get another, and we're also both well over 5/24. I've heard the business card is not yet impacted by this rule? True??
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
You guys should no that I have no problem talking to myself, right? :) While I am honestly soliciting for ideas and opinions, asking all of these questions helps me hash this all out even if just by myself.

I have a plan start date of 2/1 in my head. 4 "new accounts" age past 24 months at that point (although there are still Way Too Many) and I have a 2 week tip to Hawaii in Jan anyway ... no time to start new things. So, there is still plenty of time to perfect this plan. While in HI I will also make sure all of this work and points for the SW CP will work for us added to my desire for a couple of international trips and limited PTO.

I have transferred SPG->Marriott from my wife's account for a handful of points to top off for an award stay in HI. From what I remember, this is a 1-to-1 transfer and I am not aware of the possibility of a cross-household transfer. Will poke around the SPG web pages next.

HOWEVER, I did call Marriott and, although her answers did not inspire confidence, the CSR told me what I wanted to hear. And more than hearing her say it, talking through it made logical sense. Under the current rules.

I was told, as expected, that when it came time to book a Marriott nights+flights package, one of us can chip-in points to the other and acquire the trip. And the rebate airline miles go to the person on record for the reservation. Who that is doesn't matter to me, as long as it's one of us :). I see a path to make this work with the need of ONE Marriott Biz card between us. One each would be ideal and save our lowly stash of SPG points.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
Ok, I think I have multiple paths. I started at the SPG web page but quickly diverted to a google search and found this recent and reliable article that confirms that SPG transfers between households is possible:
Code:
http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2016/05/31/transferring-starpoints-between-accounts/
Thanks for the help!
 

Burgertm

Level 2 Member
You said she has an active SPG card and you don't (I assume you had one in the past). If you haven't had both the personal and biz versions, you could apply for whichever version you didn't have. Also, I believe (could be wrong), that if it is the biz version you haven't had and you applied for it, it Chase wouldn't see it as a new account and wouldn't count against the 5/24. From what I've read, non-Chase biz cards won't be seen by Chase for the 5/24.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
Thanks, great advice, but I've had and canceled both. So has she ... well, she still has both. We will be canceling her BIZ card but want to keep the personal open as a source for new points. I needed the AMEX slot myself so I canceled.
 

Vins68

Level 2 Member
I have transferred SPG point to my account ,from my mother's and from my husband's account. As long as the Address is same it is fine.
 

Cmonman76

Level 2 Member
Similar situation here, my wife and I both got the Marriott Biz card in November. We will move the points to one account soon, add some spg points to top it off and try to get a CSR to book us a 5 night package somewhere.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
I had forgotten about this thread, but a post today popped it to the top of the list and has some great info regarding this package/plan:

https://saverocity.com/forum/threads/strategizing-for-2017-sw-companion-pass-using-marriot-travel-packages.658523/

Thought it might be private, but it is NOT. In case it is helpful to anyone.

Since I'm posting anyway, I have a too-small piece of paper here that I started doing some gozinto's on. My plan would provide great value to us for the 2018-2019 span even with 2-3 largish international trips in the mix; I have an extra 4 paid weeks off in 2019 that help. I've already applied for the Marriott Biz; I just couldn't stand the suspense. And it went to pending, please call. I'm leaning towards not calling and waiting it out. We'll see.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
I am REALLY excited about this opportunity. I just hope it remains available through Jan 2018 (NEXT January). I've spent part of the day creating (typed, legible) personal notes and, first, figured out that I have enough UR/MR and SPG points RIGHT NOW to be able to do this. My Calculated Personal Points Value says that I would be blowing $2700 in value of existing points. If I score a Marriott CC w/bonus (pending), $1820. The rough estimate upside value to me would be $4500 - 7200 depending, and that is without sacrificing 3 international trips during 2018-2019. It's all fuzzy math, but I believe these are conservative figures. My list of potential destinations is well long enough to keep life interesting.

BUT I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS RE: Transferring points - 3 different strategies.

Transferring SPG->Marriott - is there a fixed limit? Per what time frame? I would assume no limit, but would rather play it safe.

Transferring INTO Marriott from UR - again? It seems to read like you can do 50k into Marriott in a year and I'm hoping this excludes any SPG-sourced transfers.

Transferring AMEX MR into SPG - I know the ratio sucks, but 3:1 then to Marriott at 1:3 nets 1 Marriott point per MR (embarrassed to credit MMS for the google-found circles and arrows earlier today :)). Has anyone encountered or know of limits in sending MR to SPG?

In short, if I tried to do a bunch of transfers on 1/2/2018 and found out I hit some limit and could not do it, I'd be devastated. So, I'm scheming now.

I realized minutes ago that, if there is an annual limit to some of this, that would make today a special day. I don't believe I would or should act TODAY, but will work on the math more right now. But I have 2017 and a number of days in the beginning of 2018 for transferring whatever is needed.
 
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R.R.

Level 2 Member
Just saw this thread, and as someone who has not explored SW at all, I appreciated following the thought process.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
I've already applied for the Marriott Biz; I just couldn't stand the suspense. And it went to pending, please call. I'm leaning towards not calling and waiting it out. We'll see.
Update. I applied for this card on 12/28. Was hoping it might get denied after hearing the CP was a dead issue via this route so I wasn't going to call. With today's new news that there is short-term life back in this deal, I called. I had already been approved before the call. So ... the CP is still within reach if I want it THIS YEAR and next, which I really don't. But the value still makes it something I should do. I think. Have time to decide while I consider a Biz card for my wife.

I thought Chase Biz cards counted towards the 5/24 thing, since Chase knows you've got this new account w/out checking your report. Now FM reports that they don't. Only the HP counts against you when applying for other Chase cards.
 

GetawaysRus

Level 2 Member
So there is rejoicing in the streets. Getting a SW companion pass via a Marriott travel package lives on for a few months. Manna has fallen from heaven.

I view this as a business decision from SW. There are 2 business imperatives I see:

1. Don't upset your customers. I can understand that SW would willingly accept some costs in order to not alienate customers.

2. Fill up the planes as much as possible. Airlines lose revenue on empty seats. I think SW is balancing the loss of revenue that comes from a 3 month extension of the Marriott --> companion pass program versus the gain in revenue from selling more seats. Clearly, if I were to obtain a companion pass, I would try hard to take advantage of it. And that would mean that I would travel more and take more SW flights than I otherwise might. Fuller planes are good for the company. And if SW can sell more seats at regular prices, that will mean fewer seats that they would need to offer at last minute fire-sale prices.

So perhaps SW still comes out ahead, or at least does not lose that much, by extending this "loophole."
 

R.R.

Level 2 Member
I thought Chase Biz cards counted towards the 5/24 thing, since Chase knows you've got this new account w/out checking your report. Now FM reports that they don't.
Yes, I've been following that list, and just recently applied for a Marriott Biz card. I'm focusing on Biz cards whenever possible to try to reduce my 5/24 count, but this effort may prove fruitless in the end.
 

GetawaysRus

Level 2 Member
I like Biz cards for a second reason as well.

If you are serious about this hobby, you end up with lots of cards and lots of annual fees. Well, if the card is a business card, perhaps there is a way that the annual fee might be a tax deductible business expense.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
OK, so I ended up with a Marriott biz for myself. Spend is complete (from my end, not all showing yet) and it doesn't look like my first statement has closed yet ... can't tell when this will be although 2/7 is shown as $0 payment due.

I applied for my wife last week and was again asked to call. Never did, but she received an email on Monday congratulating her on the new card. I hope it comes TODAY, because we leave early tomorrow for 2 weeks and have arranged to have our mail held. Would like to have it with me to put it to work right away.

UPDATE: It's here already! So it can come with us on our trip. Which also means I can gc.com and Buxx on it while away.

So, a little reluctantly, it looks like I'm on track to get the CP. I won't have many opportunities to make use of it THIS year but will rearrange my plans for next year to maximize its use. This means I've postponed plans for NZ and perhaps Chile/EI for a short while, but there are plenty of places to see with the CP; I will have 31 paid days off in 2018 to wrap around weekends. I might be able to squeeze 2 CP-compatible trips out of what's left of my PTO in 2017. We'll see.

Take away: The Marriott Biz is NOT under the 5/24 rule. That was the general consensus, but FM hinted there were mixed data points. Each of us is way over and we're 2/2 with apps for this card. Half tempted to shoot for a personal card now! That's probably a stretch.
 
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R.R.

Level 2 Member
Half tempted to shoot for a personal card now! That's probably a stretch.
Yes, that seems likely to end in denial. But I loved being approved for the Biz card in November, and will shortly be requesting a new Marriott Biz for Spouse, yay!
 
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