Over the past couple of months, I have repeatedly reminded our readers to use their Marriott points before March this year when they turn into Bonvoy Bolivars due to dynamic award pricing.
Marriott Bonvoy already discontinued the Travel Package awards last week without any advance notice to its members (read more here and here). So it wouldn’t surprise me if points to miles conversions would have the same fate (read more here) – points to miles ratio adjustment.
You can access Marriott Bonvoy here.
READ MORE: Marriott Bonvoy Rate & Bonus Points Offers
I have been very clear about how I tend to use my miles and points; for aspirational hotels ($$$$) or when paid rates are throughout the rood, or expensive economy/business/first-class airline tickets (I often buy discounted business and sometimes even first).
The problem is that when you move to dynamic awards, it absolutely destroys the value that miles and points have for those that like to use them the way I do.
Le Meridien Maldives
– 10 nights (8 using points + 2 using vouchers) 300K + 2 certs = accommodation roughly $10K – (perhaps 2M under dynamic)
St Regis Maldives
– 5 nights at 100,000 points each & fifth night free (400K) = accommodation roughly $15K – (perhaps 3M under dynamic)
Ritz-Carlton Maldives
– 5 Nights at 100,000 points each & fifth night free (400K) = accommodation roughly $15K – (perhaps 3M under dynamic)
Buying Points During Redemption Process?
I hadn’t paid much attention previously to what price Marriott sells its Bonvoy points when making these award reservations, but it turns out to be exactly half of a cent each!
Dynamic Awards Coming
Book Your Marriott Bonvoy Awards Before March 2022
Marriott Bonvoy Moves To Fully Dynamically Priced Hotel Awards In 2023
Marriott Has Considered Moving To Dynamically Priced Awards
Travel Packages Discontinued
Marriott Travel Packages No Longer Available & Attach Existing Certificates By February 28, 2022
Is Marriott Bonvoy Going To Kill The Travel Package Redemption Option This Week?
Conclusion
These Maldives awards are not cheap even if you cover the accommodation using points. You also need to pay for internal transfers, and you are a captive guest when it comes to F&B expenses. I would estimate these 20 nights cost $12K to $15K when all is said and done, not including international flights.
I certainly have had a blast with Marriott Rewards, SPG, and now Marriott Bonvoy points. The original Marriott Travel Packages (remember when all AA miles deposits counted towards lifetime status?) earned me a lifetime Platinum with AAdvantage (Oneworld Sapphire).
When the programs were merged, I issued eight or so Travel Packages under the old terms and got a good value of them.
Al Maha, Le Meridien Bora Bora, Le Meridien Maldives, St. Regis Maldives, W Maldives (twice), and Gritti Palace are some of the more notable awards that will undoubtedly double/triple/quadruple in price.
When Marriott and SPG programs were merged, these very high-end Starwood properties became very affordable using points (remember they used to go anywhere 50K to 100K Starpoints – triple and you get Marriott Bonvoy point value). It was clear that this was unsustainable in the long run.
I am glad that I got a good value of the points, saddened when this creates to essentially boring cashback program. That 400K point Maldives redemption can easily require 2M+ points ($100K+ in qualifying hotel spend).
