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Which is more valuable: Additional 5 Suite Nights or 1 Free night?

Question asked by ready4atrip on Sep 30, 2018
Latest reply on Feb 22, 2020 by pey

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Hello,

I have chosen the 5 Suite Nights as my 50 Night Annual Choice benefit.

As I have 100 elite nights this year, I also get to choose a 75 Annual Choice benefit.

Which do you think is more valuable?

Another 5 suite nights or the one free night maximum 40,000 point value?

On this board, it has been sounding like people are having trouble using the suite nights.

I, myself, have tried unsuccessfully to use them in Europe next year, as the hotels I am staying at are under the SPG brand and it is not allowing me to apply them.

Maybe this is a glitch that will be worked out by next year.

Thanks for your opinions!

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48 Replies

8675309 Sep 30, 2018 12:41 PM
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For me.......Free night.
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- arizonatag @ 8675309 on Sep 30, 2018 7:45 PM
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  Ditto for me...Still haven't been able to leverage any of my 5 SNAs from the 50+ choice benefit.
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gatorlitigator Sep 30, 2018 4:16 PM
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I also took the free night. I am sure it will get used and therefore be of value. With the SNA's, I don't know enough about them to know if I will be able to get any value from them. Anecdotally, as I glance through my upcoming reservations many of them say "We're sorry, Your suite night awards can't be used toward this reservation," even though I have the 5 SNA's from the 50 night level gift.
Even if I could apply them, and they got accepted, I would never really know if I would have been upgraded anyway as a Plat Premier, and therefore whether they actually provided value.
If I have great experience with the 5 SNA's that I have, then I may make a different decision next year, but for now, one in the hand's worth two in the bush.
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- verysuiteboy @ gatorlitigator on Sep 30, 2018 7:29 PM
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  I noticed that on the app it said I couldn’t use the SNA for some of the SPG properties, but on the full site it allowed their use.
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betterdays Sep 30, 2018 6:53 PM
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Next week, I'll have reached the 75 nights required for Plat Premier and I plan to choose a free night. Earlier this year as a gold elite, I was fortunate enough to get a suite upgrade on a 2 night stay. While this made my stay significantly more enjoyable, I typically only stay a night or 2 at a time. The SNAs would be more enticing if I made longer stays, but since I don't, the free night will provide me a lot more value.
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verysuiteboy Sep 30, 2018 11:39 PM
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Actually, I just used my first SNA at The Westin Nashville. Got upgraded successfully from a traditional low floor limited view, to an Executive suite, 5 days in advance, even though it was their last Executive Suite.

If only one SNA clears, I consider that to be more valuable than one free night award. For instance, for my standard room at the Westin, they were asking $415. I got upgraded (with a SNA) to an executive suite that they were asking $681 for the night, which would normally be a savings of $266. But because I was redeeming Cash & Points, and am only paying $129 out-of-pocket for the night, the SNA instead saved me $552.
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7 Sep 30, 2018 8:57 PM
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Interestingly, I've ONLY been able to attempt to use them toward SPG properties (and only through the website). I have one pending now and should know in 5 days whether it goes through or not.
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- wiscfriend @ 7 on Oct 1, 2018 4:47 PM
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  Hi there 7
  I used some SNAs last week at the ResInn in Redmond with points to get a guaranteed two-bedroom/two bathroom +living room/kitchen suite for family vacation. I did it through the confirmation email that was sent, and it worked great.
  Full review and pics coming later this week when I have some time to sit down an do it.
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nipper Oct 1, 2018 10:39 AM
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I think we are all learning about SNA and I do not think we can make that call yet.

I choose SNA for both 50 and 75 night choices. I have a request for 3 and if that flies I will certainly be happy about it.

For me if the SNAs work, then they are the better choice.
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flexibletravels Oct 1, 2018 12:03 PM
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I chose the SNA for 50 nights and free night (40,000 points) for the 75 nights. I have no qualms about using the free night, though I haven't tried it yet.

I just got off the phone with Marriott in requesting my SNA across 3 (SPG legacy) reservations, but they said they cannot request the usage of the award until 5 days in advance. So, I'll have to call back at 2PM local hotel time, 5 days before my stay. Currently, I have the ability to request the suite night award at existing Marriott property reservations, but they are all work related and by myself, so I'm not requesting the SNA there. But, it makes more sense to use them in an enjoyable location with my wife (as if I had a choice)....so here's to hoping the somewhat annoying 5 day window works out!
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- verysuiteboy @ flexibletravels on Oct 1, 2018 1:18 PM
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  You’d want to speak to an SPG agent if you want to use a SNA on an SPG property. I called Marriott Rewards last week to apply a SNA to a Westin, but she said she couldn’t do it. I asked if she could transfer me to an SPG agent, and she said yes. The SPG agent applied it 10 days before arrival & it cleared 5 days before arrival.
  
  Apparently theres a known issue when trying to apply a SNA to a Cash & Points award at an SPG property. The Marriott agents don’t seem to be well-trained regarding SNAs, but the SPG agent was knowledgeable & it took all of 2 minutes!
  
  I was also able to apply a SNA online to a Luxury Collection property in December, as well as a Courtyard in March
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- nipper @ flexibletravels on Oct 1, 2018 1:05 PM
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  flexibletravels that is not how it works on former SPG properties, i may be different for the original Marriott properties.
  
  I was able to open my reservation, edit the reservation and there was a link to request to use the SNA.
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  - flexibletravels @ nipper on Oct 1, 2018 4:47 PM
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    Your description mimics what I can see or do for Marriott properties, but not SPG. I’ll try calling SPG directly to see if they can request the SNAs earlier than 5 days out per verysuiteboy post.
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pey Oct 1, 2018 9:47 PM
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It all depends on the value you put on a suite v what the book price is, Both the suite and the dumpster view have the same bed. If I am coming in for one night at ten and look out of the room and say, cool there is the Eiffel Tower and a few more chairs to trip over for my three o'clock trip over to the bathroom v the parking garage double. I am taking the free night and the dumpster. Now if someone wants to give me that same Eiffel tour suite for five days I would take it over the dumpster room and the cert. But we know that is just not going to happen so I take the cert.
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- brightlybob @ pey on Oct 2, 2018 8:07 AM
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  My sentiments exactly, Pey! The 40,000 point free night cert I value at about $200 taking into account it’s expiry. 5 Suite night upgrades would definitely be worth more than that to me in the right properties during leisure stays. But they don’t work like that. I could easily find them all refused and still have them at the end of the year, so this year I’m hedging, I’ll make the 5 SNAs as my 50-night option and Free night as my 75-nighter, so I get the best of both worlds.
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  - dlr1 @ brightlybob on Dec 11, 2018 9:01 PM
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    What period are the SNA valid for before expiry? How about the free night cert?
    
    Just passed the 75 night mark (90 now), haven't selected my 50 night choice, and was considering the same hedge play you suggest. It'd be helpful to know the validity period of these things, especially given that it's already EOY 2018.
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    - wiscfriend @ dlr1 on Dec 11, 2018 10:51 PM
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      What you choose now will be valid through 12/31/2019
      It's the same as achieving 75 nights -- your 75% earning bonus goes through all of the next year.
      Reach 100 night before 12/31/2018, and you'll have Ambassador for the next year.
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    - brightlybob @ dlr1 on Feb 22, 2020 5:07 AM
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      The 50-night SNAs last to the end of the year following the year they were earned. So once you reach 50 nights, say in September 2018, your SNAs will be available to choose and usable to the end of 2019. The same goes for the 75-night SNA choice. It doesn’t matter when you choose the SNAs as your 50/75 night benefit, they still expire at the end of the year following the year they were earned.
      
      The free night cert however is valid to the end of the year following the year it is chosen - Rule 4.3d A (1) - meaning if you earn the 75 night choice as I have in December 2018 but I don’t actually choose it till January 2019, it will then be valid till end December 2020 - if I choose it right now (12/12/18) it will expire at the end of December 2019. I will need to be alert though and choose quickly in 2019, if I haven’t chosen my 75 night (or indeed 50 night) choice by 14 January 2019 Marriott will make the choice for me and deposit 5 SNAs into my account.
      
      So SNAs expire the end of the year following they year they are earned, the free night cert expires the end of the year following the year it is chosen.
      
      EDIT 22 Feb 2020.
      The above is no longer the case. Both the 5 SNAs and the Free Night certificate expire at the end of the year following the one they were earned. So earning them in 2020 means they expire on 31/12/21. There’s no means of extending their validity.
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      - wiscfriend @ brightlybob on Dec 12, 2018 9:12 AM
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        brightlybob , Thanks for a more detailed clarification to what I posted. It's good to have someone who knows the in & outs better than the rest of us!
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uncleernie Oct 2, 2018 9:52 AM
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I did both the 5 SNA and then the free night. I have not tried to use the SNA's yet so any tips would be appreciated. I sometimes get upgraded anyway, but if planning a vaca with family, it would be nice to know in advance if a suite is an option.
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- nipper @ uncleernie on Oct 2, 2018 10:30 AM
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  uncleernie It's pretty easy. I made my reservation (former SPG property). Then view/modify and was able to ask to use my SNA. There are a list of suites available and choose which one fits your needs. I won't know until 5 days before if it clears.
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  - wiscfriend @ nipper on Oct 2, 2018 11:08 AM
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    And the more choices of suites that you make, the better chance you have of getting one. You can always choose to skip the lowest rated suite(s) at the bottom of the list, but if there are 4 or 5 options you're always better off choosing more than just one.
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  - flexibletravels @ nipper on Oct 2, 2018 7:57 PM
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    I just tried using my 5 SNAs at two legacy SPG properties and was told that one property does not participate and the other was ‘unavailable’. So far, 0/5 in attempts to use them.
    
    i will have no problem using a free night, but the SNAs are far less trustworthy thus far. Assuming I can figure out the magic to unlock the value, the idea sounds fine to me.
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johnnyk60 Oct 2, 2018 3:09 PM
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I picked 5 SNAs as my 50-night choice. I'm new to all this, but having heard how unreliable the SNAs can be, the free night seems pretty much a no-brainer over 5 more iffy prospects! (at 74 nights as I type this)
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bdomar Oct 3, 2018 9:18 AM
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Question - how long to the 5 SNA's last? I currently have not used my 50 night award and am one stay away from my 75 night award. If I pick the SNA's will they expire at the end of the year or will they last through next year? Same for if I pick the free night at 75 nights, does it have to be used this year?
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- arizonatag @ bdomar on Oct 3, 2018 9:31 AM
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  They are good until Dec 31 of the following year. So if you select them now, they would expire on Dec 31, 2019. It is the same for 50+ and the 75+ tiers.
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koolshorte Oct 23, 2018 12:29 AM
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Does the benefit that you choose roll over to the following year or does it have to be used in the current year?
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- ready4atrip @ koolshorte on Oct 23, 2018 7:47 AM
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  As arizonatag commented: "They are good until Dec 31 of the following year. So if you select them now, they would expire on Dec 31, 2019. It is the same for 50+ and the 75+ tiers"
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  - koolshorte @ ready4atrip on Oct 23, 2018 4:10 PM
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    Oh, I missed arizonatag’s comment. Thank you!
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msannmcd Oct 24, 2018 8:52 AM
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I'm at 8 nights now. I took the 5 SNA's for my 50 night award and have applied 3 for my NYC weekend at the St Regis. I think if that works, I may consider 5 more SNA's. If it doesn't, I'll opt for the free night. I've got a little more time to think about it. After reading the responses here though, it sure seems like the free night might be the better option. Next May we have a 10 day trip to California and I could use a free room here and there.
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- arizonatag @ msannmcd on Oct 24, 2018 12:02 PM
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  Please let us know how it works out! Hope you get a fantastic Suite upgrade!
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usualsuspect Oct 24, 2018 12:24 PM
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I would likely opt for the Suite Nights, but I think this choice greatly depends on your stay patterns. I travel regularly for work, so I book my stays very far in advance - as far as the site allows, which is usually a rolling 12-month calendar. In my case, I can work my travel plans around where I might be able to apply the Suite Nights and either just choose from accommodating properties (if I have the difficulty others have described), or apply them at later dates since I know I'll have plenty of other chances.

If it were a non-recurring leisure trip, the Free Night is a more... dependable option.
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jimmarie Oct 25, 2018 1:54 AM
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I am curious about what a Suite Night Award actually represents since many of the units such a Fairfield Inn, Town Place, Spring Hill, Courtyard do not have what I would claim to be an actual Suite?
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- nipper @ jimmarie on Oct 25, 2018 9:01 AM
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  jimmarie when you use an SNA, they give you a list of available rooms and you choose the exact suite type you want to request. So you won't end up using it on a slightly upgraded room unless you ask for it.
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nipper Dec 12, 2018 9:16 AM
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The way I valued this is a suite upgrade is worth minimum $300 per night. During my BOS trip I, the 3 SNAs I used were more like $500 per night.

So , if you can use them, the SNAs are worth much more than a single free night.
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- pey @ nipper on Dec 12, 2018 9:19 AM
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  I guess the value question really comes down to...would you be willing to pay the extra for the suite? For me not usually so I prefer the night, but if someone has a special occasion and would pay for a suite the SNA option is good.
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  - nipper @ pey on Dec 12, 2018 9:43 AM
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    Certainly valid point. Still it comes down to if a member can use the SNA and the perceived value. The overall value for a free night is really not that much, maybe $250 ? I thought it was limited to 25K points. Will I trade 25K points for 5 SNAs ? If I can use them when I try, certainly.
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- verysuiteboy @ nipper on Dec 12, 2018 11:12 AM
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  I look at it the same way as you nipper!
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caohnso50 Dec 12, 2018 10:01 AM
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How do you select these? communitymanagers
I broke 50 nights over a month ago and do not see any way to select my award.
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- nipper @ caohnso50 on Dec 12, 2018 10:34 AM
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  This thread talks about it:
  
  https://insiders.marriott.com /message/263304?commentID=263304#comment-263304
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- wiscfriend @ caohnso50 on Dec 12, 2018 6:01 PM
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  caohnso50 , If you go to your account overview you should see a line under your status that states that you have an earned "Benefit of Choice." Click on the "VIEW GIFT" link and you should be able to select your benefit.
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ready4atrip Dec 12, 2018 12:05 PM
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All great comments. Thanks for the discussion!
The free night is worth up to 40,000 points. I am going to Europe next year and most of the hotels I am interested in are taking 50,000 points a night.
The free night is not worth that much more than the free night given by the credit card.
I also now think the Suite Rewards would be better if indeed they are usable. One of the Marriotts I am staying at in Europe is already sold out of all suites by people paying cash.
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fuzzybass Dec 12, 2018 1:34 PM
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I have been debating about which one I am going to choose.
My current math on Free night and Suite night:
Up to 40,000 point free night. Currently that is worth the same as a 35,000 award night in my opinion. Who knows when peek and off peek nights will kick in. It expires at end of 2019 so assuming one knows where they want to use it, it is good for a category 5 hotel night. I would value that at about  7 cents per point for 35,000 points or $245 total.
Assuming you could use 5 suite nights (a big assumption based on several posts) are they worth $245 or $49 each.

The price if I wanted to just change my view on a room for my May trip to London would be about $165 (about a 130 pounds) per night. Just looking at that math, it would seem that suite nights would be more valuable. But, assuming that room was available when I check in, my status should bump me up anyway. So I guess, I would be higher priority for the bump up if I was using suite nights. So the math for me to consider is would I come out of pocket $49/per night to guarantee a better view or would I just take my chances and hope to be bumped up anyway?
I guess it's possible that I would be offered yet even a better upgrade that would have been yet even more expensive - but what are the chances? And if I was, what are the chances I wouldn't be offered the same for my status when checking in without having to spend any more points.

I honestly haven't made up my mind yet but since I have two vacation trips next year where upgrades would be really nice and enjoyed, I will likely take the upgrade. One issue I have is that one my trips is 8 nights and I will only have 5 suite nights available. One way I am attempting to handle this is with booking a 5 night reservation and a 3 night reservation. My guess is that aren't going to make me move rooms for the last 3 nights and if they do, I'm okay with that too.
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- verysuiteboy @ fuzzybass on Dec 12, 2018 3:02 PM
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  I think the worth or value is variable. Because for a free night certificate, Property A may have rooms for $112, while Property B has rooms for $239, but you could use your free night cert at either
  
  Same with the suite night upgrades. One property may have suites for $499, say at a Lux Collection, whereas you could also use your SNA at a Fairfield where the suites are $169
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piecesofvinyl Dec 12, 2018 3:59 PM
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I am highly skeptical about SNA ease of use, so for me it’s the free night. Path of least resistance.
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jimmarie Feb 21, 2020 10:34 PM
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Last year I used a (5) Suite Night Award successfully in Barcelona, Spain at Renisance Barcelona Fria Hotel. It was well worth waiting until an Aniversary trip to share with my wife.

The only thing disappointing going on now is the Level five free night Award is only allowable to a 35,000 point level and many desirable properties are now at the 40,000 Point level. Oh well free is still Free so will use those where Level 5's are still at 35,000 points.
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- brightlybob @ jimmarie on Feb 22, 2020 5:08 AM
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  Oh, that’s new to me, so the Cat5 Certs no longer apply to peak dates. That’s a cruel little cut...
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- pey @ jimmarie on Feb 22, 2020 8:51 AM
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  It is important to remember that there is not a category associated with the cert anymore but rather up to a certain level of points. My AMEX cert is up to 35,000 points and the one I selected when I hit 75 nights is up to 40000 points. The selected cert is still usable for Cat 5 during peak. The AMEX is not. However to be fair, the old Chase one was only good for cat 5 in the old system which was 25000 points. There is another side to this, the 40000 point cert now lets one sneak into the low end of cat 6 which I have done by tagging it to a fine London hotel that was going for 400 pounds a night.
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Which is more valuable: Additional 5 Suite Nights or 1 Free night?

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