close
close

United and Marriott offer summer bonus points to Elite members, but there’s a catch

Posted on by angelo

United and Marriott offer summer bonus points to Elite members, but there’s a catch

by Gary Lef

Marriott and United are offering bonus points to Elite members traveling with the other airline in July and August.

  • Marriott Titanium and Ambassador members earn 750 Marriott bonus points per eligible United flight
  • United Gold Elite members and above earn 500 bonus miles for Marriott stays
  • Additionally, members who take both a United flight and a Marriott stay earn an additional 350 Marriott points and 350 United miles.

Guests must be enrolled in the Marriott-United partnership (“real” Marriott elites can link here and United Golds and above here) and sign up for this offer.

Eligible trips must begin during the promotional period. Award flights and stays (including points and cash) do not count.

It’s not very rich, but if you’re flying United anyway, earning bonus Marriott points is better than not earning bonus Marriott points. 750 Marriott points are worth ~$4.50. Likewise, if you’re staying at a Marriott hotel anyway, it’s better to earn an extra 500 United miles (worth about $6) than not to do so.

There is one potential downside, however: the terms of the offer state that you can only participate in “one (1) dual currency campaign per calendar year.” If another “dual currency campaign” offer happens to launch this year, signing up for that one is supposed to lock you out of what could potentially be behind door number two.

Marriott and United offered a similar deal in the fall. This is the first one we see in 2024. Will they do it again? Who knows. If they do, will it be better or worse? Not clear, although the probabilities could be similar. Will you have more qualifying activity in a later period than in the summer? This is the trap!

I would probably sign up for this program if you are eligible, because the bonus points offered now are better than bonus points that may not be offered later.

The best part of United’s partnership with Marriott is that Marriott Titanimum Elite members and above get MileagePlus Silver. The best part, in my opinion, is that Marriott Platinum members aren’t elite enough for United to want them.

More View from the wing