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canyonwalkerEarlier today I wrote a wrap-up of my frequent flyer points for the year. Now it's time for the same with hotel club points. As before, though the end of the year is still almost two weeks away I'm already done with travel. Also as before, Coronavirus is a recurring thread in the story. It caused a travel stand-down for most of the year.
⬇️ Marriott Bonvoy: Down 50k to 584k
My goal at this time last year was to find a worthwhile large redemption for my big balance of points in Marriott's too-preciously named Bonvoy program. (Seriously, there was nothing wrong with the name when it was simply Marriott Rewards.) While I didn't find a large redemption I did find one smaller one, spending 60,000 points for 3 nights in February before Coronavirus shut down most travel. I also earned about 10k from a paid stay or two. I tried to spend more than just that 60k in the few other opportunities I did have for travel in 2020, but the challenge is that Marriott had watered down the value of its Rewa— I mean, Bonvoy— program. Opportunities to redeem points at good values are now rare. That's a big reason why I'm shifting to Hilton Honors as my preferred travel program even though I have Lifetime Titanium status with Marriott, their highest normal elite level. For 2021 my goal remains the same as 2020's: spend down my big balance, preferably on worthwhile big-ticket redemptions so I can do more than chip away at it.
⬆️ Hilton Honors: Up 160k to 492k
My goal with Hilton this year was to both earn and burn points while making it my chain of choice. I basically did all that— though not to the degree I intended as Coronavirus curtailed most travel for the year. My earnings came mostly from nearly 200k of bonuses on a Hilton-affiliated American Express card I upgraded to in March. Against that I redeemed one night and paid for a few others. Like I said, not the degree I wanted. Thus my goal for Hilton becomes the same as my goal with Marriott the last two years: find a good, big redemption opportunity.
⬆️ IHG Rewards: Up 145k to 431k
My points balance with IHG shot up in 2020. That was due in large part to earning the 125k sign-up bonus on the new credit card I opened in Oct 2019. I tried hard to spend IHG points this year. Twice I booked and then had to cancel a 150,000 point redemption for 4 nights in a resort town. Yup, Coronavirus again. Goal for 2021? Well, that resort town is still there. Third time's a charm, maybe?
🔄 The Others: Whatever
I know I have a few thousand points each with Choice Privileges and Best Western. I know that primarily because I stayed a few nights with each during our Utah-Arizona road trip in September. They're not my preferred brands, so I stay with them primarily when my preferred brands aren't available— as in the smaller towns we visited during that trip. I think I have some points with Wyndham Rewards. I don't know; I don't care. I'm just not engaged enough to care.
⬇️ Marriott Bonvoy: Down 50k to 584k
My goal at this time last year was to find a worthwhile large redemption for my big balance of points in Marriott's too-preciously named Bonvoy program. (Seriously, there was nothing wrong with the name when it was simply Marriott Rewards.) While I didn't find a large redemption I did find one smaller one, spending 60,000 points for 3 nights in February before Coronavirus shut down most travel. I also earned about 10k from a paid stay or two. I tried to spend more than just that 60k in the few other opportunities I did have for travel in 2020, but the challenge is that Marriott had watered down the value of its Rewa— I mean, Bonvoy— program. Opportunities to redeem points at good values are now rare. That's a big reason why I'm shifting to Hilton Honors as my preferred travel program even though I have Lifetime Titanium status with Marriott, their highest normal elite level. For 2021 my goal remains the same as 2020's: spend down my big balance, preferably on worthwhile big-ticket redemptions so I can do more than chip away at it.⬆️ Hilton Honors: Up 160k to 492k
My goal with Hilton this year was to both earn and burn points while making it my chain of choice. I basically did all that— though not to the degree I intended as Coronavirus curtailed most travel for the year. My earnings came mostly from nearly 200k of bonuses on a Hilton-affiliated American Express card I upgraded to in March. Against that I redeemed one night and paid for a few others. Like I said, not the degree I wanted. Thus my goal for Hilton becomes the same as my goal with Marriott the last two years: find a good, big redemption opportunity.⬆️ IHG Rewards: Up 145k to 431k
My points balance with IHG shot up in 2020. That was due in large part to earning the 125k sign-up bonus on the new credit card I opened in Oct 2019. I tried hard to spend IHG points this year. Twice I booked and then had to cancel a 150,000 point redemption for 4 nights in a resort town. Yup, Coronavirus again. Goal for 2021? Well, that resort town is still there. Third time's a charm, maybe?🔄 The Others: Whatever
I know I have a few thousand points each with Choice Privileges and Best Western. I know that primarily because I stayed a few nights with each during our Utah-Arizona road trip in September. They're not my preferred brands, so I stay with them primarily when my preferred brands aren't available— as in the smaller towns we visited during that trip. I think I have some points with Wyndham Rewards. I don't know; I don't care. I'm just not engaged enough to care.
