Giveaway: GoGo Pass, Marriott Rewards Bag Tag and Passport Holder

As I keep sorting through my mess of stuff in our apartment (seriously...where does it all come from) as we move to Seattle via Australia and Asia I have found a few goodies that I don't need, but hopefully can find a good home!

I have:

1. A Free GoGo Inflight Internet Pass
2. A GoGo "Travel Kit" that contains everything from aspirin to a mint so you an arrive at your destination ache free and with fresh breath!
3. A Marriott Rewards bag tag
4. A Marriott Rewards Passport hoder

To enter all you need to do is follow us on Twitter and comment below on this post with your name and your next big trip (or the big trip you are dreaming of). If you aren't on Twitter or already follow us (thank you) then just comment in the post with your next big trip, planned or just dreamed of.

I'll close the contest at 11:59 p.m. tomorrow night and announce the winner on Monday.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

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Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints! Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.com

Marriott's Unexpected Bonus is Unexpectedly Popular

Marriott has a promotion at the moment called Unexpected Bonus. Under this promotion, one earns a free night after second paid stays.

One needs to register here on July 31st and stay twice, September 2, 2013.

I am not a Marriott guy. My Marriott Rewards account has zero points in it. However, I signed up for this promotion, because one of my goals for 2013 is to sign-up for more promotions regardless of the likely I will participate. 

What was unexpected about this promotion was that twice this week, someone brought this promotion up out of the blue. First, it was Cash Back Boy. Then, my boss. Both of them asked if I had heard about the Unexpected Bonus from Marriott and was it worth registering. Say What! How did you know about this promotion? 

Marriott's Unexpected Bonus has become Unexpectedly Popular. Both of these people do not read points blogs. Therefore, Marriott must have done a great job with their advertising the promotion.

My strategy for this promotion is to only use it if you have upcoming stays that can be steered toward Marriott. I don't this is a mattress run promotion. Maybe if you have one stay under your belt and you can find a very cheap second stay. For instance, Cash Back Boy mentioned that we steer any upcoming hotels stays to Marriott, so that we can use the free night for college football.

The bigger question is Cash Back Boy coming over to the dark side?

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Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints!

 Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.com

Best Redemption of Marriott Points

Every once and a while, you read a post that sticks with you. I can't describe what makes such a post, but you know when you read one. Its the post that you you are thinking about or more importantly talking about days and even weeks after reading it.

I read one of these posts a few days ago on Frugal Travel Lawyer. In her April 2 post, she writes how she exchanged 270,000 Marriott Rewards for 120,000 Southwest Miles, the Southwest Companion Pass and a week at a category 5 Marriott Hotel. I will let you visit her post to learn how she did it, but it was not easy, but still doable.

However, I write this post to applaud the Frugal Travel Lawyer for an amazing redemption. This is one of those out of the box resumptions that our community was built to celebrate. Not only is she getting a week a hotel, but free airline travel in the form of Southwest Rapid Reward points and the Companion Pass, for her husband. He husband will travel almost free, he has to pay taxes, when she travels on Southwest until December 31, 2014!!

Yes, I know the redemption option that she used has been available for quite some time. What makes this such a great redemption is that she credited to Southwest to earn the Companion Pass. I have not seen anyone talk about this. For this reason, I stand and applaud your out of the box redemption!

Brava, Frugal Travel Lawyer for a great redemption!!!! 

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Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints! Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.com

Marriott's "What's Your Travel Type" Contest Ends Tomorrow

The Marriott "What's Your Travel Type"contest has been written about extensively with lots of promos out there in blog land to win additional points. (Here...Here...Here...etc.) But it is worth noting that the contest ends tomorrow at 4:00 pm ET. But, you can enter once a day so if you hurry you can get two more entries in!

The prizes are everything from 6 nights/5 days at a JW Marriott anywhere in the world to a 7 day/ 6 night trip to Madrid, Spain.

We don't have any prizes to offer...but I am curious what your favorite prize was, and what Marriott properties you would use your prize on?