Earn a Big Delta Bonus for Marriott Stays

After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.

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Flights and hotel stays tend to go hand-in-hand—if you’re doing one, there’s a good chance you’re also doing the other.

That, at any rate, is the logic underlying this new fly-and-stay promotion from Delta and Marriott.

Offer Details

Between November 1, 2010, and January 31, 2011, members of Delta’s SkyMiles and Marriott’s Rewards programs can earn a hefty 5,000-mile bonus for Marriott stays taken in conjunction with a Delta flight.

Marriott Rewards members must have Delta designated as their earning preference and earn miles for both their qualifying stays and flights.

The bonus miles are in addition to the miles normally earned for stays: two miles per dollar spent at JW Marriott, Autograph Collection, Renaissance, Marriott, and Marriott Vacation Club; two miles per dollar spent on room rate only at EDITION hotels; and one mile per dollar spent on room rate only at Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Marriott Vacation Club, and Marriott Executive Apartments.

There’s no limit to the number of times the bonus may be earned.

Registration is required.

Deal or No Deal

While flights and hotel stays indeed often go together, for logistical or loyalty reasons, flying Delta and staying at a Marriott on the same trip may be impractical. So qualifying for the bonus is hardly a gimme.

On the other hand, the bonus makes it worth enduring considerable inconvenience to abide by the promotion’s terms. If the qualifying hotel stay is a single night at a lower-priced Marriott property, the bonus can be a potent mileage-multiplier.

So, for example, spending $250 for a night at a Marriott would generate 500 Delta miles. In that case, the 5,000-mile bonus amounts to an extra ten times the miles normally awarded. Compared to the typical hotel promotion touting double or triple miles, this bonus offer is a standout.

Reader Reality Check

Is combining a Delta flight and a Marriott stay asking too much?

This article originally appeared on FrequentFlier.com.

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