Club Carlson Mega Points Promotion

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Hat tip to Mommy Points and her reader who passed along the news that at a few Club Carlson properties, you can earn 10,000 bonus Gold Points per night when you make a reservation using the promo code "MEGAPT." Here's the list of participating properties:

  • Radisson Martinique on Broadway
  • Radisson JFK Airport
  • Radisson Resort Orlando – Celebration
  • Radisson Hotel Orlando – Lake Buena Vista
  • Radisson Hotel Orlando – UCF Area
  • Radisson Hotel Fisherman’s Wharf

Of course, I'm planning a trip to New York in March, and currently have 2 nights booked at the Radisson Martinique for a total of 50,000 Gold Points, but don't have my third night booked yet. This promotion has put me in a tough position. The way I see it, I have three options:

  • Option 1: keep the 2 award nights, pay $228.42 after taxes for a "AAA Hot Deal" 20% off rate;
  • Option 2: keep the 2 award nights, pay $307.59 after taxes for the "Mega Points Promotion" rate;
  • Option 3: rebook all 3 nights, pay $1037.51 after taxes for the "Mega Points Promotion rate.

Deciding between Options 1 and 2 depends on my valuation of Club Carlson Gold Points. Are 10,000 Gold Points worth $79.17? Maybe, sometimes. But it takes more than "sometimes" to get me to spend $79 out of pocket (although I'll naturally redeem Barclaycard Arrival miles against the transaction later).

One of these options is not like the others though: why would I pay $1038 when I could pay $228 instead? Because of the other current Club Carlson promotion, which gives 38,000 Gold Points after 3 paid nights between January 6 and April 13, 2014.

By triggering that second promotion, I'd end up paying $810 for ~144,850 Gold Points (30,000 "Mega Points," 38,000 "Stay 3 Nights," and the 50,000 Gold Points I'm currently paying for the 2 nights, plus 30 Gold Points per dollar on my $895 room rate as a Gold elite), or 0.56 cents each. There's no denying that's a good rate to buy Gold Points at in bulk. It's almost enough for 6 free nights at a Category 6 property, as long as the nights are booked in blocks of 2, so conservatively $1,200 in value.

So, am I gonna do it? Of course not. The least valuable point is the one you don't spend, and I have 50,000 Gold Points burning a hole in my account. They're not going to get any more valuable by sitting on them.

My fellow travel hackers, we are the redemption we've been waiting for.

Check back tomorrow for my take on the Club Carlson "devaluation" (hint: I love it!).