When Marriott first came out with the Instant Redemption program I was not very receptive to the idea because it seemed to be a bad use of points. At the time the program was announced Marriott Rewards Members were able to redeem less points for Gift Cards equal in value. Of course the best use of points is for hotel stays but then the Marriott Rewards member does not receive the Elite nights credits for doing so. In the past when I was in need of additional Elite night credits I would use points for Marriott Gift Cards to help pay for leisure stays. Now it has come to my attention that Instant Redemption you can use less points for amounts of $200 and higher in comparison to the Gift Card options. Also when Instant Redemption is used you are still able to get Elite night credits for your stay and you don't have to wait for a gift card to arrive in the mail. Below is a list of points required for both Instant Redemption and Marriott Gift Cards.
Instant Redemption:
Value Points Required
$5 2,500
$20 9,000
$50 20,000
$100 35,000
$200 59,000
$500 100,000
$1000 190,000
Marriott Gift Cards:
Value Points Required
$50 17,500
$100 30,000
$200 60,000
$500 130,000
$1000 255,000
