Recent changes: Cash & Points for real, award stays towards status, and more
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,160
Call my cynical, but I'm more interested in what the devaluations are going to be. Marriott has a clear track record of mass-devaluation 'enhancements'.
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 31,962
award nights counting towards status was a long time coming ... catching up w/ competition ... and yes, i am wondering where the devaluation will come.
#18
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,458
How many bog posts have you seen that are just plain false?
That is why I don't read travel blog posts.
That is why I don't read travel blog posts.
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
That's why I miss Inside Flyer magazine and its journalistic approach to travel program news. Since it went away in the past year, I haven't found a replacement in that sense of a source (online or offline) that's journalistic in its approach.
#20
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: S Cal
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, United Silver, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,142
Frankly, this may be too little and too late for me. I'm likely to jump ship. I have both Marriott Gold status and Starwood Gold status. I think I get much more value from SPG points in the Starwood program than from Marriott reward points. Marriott has devalued their program too heavily. I'm a Marriott timeshare owner, and I've been loyal to Marriott for years. But in 2016, I'll probably focus more on SPG stays and earning SPG points than MRPs.
I'm in Peru at the moment. Yes, the JW Cusco is a nice hotel, and I did get complimentary breakfast as a Gold, but my room was so small that my wife and I had a hard time not bumping into each other. (This stay was a points redemption.)
Now I'm at the (Starwood) Tambo del Inka in Urubamba. This is also a points redemption (and the cost was about half the number of points as the JW Cusco). Upgraded at check-in (without even needing to ask) to a lovely and large Junior Suite.
I'm in Peru at the moment. Yes, the JW Cusco is a nice hotel, and I did get complimentary breakfast as a Gold, but my room was so small that my wife and I had a hard time not bumping into each other. (This stay was a points redemption.)
Now I'm at the (Starwood) Tambo del Inka in Urubamba. This is also a points redemption (and the cost was about half the number of points as the JW Cusco). Upgraded at check-in (without even needing to ask) to a lovely and large Junior Suite.
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
Programs: AA lifetime GLD; UA Silver; Marriott LTTE; IHG Plat,
Posts: 14,517
Confirmed now on https://www.rewards-insiders.marriot...exclusive-news, with a promise of details on Monday.
#23
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,368
Frankly, this may be too little and too late for me. I'm likely to jump ship. I have both Marriott Gold status and Starwood Gold status. I think I get much more value from SPG points in the Starwood program than from Marriott reward points. Marriott has devalued their program too heavily. I'm a Marriott timeshare owner, and I've been loyal to Marriott for years. But in 2016, I'll probably focus more on SPG stays and earning SPG points than MRPs.
I'm in Peru at the moment. Yes, the JW Cusco is a nice hotel, and I did get complimentary breakfast as a Gold, but my room was so small that my wife and I had a hard time not bumping into each other. (This stay was a points redemption.)
Now I'm at the (Starwood) Tambo del Inka in Urubamba. This is also a points redemption (and the cost was about half the number of points as the JW Cusco). Upgraded at check-in (without even needing to ask) to a lovely and large Junior Suite.
I'm in Peru at the moment. Yes, the JW Cusco is a nice hotel, and I did get complimentary breakfast as a Gold, but my room was so small that my wife and I had a hard time not bumping into each other. (This stay was a points redemption.)
Now I'm at the (Starwood) Tambo del Inka in Urubamba. This is also a points redemption (and the cost was about half the number of points as the JW Cusco). Upgraded at check-in (without even needing to ask) to a lovely and large Junior Suite.
If you care about elite benefits, there are also major differences in upgrades, breakfast entitlement, late checkout policies, etc.
#24
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 625
I just read the post on Marriott Insiders, and it mentions a cap of 50K points transferred between accounts. Has there always been this cap? I always assumed I'd be able to transfer higher numbers than that in order to purchase a large travel certificate.
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,066
1. ever growing population of lifetime Plats;
2. overcrowding in lounges.
There is no free lunch in this world.
#26
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
Confirmed now on https://www.rewards-insiders.marriot...exclusive-news, with a promise of details on Monday.
#29
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
This is definitely good news, the stays on points is my favorite though having cash and points as an option is good too ^
#30
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: GS, Marriott Titanium LT, IHG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 66
Great news and I am hoping that the accompanying devaluations are not significant. I do believe Marriott is feeling the competitive pressure from Hilton and IHG.