When these enhancements (and in certain respects, they are truly that, some folks will benefit significantly from the new structure) were first floated around, it would have been nice if the tradeoff in point devaluations were also floated around so we could have made informed judgments.

I still say that if Marriott could at least reduce the increase in point requirements for 7-night hotel + airline mile packages or at least make them available for 5-night stays, then, imo, there would be no reason for most of us to move our loyalty (unless we already have other reasons for doing so). For high point accumulators that predominantly book these types of packages, this hits pretty hard.

Question for Marriott Concierge:
If I book a hotel+air package under the current system for late next year (2009), what happens if I have to change plans - will I get hit with a ca. 90,000 point bill to rebook a cat. 7-8 hotel, or well I be able to keep what I have, just at a different property for different dates?