FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - 2009 Program Changes -- the good, the bad and the ugly
Old Oct 23, 2008 | 5:30 am
  #183  
rahmanbar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 915
To rephrase an issue...

by rahmanbar
I'm curious as to whether Marriott considered the issue of the Category 5 Free night Certificate posted to each card holders' MR account commencing with their second year as a cardholder.


Marriott Concierge I am not aware of any plans to change this benefit. You will still receive the same category 5 certificate on your anniversary. Since this award is only valid for six months, having no black out dates and only limited capacity controls should make this particular
reward a better value.
Ira, upon review I realize I wasn't sufficiently clear in my original post.

The issue was not one of the validity period for a Chase Visa cat 5 free night certificate nor one having to do with capacity controls.

My point was that "category creep" out of category 5 would cause not only a additiional devaluing of points needed for a property award, but in addition filution of the value of the Chase Visa 6 months free night certificate.

Peruse the list of existing category five properties - some really nice wones there in great locales.

Under the new rules there's a fifth free night available and if, you can arrange for acceptance of the Chase certificate what was "one no-charge night" becomes two.

And that's my point -- movement of a property upwards out of cat 5swould be a double-whammy (more points required under normal circumstances as well as the inability to untilize a Chase certificate in conjunction with a rewards stay), and I'm curious as to how the potential for that will be addressed (if it will be addressed at all)..
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