Originally Posted by
bhrubin
Your package numbers are only true for airlines with weak international First Class products like American and British, not to mention plenty of airlines that don’t have an actual international First Class like Delta and Virgin Atlantic. So again, for premium airline awards, Marriott transfers are weaker than you presume compared with SPG.
The same 270,000 MR points only gets you a 85k-mile travel package with great First Class product airlines such as ANA, Cathay Pacific, Singapore, Asiana, Lufthansa, JAL, Emirates, Etihad, etc. For anyone wanting a good international First Class award, the Marriott conversion is far weaker than SPG.
All three alliances are represented at the 120k level, or you can convert to AS, which can redeem for CX, JL, or EK - with at least CX and JL having reasonable availability and "native"-like award levels (e.g., North America to the Asia with a free stopover for 70k each way in F.)
But even if I wanted native SQ or LH, I'd find 85k miles + 1 week hotel to be more valuable overall than 110k miles.
It may be true that Marriott customers like the 7 night cert for a category 1-5 hotel...but I’d argue that few nice hotels exists in that group. Even in the Middle East and Asia. From an SPG perspective, for those who more often stay at aspirational St Regis, Luxury Collection, and W hotels, there is NOTHING remotely comparable for category 1-5 and rarely even category 6-9! There are 25 Courtyards in Category 8 and even 2 Courtyards in Category 9 for God’s sake!
Once you get into aspirational airline premium flights and aspirational hotels, I’m sorry to say that the higher expectation for the average SPG customer makes it obvious that the SPG conversions are vastly superior...because the Marriott conversions give us weak airline options and even weaker hotel options that are completely wasted or worthless for most of us.
Oh, good God, if I roll my eyes any harder they'll fall out of my head. I've stayed in St. Regises, Ritzes, Four Points, and Courtyards. The "average" guest in both of these programs doesn't know Flyertalk exists and is redeeming points for a hotel in Iowa right now. I've been a long-time member of both (and am a big Starwood fan) but c'mon, none of us here are "average" or anything close to it. We're points nerds, and a lot of us are occasionally willing to stoop to the slums that are a mid-category Marriott or Sheraton.
I am, however, amused at how some people here look down their noses at others. There's probably a lurker here right now looking down their nose at all of us, laughing at how we basically clip coupons for rides on mass transit and beds that aren't in private estates.