yes that is a very good point ... I am actually one of those who after linking accounts stayed at mostly Marriott albeit a lot had to do with the location of a particular property another reason was that in one way or another there would be some sort of joint recognition ...I guess that is what the merged program is supposed to do ... my gripe is still is that given nights and 3*star-points I am (theoretically) LTPP if the current procedure is set in stone I am LTG, (7 Years of PLT) given the dilution of gold ... not much reason to stay at MAR ... not that anybody cares ...