Originally Posted by
hhoope01
I'm wondering if there are two different scenarios being discussed.
First, when the "merge" occurs, I'm guessing existing TP hotel certs will be converted to a new style, "max points-based" cert. For example, if someone has a Cat. 6, 7-night hotel cert, that cert will become a "max 30K per night" 7 night award or something similar to that. Second, if someone today wants to return the TP hotel cert for points, they will NOT get the points matching a 7 night Cat 6 hotel (i.e. 180K points.). From the discussion it looks like someone would get 75K points. Again, my guess is if someone after the "merge" wants to return their new "max 30K per night" 7 night award, they will probably only get 75K points deposited into their account. IOW, just like today, they can use the cert for up to 7 nights at a certain cat level of hotel or they can return the cert for a reduced points value.
But I would doubt that at the "merge" Marriott will liquidate all existing unlinked TP certs into that reduced points value and deposit the points into your account. If you want that today (or after the "merge") you have to ask for it.
Now when this happens, will Marriott extend the life of those TP certs out for a year (since it will essentially be a new cert) or will they transfer the existing end-date to the new certs? I can't answer that question, though I might guess the answer depends on how easy it is for their systems to grab that old expiration date and transfer it to the new cert. If it is very simple and easy, the new certs may well keep the old expirations. If it is a pain to deal with that, Marriott will probably just extend the expiration dates out.
This is one of most likely scenarios. However, there're still lots of complications. For example, for an existing unattached cat-9 cert, what would Marriott do? Convert it to a cert for 7 nights with up to 45K points per night? If you want to use it this year, there's no hotel in that category after August 1. Or does Marriott convert it to a cert for up to 35K per night and refund you 10K per night (which makes it equivalent to the current cat-7 cert)? Or does Marriott offer you an option to upgrade your cert? If so, would the upgrade be based on current chart or the new chart in August? Same issues with the cat-6 and cat-8 certificates. What if someone bought the cert even before s/he knew there would be changes in August? And many probably still don't know something will change in August that could affect their certs. There have been no communication to these cert holders about any changes (and most of them are not on FlyerTalk).
Starwood Lurker on the SPG forum has basically said there won't be any more announcement on some of the complicated issues such as this until the programs merge. Without any official clarification, we all have to make our decisions, hopefully based on rational analyses of benefits and risks of our choices.