Originally Posted by
Jaenks
If Starwood had bought Hyatt, lifetime requirements were according to SPG, not by Hyatt. Hyatt LTG is still most expensive loyalty status to achieve. More expensive than MR Bonvoy LTP, HHonors LTD, Star Alliance Gold(SKG), FB LTP(AF/KL) and OneWorld Emerald(BA GfL) combined. That merger would have created by far the best hospitality chain and loyalty program in the world plus we would still have our own SPG lurker William here in FT making the magic when needed.
Apologies for off topic.
Just a small correction: Starwood was never looking to buy Hyatt (Hyatt has never been for sale) - it was Hyatt that was going to buy Starwood... but the deal was tanked by the fact that the Pritzker's (the family that controls Hyatt) weren't willing to give up their controlling interest in Hyatt.
But I agree - Hyatt acquiring SPG might have been very interesting indeed.