sdix

Marriott Gold as a "benefit" for Centurion is a bit of an insult after losing our SPG benefits several years ago. Centurion needs to step up their game and offer the new top level of the Marriott program. They still offer Hilton Diamond but that is being diluted now with the new Amex Hilton card.

RumPatrol

Centurion Lounge access is limited solely to Amex Platinum, Business Platinum, Corporate Platinum and a few of the branded platinum (Schwab/Mercedes) cards. I think that was changed some time late last year, previously any other Amex customer could pay for a day pass but it is now restricted solely to Platinum customers, who can pay $50 for additional guests. I don't know if I would necessarily miss Centurion Lounge access since I only use it a handful of times a year (DFW, LAS and HKG) but I am in and out of ATL multiple times a week most weeks so the SC access is big. I also got surprising use out of the PP lounge access last year, of course that's available via many different cards.

I don't really have a hotel brand loyalty, IHG and Discovery (Pan Pacific) are the only two I have status with via actual stays. I split between Hilton and SPG/Marriott enough that I wouldn't get any status beyond what the Platinum gives me, but the reason I split between the two is because of that status. If all of a sudden the Platinum, or another card, made it so I had high level status with one or the other... I'd shift to that. I think I prefer SPG/Marriott properties to Hilton on the whole because I find myself in a lot of Sheratons and Westins, but I'm not sure if that's because SPG/Marriot Gold via my Amex Platinum was really useful or if it's because I actually like the properties themselves. HH Diamond with a bigger airline credit might look awfully enticing.

I'll have to give this some thought. $350 net AF is awfully steep with no significant hotel benefits. I will probably end up waiting it out and see how Amex answers. I'd kill for them to do 5x hotel points including those booked directly through the hotel (which is all of my hotel stays). If they did that, I'd be diving into a pool of MR points like Scrooge McDuck. My AF is up in June though so I have a few months to wait and see and then I might try to parlay this devaluation into a compelling retention offer.

CKDGM

This is pretty much where I am, except that my AF doesn't roll until September so I'll have time to see what happens between now and then regarding the hotel benefits. Lounge benefits (SEA has both two Sky Clubs and a Centurion Lounge in addition to the PP lounges) and 5x MR on flights are still fairly compelling, but I'd still like to see Amex start sweetening the pot again.

DeltaFlyer IntrepidClass

From what I've heard and experienced myself after HUCA'ing multiple times, Amex retention offers are predetermined and can't be negotiated.

Aero137

So, I am still skeptical about this, but AusBT is stating that SPG Golds will get Platinum in the new program. https://www.ausbt.com.au/five-things...oyalty-program

The following statement was made to them by Marriott International’s Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Asia Pacific.

I was linked to this from comments on another site, and I'm not too familiar with AusBT. But it sounds like there is still a chance...

DeltaFlyer IntrepidClass

I'm SPG Gold by way of the Amex Business Platinum card and it would make my day if my status were to convert to the new Marriott Platinum. But I can understand and I seriously doubt that would happen just from the status match. If that were the case, most people would just pick up an Amex Platinum card for $450/550 instead of trying to put $75,000 on the SPG Luxury card.

bumfluff

More from that AUSBT piece:

So youre saying theres a chance...

dw

zorbachs

Right. It would really make no sense whatsoever for the Platinum to have a higher status than the SPG Luxury card. The only chance would be that Marriot adds further enhancements to Gold level, but I don't see that happening beyond what we saw on Monday.

Points Scrounger

Agreed - they're doing a soft landing on this.

acarney

Sounds like they're very curious on how many customers may ditch the platinum card if this goes away... and on the same side sounds like Marriott doesn't want to give out anything past the new gold... BUT, probably agreed to keep it vague with Amex until Amex can either sweeting the deal to get the platinum status or add something else to the card...

There is no reason why they can't say "Hey, going forward under our new program Amex customers are getting Marriott Gold", there is also no reason why Amex can't figure out for themselves "Hey, it's Hilton gold and Marriott gold", unless it hasn't been set in stone yet.... from all the points made so far, the decision has already been made, just not in ink. So it's kinda a dick move to kick it down to 2019 before telling customers "oh, btw, this perk is gone!"

Very curious on if they would at least grandfather in customers during their status year, or if they kick them off right away. Would suck to pay an annual fee in December 2018 being happy you matched to the Marriott Plat and then January 1st you're kicked back down to Marriott Gold by Marriot. Thankfully my annual fee doesn't come due until February 2019, so I should have a clear indication on if I should pay it again or ditch the card... that said, the Hilton Aspire card might not have it's 100k bonus offer still by then...

yurtripper

To some extent the confusion about Amex Plat holders' status in the new program is because people asking the questions or giving the answers don't clearly separate two things - (1) status from Aug 1 till status reset in early 2019; (2) status in 2019 after status reset.

For these two distinct cases, I would say the following
(1) status after Feb 2019 = almost certainly Gold (the balance of probabilities is greatly in favour of this)
(2) status from Aug 1 - Feb 2019 = unresolved (no clear, unambiguous statement, available publicly in written form, thus leaving people to argue over it)

If you held a gun to my head and forced me to choose, I would say that SPG Golds matched to MR Gold will get Platinum. Although you can also make a case to the contrary, I believe the balance of probabilities, given recent statements from various senior Marriott figures, is turning towards Platinum.

The point is that those who are making declarative statements, such as "Amex Plats/SPG Golds will get Gold in August 1", don't have the grounds to be so declarative. As with the debate about LTP cutoff (Aug 1 vs Dec 31), it still hasn't been definitively answered. Pointing to a single TPG video does not constitute proof, in the face of contradictory statements from senior figures within Marriott.

mia

Discussion of the Platinum Card Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) benefit has been moved:

FHR rates competitive?

qofmiwok

But now the $75k spend is at a terrible earn rate, only .8333 airline miles/$ spent.

I agree with you. I've seen posts where they are "sure" both ways. It needs to be clarified. I have about 3 weeks left to cancel my SPG and get my $95 back, so hope they clarify within that time whether I will get Platinum through 2018. I have hotels booked in October assuming I would have Platinum.

Gig103

I am also interpreting this as a soft landing. No matter how you got MR Gold, even if it was by a credit card or organic SPG earning, you get new Plat for next year. It's not a bad idea - it doesn't cost them very much to keep people happy with a grace period, and it might even encourage those former-SPG customers to keep working in the new scheme.

Even if Amex Plat stays "Gold" for 2019, while that's a devaluation, I see it as a smaller loss from an SPG perspective than what we were granted from a Marriott perspective. But I'm not a heavy user of either hotel chain, so mine is a pretty casual view.