Annual Award Category Changes - Effective March 5, 2019.
 

I'm wondering when Marriott will communicate the Annual Award Category Changes for 2019. In the past, SPG and Marriott have done this around Mid Feb - Early March.
I guess its likely to happen in March, when they Categorie 8 and Peak/off-peak Awards will be introduced, together with the new program name.

Any guesses/ insights/ ideas on this?

Cat 8 will be added in March. I presume any realignment will be adjusted at the same time.

We already had all our 2019 category changes! They just happened in August 2018!

It would be nice if the only change Marriott made in March is the addition of off-peak and peak periods as well as moving hotels into category 8. That said, I won't hold my breath that Marriott won't use the opportunity to move some hotels around cat. 1-7 at the same time.

+1. The allocation of hotels to the "new" award chart took a long time to be published last year.

If Marriott feel the need to adjust hotel categories PLUS add the new 8 and peak / off-peak pricing. Well... might as well give up and convert everything to miles for as long as that lasts.

Hello,

Is there an exact date in March set yet for the introduction of peak/off peak awards?

Thanks for any replies.

agreed....i was making some plans for the summer & was wondering whether to book now or wait to see if there are any category changes....over the last few years marriott has announced category changes around this time in feb or may do so on 13th feb along with the new name change but i doubt it given the massive changes that took place less than 6 months ago....

2019 Category Changes Announced
 

See them here: https://points-redemption.marriott.com/category-change (click the Review Here link)

VftW has some analysis: https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...-changes-2019/

2019 Category Changes Posted
 

Gary's blog has a link to the category changes:

https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2019/02/08/marriott-category-changes-2019/?utm_source=BoardingArea&utm_medium=BoardingArea#_ ga=2.6819322.918897473.1549284479-1690604599.1532984164

I think we had all hoped that there would be no adjustments since we saw a ton happen in August but say it isn't so! As usual I am seeing more increases in category that will impact me. I'm especially not happy about:

Cosmo LV up to 7
Fonecruz Lisbon up to 6
Sheraton Lisbon up to 5
Pine Cliffs Residences up to 8
Bodrum Edition up to 6
St. Regis Istanbul up to 6
London Edition up to 8
Renaissance Paris Vendome up to 7
Sheraton NYC TS up to 6....it had just dropped to 5 a couple of months ago and now back up to 6

Only decreases I see that catch my eye 2 W's in LA going down to 6 and Bristol in Vienna going down to 5.

It's out now: https://points-redemption.marriott.com/category-change

PDF of properties sorted by brand: https://lacek.hs.llnwd.net/e2/marrio...ogram=marriott

Also just noticed that with these increases it eliminates 6 hotels in New York City that now can no longer be booked using the 35k free night credit card awards! :mad: :mad: :mad:

The Lexington Autograph Collection NYC
CY NY Manhattan Times Square
CY NY Manhattan Soho
RI NY Manhattan Central Park
RI NY Manhattan Times Square
Sheraton NY Times Square

Wow.... every single property I am considering to use my OC1-5 travel package cerficate on is going up to NC5. And I can't commit to dates now. Ugh....

Marriott 2019 Category Changes.
 

Everything (well almost everything) is going up in category this time. Marriott is really wanting to say bon voy to all of their loyal customers.