Denied all Elite Benefits due to Online Travel Agent Booking
Jan 6, 2020, 10:01 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 171
Denied all Elite Benefits due to Online Travel Agent Booking
Super long time lurker here and finally incensed enough to post. I’m a lifetime Titanium and legacy Marriott Rewards got lifetime plat the hard way.
I’m on a multi stop run through Asia and since my booking were through our corporate travel agent I went to check in and was told:
Due to not booking direct with Marriott I would:
1: have no elite benefits (no lounge, no breakfast)
2: no night stay credit (obviously this impacts amassadlr qualification)
3: no points
essenrially I am treated like someone who has never stayed in a Marriott before. To say I’m pissed off is an understatement.
Recently changed jobs and we are required to book through our corporate travel agent. My Long time prior job we booked on our personal cards to get the points. New company won’t allow us.
How can I remedy this? It’s like Marriott is stripping me of my lifetime status and zero benefit now.
This is insane
I’m on a multi stop run through Asia and since my booking were through our corporate travel agent I went to check in and was told:
Due to not booking direct with Marriott I would:
1: have no elite benefits (no lounge, no breakfast)
2: no night stay credit (obviously this impacts amassadlr qualification)
3: no points
essenrially I am treated like someone who has never stayed in a Marriott before. To say I’m pissed off is an understatement.
Recently changed jobs and we are required to book through our corporate travel agent. My Long time prior job we booked on our personal cards to get the points. New company won’t allow us.
How can I remedy this? It’s like Marriott is stripping me of my lifetime status and zero benefit now.
This is insane
Jan 6, 2020, 10:11 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: The World
Programs: WS Platinum, Marriott Titanium, DL Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 1,478
They're pretty clear in their terms and conditions, and always have been. (Starwood was, too.)
Regular travel agent-booked stays do count for status and earn benefits, but "online" travel agent and consolidator stays (Priceline, Hotels.com, etc, etc.) never have.
Marriott isn't stripping you of anything. If anyone's to blame, it's your employer and their travel agent -- not Marriott.
Our corporate travel agent (which we're required to use) has access to hotel rates from a variety of sources -- including some of the online TAs and consolidators like Hotels.com. I tell them not to book those rates, and instruct them to book 'regular' Marriott rates instead. That always works for me.
Regular travel agent-booked stays do count for status and earn benefits, but "online" travel agent and consolidator stays (Priceline, Hotels.com, etc, etc.) never have.
Marriott isn't stripping you of anything. If anyone's to blame, it's your employer and their travel agent -- not Marriott.
Our corporate travel agent (which we're required to use) has access to hotel rates from a variety of sources -- including some of the online TAs and consolidators like Hotels.com. I tell them not to book those rates, and instruct them to book 'regular' Marriott rates instead. That always works for me.
Jan 6, 2020, 10:12 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Anywhere
Posts: 6,571
If it was your corporate rate, even if booked via your corporate travel agent, you should have all membership benefits honoured.
Jan 6, 2020, 10:14 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 171
Bad enough to take points but because a of an online booking but denying a lifetime member of basic lounge access over it is complete BS
Jan 6, 2020, 10:24 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,490
Work with your corporate TA to remedy the issue. You can go another hotel chain similar to Marriott, and you will experience the same thing.
Jan 6, 2020, 10:26 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,861
Jan 6, 2020, 10:27 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,464
See Marriott Bonvoy Exclusion for stays booked by corporate travel agencies
Your corporate travel agent booked non-eligible rates which went through an OTA like Expedia instead of a rate through GDS. This is something for you to resolve with them. Try to make sure your corporate TA books eligible rates.
Your corporate travel agent booked non-eligible rates which went through an OTA like Expedia instead of a rate through GDS. This is something for you to resolve with them. Try to make sure your corporate TA books eligible rates.
Jan 6, 2020, 10:42 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Jan 6, 2020, 11:14 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 452
I love the concept of being outraged over something a) so small; and b) any traveler should know. Of course you don’t get perks if you use an OTA. OTA users are sub-human to hotel clerks, in my experience.
Jan 6, 2020, 11:18 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, United Silver, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 2,276
From Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program Terms & Conditions:
2.1.f Non-Qualifying Rates. A “Non-Qualifying Rate” is a rate a Member pays for a Stay in a guest room at a Participating Property which does not qualify to earn Points or Miles, as well as membership tier benefits. Non-Qualifying Rates are those booked using the following methods:
i. The guest room was booked through a tour operator, online travel channel or other third-party channel including, without limitation, expedia.com, hotwire.com, priceline.com, orbitz.com, booking.com, travelocity.com; or
ii. The guest room was booked at a group rate as part of an event, meeting, conference or organized tour, and the Member does not directly pay the Participating Property for such room; or
iii. The guest room was booked at a tour operator, wholesaler, or crew room rate or package including, without limitation, Fam-Tastic® rates, Plan-Tastic® rates, travel industry rates and organized tours or package bookings; or
iv. The guest room was complimentary; or
v. A voucher or third-party award was redeemed for the guest room.
i. The guest room was booked through a tour operator, online travel channel or other third-party channel including, without limitation, expedia.com, hotwire.com, priceline.com, orbitz.com, booking.com, travelocity.com; or
ii. The guest room was booked at a group rate as part of an event, meeting, conference or organized tour, and the Member does not directly pay the Participating Property for such room; or
iii. The guest room was booked at a tour operator, wholesaler, or crew room rate or package including, without limitation, Fam-Tastic® rates, Plan-Tastic® rates, travel industry rates and organized tours or package bookings; or
iv. The guest room was complimentary; or
v. A voucher or third-party award was redeemed for the guest room.
Jan 6, 2020, 11:21 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
This is 100% your company. It is the same thing as buying the basic economy fares for flying.
You should be taking this up with your company and/or read the fine print better before you accepted this job.
You should be taking this up with your company and/or read the fine print better before you accepted this job.
Jan 6, 2020, 11:26 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: North Sentinel Island
Programs: UA Gold, BONVOY TIT
Posts: 777
Jan 6, 2020, 11:27 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 171
You can be an apologist for Marriott all you want but this is outrageous.
Jan 6, 2020, 11:30 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 171
I’m guessing the defenders on here are likely the same person and likely a Marriott Corporate employee.
lifetime benefits came at cost they didn’t come free and now they are screening members.
anyone who is legacy SPG need not reply to this thread...
lifetime benefits came at cost they didn’t come free and now they are screening members.
anyone who is legacy SPG need not reply to this thread...
Jan 6, 2020, 11:30 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,717
im staying at a Marriott property with over 2500 nights as a LT Titanium. Marriott is still getting paid money for the stay and using a technicality to deny a long time member basic benefits that were earned with years of time and a boatload Of money spent in their hotels.
You can be an apologist for Marriott all you want but this is outrageous.
You can be an apologist for Marriott all you want but this is outrageous.
