Feb 5, 2020, 10:22 am
Last edit by: CodeAdam10
https://points-redemption.marriott.c...arriott-bonvoy
Annual hotel category changes will take effect March 4, 2020
Official notification :
Category Changes
This year’s category changes will take effect on March 4 giving our members a month’s advance notice to make informed decisions about redeeming their points for stays. Access the complete list of hotels for each redemption category and learn more here.
Across the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of participating hotels:
· 71% will remain unchanged while 29% will be affected by the 2020 annual category change process with 7% of hotels decreasing in points needed for a free night and 22% are increasing.
· Most of the 2020 annual category change movement (84%) takes place between categories 1-5 for a standard redemption stay.
In the next month, take a look at your upcoming stays to see if you should lock in rates now (make sure to attach a certificate to your stay), or redeem after March 4 at some great hotels that are moving down in category, like JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach or W Aspen.
Inventory Controls
Every hotel participating in our travel program offers members standard rooms for award redemptions every day of the year. However, during the busiest times of the year, participating hotels may limit the number of standard rooms available for redemption, but only for a predetermined number of days annually.
Previously, only some hotel brands had access to inventory controls. This tool will be extended to all hotels beginning today. With this modification we’ve also added restrictions. The number of days hotels can use inventory controls is being reduced. This will result in fewer days in total subject to inventory controls portfolio-wide in 2020 compared to 2019. This change will have no impact on stays that are already booked.
2020 Category Changes : effective March 4, 2020
Feb 6, 2020, 1:24 am
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,510
CS can.
Feb 6, 2020, 1:32 am
#77
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
Asia Pacific seems to be the winner there! The Pres Wilson example is really the only decent one in Europe that I know of, that’s moving down
Feb 6, 2020, 2:36 am
#78
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,206
Feb 6, 2020, 2:48 am
#79
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,917
Feb 6, 2020, 3:51 am
#80
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,649
Feb 6, 2020, 3:58 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,649
every year i used the credit card free nights & the one i got for renewing titanium for a 4 night stay in nyc....won't be able to do that anymore....even though there are a handful of cat 5 properties left in nyc (mostly in downtown), peak awards will probably come in the way of redeeming them at a time when i would want to....
Feb 6, 2020, 5:47 am
#82
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JGC premier
Posts: 348
My free night award certificate (up to 50k points property) will be awarded to me on April 1st and a property I was eyeing, RC Biscayne is going up a category. Can I lock the current redemption rate using points right now and then get customer service etc to swap the points for the free night award certificate?
Feb 6, 2020, 5:53 am
#83
Join Date: Jul 2019
Programs: UA GS1MM, Marriott LTE, SQ PPS, Hertz PC
Posts: 2
Feb 6, 2020, 5:55 am
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,882
Feb 6, 2020, 6:03 am
#85
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,882
i have 3 cards....i've paid the annual fee for 2 of them & am waiting for my free night certs to post....i'm going to cancel both cards the moment i get the certs....the last card i'll hold on to for a while....
every year i used the credit card free nights & the one i got for renewing titanium for a 4 night stay in nyc....won't be able to do that anymore....even though there are a handful of cat 5 properties left in nyc (mostly in downtown), peak awards will probably come in the way of redeeming them at a time when i would want to....
every year i used the credit card free nights & the one i got for renewing titanium for a 4 night stay in nyc....won't be able to do that anymore....even though there are a handful of cat 5 properties left in nyc (mostly in downtown), peak awards will probably come in the way of redeeming them at a time when i would want to....
Right.
Before this annual change we have already decided not to keep 2 AMEX in the household. Now may not be any come renewal time!
The Chase grandfathered business card is $30 cheaper than the AMEX version and its FN cert posts promptly at anniversary instead of 8 to 12 weeks on the AMEX cards, that some folks still dont see theirs after that period has passed.
Before this annual change we have already decided not to keep 2 AMEX in the household. Now may not be any come renewal time!
The Chase grandfathered business card is $30 cheaper than the AMEX version and its FN cert posts promptly at anniversary instead of 8 to 12 weeks on the AMEX cards, that some folks still dont see theirs after that period has passed.
The 35K night certificates are basically only useful for "utilitarian" stays nowadays. I have a few of those a year that range from $125 to $175. But should I keep a $95 card just for that certificate? Probably not. So the Amex Marriott Bonvoy will get cancelled shortly given I already have the Brilliant
The 50K cert with the Brilliant can be used for far more hotels, but it will be harder to maximize. Still I will keep the card for now for the 15 nights. At some point I will apply for the Chase card and cancel the Brilliant.
Some of the changes reduce the appeal of off peak redemption - the luxury properties in Barcelona are pricing around $365 a night right now, and cost 50,000 in the current categories (off peak). Those same properties go to 70,000 points off peak, taking the offseason value per point down to 0.05.
The 50K cert with the Brilliant can be used for far more hotels, but it will be harder to maximize. Still I will keep the card for now for the 15 nights. At some point I will apply for the Chase card and cancel the Brilliant.
Some of the changes reduce the appeal of off peak redemption - the luxury properties in Barcelona are pricing around $365 a night right now, and cost 50,000 in the current categories (off peak). Those same properties go to 70,000 points off peak, taking the offseason value per point down to 0.05.
Feb 6, 2020, 6:06 am
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,882
I know there are a lot of Marriott experts in this thread. I've already done a bit of reading and it seems like the changes are going to be pretty negative overall for me. With the devaluation, would you guys agree with the notion that Marriott points are now useless? I got about 500k worth of points that I want to use. I'm just not sure where to use it and get good value.
New York seems to be negatively affected. What about Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Taipei? Any good redemption left?
New York seems to be negatively affected. What about Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Taipei? Any good redemption left?
Feb 6, 2020, 6:13 am
#87
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,917
I know there are a lot of Marriott experts in this thread. I've already done a bit of reading and it seems like the changes are going to be pretty negative overall for me. With the devaluation, would you guys agree with the notion that Marriott points are now useless? I got about 500k worth of points that I want to use. I'm just not sure where to use it and get good value.
New York seems to be negatively affected. What about Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Taipei? Any good redemption left?
New York seems to be negatively affected. What about Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Taipei? Any good redemption left?
), but seriously - take a look at this spreadsheet that TPG put together: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wxsr2992p2...0%29.xlsx?dl=0I am in a weird position where the major redemption I am doing this year (Ile des Pins and Noumea) are both going down, so for literally ONCE in my life, I am liking this (and I've done all the major European properties last summer, so I can just chuckle away them going up in price).
That said, overall, it's a devaluation, so yes, the points are worth less. But browse the spreadsheet and see if you can find any properties that you might be able to lock in (and do remember that points advance no longer locks anything except availability...)
Feb 6, 2020, 6:28 am
#88
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
A question re. making some tentative stays before the category changes! Can I make a simple points reservation for 7 nights, and if deciding to take it up apply a travel package to it for the category at time of booking, for a points refund? I try and avoid attaching a TP to a tentative stay as I have had problems in the past when cancelling (unattaching) them.
Feb 6, 2020, 6:48 am
#89
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,888
I know there are a lot of Marriott experts in this thread. I've already done a bit of reading and it seems like the changes are going to be pretty negative overall for me. With the devaluation, would you guys agree with the notion that Marriott points are now useless? I got about 500k worth of points that I want to use. I'm just not sure where to use it and get good value.
New York seems to be negatively affected. What about Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Taipei? Any good redemption left?
New York seems to be negatively affected. What about Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Taipei? Any good redemption left?
