escapefromphl

Hyatt has now extended status until 2022 for those who qualified in 2019. It did not copy Hilton in not downgrading those whose status was expiring.

https://newsroom.hyatt.com/news-releases?item=123947

lost_in_translation

I don't think they have a choice now, Hyatt just copied Hilton in extending all status by a year which should put the pressure on a bit more.

I sure as hell am not about to start trying to re-earn Ambassador next year as a Gold / whatever I end up being if Marriott doesn't extend. Then again sometimes it feels a bit like Marriott would rather have a loyalty programme that is just a load of US credit card holders rather than people that actually stay in their hotels, so maybe that's what they want.

samosa

Another interesting reason this could become important-- I just received my e-mail with the 2020 Annual Choice Benefit for 50-nights. Of course, I am holding off, but if they don't extend status, the extra 5 nights could be useful for me to reach Titanium if I don't travel much through the end of 2020, otherwise the (sometimes useful) SNAs as usual for me.

navatwal

Marriott need to follow Hyatt and Hilton and extend all status, free night awards and Suite Nights by another year.

will take a while before the situation returns to normal levels

SG Pirate

It seems that way to me.

To be fair, Hilton also has a bunch of (US) CC holders getting Diamond, BUT, as a "true" Diamond, I feel that I am differentiated from the CC Diamonds, but I don't travel to US much.

My guess, these times will test the impact of "loyalty" programmes on stays versus CC "loyalty" (which of course is none).

theOtherHolmes

Marriott will extend, a matter of time. They can’t afford to lose elites/ business travellers after this year.

SG Pirate

Being the biggest hotel group in the world, they are also the most at risk. I agree that they can't afford to lose frequent guests (like most of you reading this)....BUT, then again, all of the hotels are in the same place.

This reminds me of the credit card wars in Asia 10+ years ago.

At that time (when CC fees were high) banks were falling all over themselves to get their card in your wallet. No annual fees, free gift, bonus points etc. Citi was the first mover in Singapore. I still have that card today. They had to offer the least as they were the first to move. ABN Amro was the last. They offered the most and had the highest cost to get their card into an already crowded wallet, including "no annual fee forever". I never used their card, but took the free stuff.

Now, at some point, the travel will return....slowly at first, but then eventually it will return. As it returns, the hotels will be falling all over themselves to get their share of a massively reduced night quantum. And they'll want to preserve their nightly rates, at least on the face of it. So how?

Here's some ideas;
1) Super bonus points - 10x points....enough points where you effectively get 1 free night for every night stayed.
2) Buy 1 night - get 1 night free. Turns business stay into a leisure stay later (with all the F&B add-ons that juice up the hotel revenue)
3) 3x night status credit - gets you to the next status level faster - this has to be done with caution as it impacts those with already high status (like me) and who are already your most prized customers by diluting their status. Perhaps this should be selectively offered. Bonvoy have done this before (2x, not 3x) for me.
4) Any ideas?

On another, somewhat related (vaguely) issue, Bonvoy does not offer Lifetime Titanium. I think this weakens the programme. Frankly, I think Bonvoy is a sub-standard programme to Hhonors.

kaizen7

The way Bonvoy act, it show that they are not that loyal to their loyal customers.

Yes there still plenty of time, however being the latest in announcing status extension shows that Bonvoy try to be stingy with the members.

Currently April and the virus issue is nowhere near conclusion. At very least Bonvoy should follow Accor by giving 50% of current tier requirements.
As it is very certain already that the first half of 2020 is gone.

There will be some people still racking up night and spend but they will be small minority.

samosa

These are all great ideas; however, my theory is that no one is jumping ship right now and they probably need a singular message. That means, if they prematurely announce something and folks prepare for it, those same members will be pissed if they change it up because people are still not traveling.

for example, if they offer triple nights starting July 1 but stay at home orders still are in place through November, they may end up just extending 2019 earned status through 2021. But some folks who started staying in July, either because they had to travel or because they wanted to game status would be pissed because they could have just waited and didn’t need to “earn” it.

therefore, I assume they will probably wait to announce something until they have a better handle on the status of the virus and stay at home orders. For example, when schools are opening.

cfabar1

My suspicion is that Marriottt will NOT extend status to all customers.

My expectation, however, is that they will use points accelerants and stay accelerants/challenge programs rather liberally. I also think for certain key customers they may award status based on a history of an established client, perhaps accompanied by promises or bookings of future travel.

Hyatt’s footprint is smaller, and Hilton is using this moment as a way to capture some good publicity. Marriott’s motives will be different I think, which will be to maximize profitability.

I could be wrong, this is just my read in this moment. Ironically DELTA extending status may be the bigger pressure mover on Marriott. If multiple sectors of the travel business all extend status, Marriott may think they need to since customers may just “assume” their status was extended.

mahasamatman

The U.S. major airlines are doing it, so I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see the rest of the airlines and hotel chains doing it as well.

UA-NYC

Much like United, they will likely only do it kicking and screaming since another competitor led the way first, likely cursing all the way

Bravada04

Well there is one thing I know for sure....once I reach my Plat Lifetime status which I was hoping was this year (obviously that might change) I will be a wanderer in the hotel game. I know, some are saying if I am going to bail on Marriott then why worry about reaching it? I understand, but I have been working hard to gain that and at the least, I can have it in my back pocket when it is right for me. At the end of day, Marriott has simply proven that being a loyal customer to them does not really make a difference at the end of the day.
Back in the day I would do everything possible to find an SPG hotel wherever I was going - no matter the brand or location. It was SPG and only SPG.

In a small matter of time being a couple of years with MAR, I have dealt with more issues in that period of time than my entire time with SPG, and I am not exaggerating one bit. This is not an SPG rant for the positive whatsoever, it is simply my personal opinion on my dealings and for me it is and has smacked me in the face numerous times.

...and that is the difference, others will do it because of so many reasons but MAR will do it kicking and screaming.

It has been a long time since I focused on Hilton but sometimes change is good. A breath of fresh air! To each their own of course but when Arne speaks, it just seems so fake - That in it's own is enough to push me away when the leader speaks to pre-arranged interviews with pre-arranged questions to make everything sound like they have done so much more for the loyalty base since the merger. To the general public - yes it sounds fantastic. To the people that spend umpteen nights in their hotels - it is almost disrespectful. MAR was flying high but I have a feeling things are going to change for them over the next couple of years. I for one, will be a part of that change.

GoldenItalianBoy

This night Email from United Mileage Plus:

The big news: Your current 2020 Premier status will be extended to January 31, 2022.
• At a minimum, you will enjoy the same published status next year that you have today, up to Premier 1K®. (You will see this reflected in your account in the coming weeks.)

It would be unbelievable if Marriott didn't take the same measure.
It is clear that most of us won't be able to travel till very late 2020 (if we are lucky!), because the virus situation is getting worse day by day in many countries (incl. USA, UK an so on).
Moreover, many governments (esp. in Europe) have closed by law all hotels in their countries in order to avoid contagion, so no chance to stay.

LifetimeUpgrade

I am hoping Marriott follows United, Delta, Hyatt, and others in extended status. I suspect they will wait until the last minute, because it won't really affect our travel plans whether they do it today or 2 months from now (assuming people are still not travelling into the early summer).