Question for travel agents (FHR, Virtuoso, STARS etc.) - upgrade priority?
Apr 14, 2021, 1:03 pm
#16
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: UK
Programs: Titanium at Marriott & Platinum at American (both Lifetime) + various others
Posts: 86
What is the relative ranking (in terms of upgrades especially) between these various programs and simply being a top tier (Eg Titanium) guest in Marriott's own program?
Apr 14, 2021, 1:16 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 687
it’s the properties discretion on who to upgrade. Some properties do an amazing job of prioritizing elites, some focus on repeat customers, others are more adept to upgrading guest of travel agents who bring them frequent business. This is not like an airline upgrade priority list. If you’re a repeat customer booking through FHR I would bet the hotel would upgrade you over a first-time customer booking through STARS or Luminous.
Apr 14, 2021, 1:57 pm
#18
Join Date: May 2002
Location: SNA
Programs: STARS/LUMINOUS, PRIVE, FSPP, STARS, MO FAN Club, PEN Club, Bellini Club
Posts: 2,612
it’s the properties discretion on who to upgrade. Some properties do an amazing job of prioritizing elites, some focus on repeat customers, others are more adept to upgrading guest of travel agents who bring them frequent business. This is not like an airline upgrade priority list. If you’re a repeat customer booking through FHR I would bet the hotel would upgrade you over a first-time customer booking through STARS or Luminous.
Last edited by zakami; Apr 15, 2021 at 8:09 am Reason: Edited to correct mistake
Apr 14, 2021, 7:09 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador
Posts: 598
I concur. Typically the priority is to take care of repeat hotel visitors, followed by elites, then Stars/Luminous, Virtuoso/FHR. Now of course you could have elites that booked Stars/Virtuoso/etc. One thing to keep in mind that Stars/Luminous upgrades are done at booking versus day of arrival.
Apr 14, 2021, 11:11 pm
#20
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,467
I concur. Typically the priority is to take care of repeat hotel visitors, followed by elites, then Stars/Luminous, Virtuoso/FHR. Now of course you could have elites that booked Stars/Virtuoso/etc. One thing to keep in mind that Stars/Luminous upgrades are done at booking versus day of arrival.
One category upgrade (based on availability upon arrival)
If @zakami is confident about this with respect to their personal services though, I have a whole bunch of outstanding STARS/Luminous bookings made with another TA that I will cancel and re-book with them if they can secure at time of booking upgrades on them. Let me know.
Apr 14, 2021, 11:48 pm
#21
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,199
This is simply not true. Right from the program rules for both STARS and Luminous.
Now of course, a proactive TA can potentially push the hotel to confirm it earlier but that's not going to do any good if the hotel is forecasting high occupancy, so the claim that this perk differs from the other programs is simply not accurate.
If @zakami is confident about this with respect to their personal services though, I have a whole bunch of outstanding STARS/Luminous bookings made with another TA that I will cancel and re-book with them if they can secure at time of booking upgrades on them. Let me know.
Now of course, a proactive TA can potentially push the hotel to confirm it earlier but that's not going to do any good if the hotel is forecasting high occupancy, so the claim that this perk differs from the other programs is simply not accurate.
If @zakami is confident about this with respect to their personal services though, I have a whole bunch of outstanding STARS/Luminous bookings made with another TA that I will cancel and re-book with them if they can secure at time of booking upgrades on them. Let me know.
Apr 15, 2021, 12:56 am
#22
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,467
Last edited by nexusCFX; Apr 15, 2021 at 2:08 am
Apr 15, 2021, 8:08 am
#23
Join Date: May 2002
Location: SNA
Programs: STARS/LUMINOUS, PRIVE, FSPP, STARS, MO FAN Club, PEN Club, Bellini Club
Posts: 2,612
Apr 15, 2021, 9:59 am
#24
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,642
How does booked room type factor into the upgrade assignment? My thought is to book something close to the highest rate for a "standard" room, thinking that an upgrade to suite is more possible that way. Sounds like I might be wasting my money.
Apr 15, 2021, 10:14 am
#25
Join Date: May 2002
Location: SNA
Programs: STARS/LUMINOUS, PRIVE, FSPP, STARS, MO FAN Club, PEN Club, Bellini Club
Posts: 2,612
There are no guarantees and I would not use this strategy personally.
Jun 21, 2022, 12:03 am
#26
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Canada
Programs: Hyatt Prive, Mariott Stars & Luminous, Four Seasons Prefered, Belmond Bellini Club Hilton Impressari
Posts: 4
For all the luxury program affiliated travel agents on here, or to those who use the services often, (Amex FHR, Virtuoso, and Marriott STARS), in your experience, is there a general thought process as to which program bookings (at Marriotts) get priority for upgrades and general service?
Do Marriott properties prioritize their own program (STARS) first? Or does it vary widely by property/manager?
Thanks for any insight - I’ve always used Virtuoso but wondering if I should try to use STARS instead in the future when booking a Marriott hotel.
Do Marriott properties prioritize their own program (STARS) first? Or does it vary widely by property/manager?
Thanks for any insight - I’ve always used Virtuoso but wondering if I should try to use STARS instead in the future when booking a Marriott hotel.