margarita girl

delete

Kacee

People are seriously underestimating how thoroughly business travel has been decimated. That's precisely why we're seeing these reductions in elite thresholds and double elite night credit promos.

raunow

While I appreciate how hard US is hit, I think most current US Titaniums will be able to do 1 night in 2021 to maintain status, but my point was just as much to point out how the US Credit Cards impact 2021 Titanium re-qualification to make it absurdly easy for US members.

skywalkerLAX

And they are IMHO overestimating the behavior of FT and travel blog participants compared to Bonvoy members and loyalty participants on a global scale. I have said it many times before on multiple topics but we're not representative for the public as a whole. Not even close.

If there was a tsunami of old and newly minted Platinum/Titanium that would impact the properties in a way that it overwhelms them then Marriott and other chains wouldn't run these promotions. They have very precise data and this data shows that 2021 and likely 2022 will be a year deep down the toilet pipes for the travel industry.

skywalkerLAX

Not sure how you come to the conclusion that Titanium members only need 1 night to maintain status. You suggest every Titanium or even the majority has some sort of credit card that will give them 15-30 Elite nights? Let me just say you're wayyy off on this. The number of Bonvoy CC holders compared to the overall number of members is very small and while it's certainly higher in the upper status ranks it's still a far cry from being even one card for the majority of Platinum/Titanium/Ambassador members.

raunow

Bonvoy credits for 2020 Titanium Status: 38 status night
US holders of both personal and Business Bonvoy Credit Cards: 30 status nights
Select Annual Choice at 50 nights: 5 status nights
= Total before stays: 73 status nights

+ 2 nights = Titanium requalification

I've got no data on how many have these US Credit Card, but humbly point out that together with new qualification scheme they practially allow US Titaniums to buy requalification with only 2 night in 2021.

goodeats21

Have also noted that average night rates are WAY down, at least for the places I am staying (business-centric hotels near corporate centers, etc).
Full Service hotels that used to be $250 a night through the week are now around $100-110.

skywalkerLAX

Not to get into a p'ing contest here but you said

So yes in theory it's possible but definitely not applicable to most as most don't even carry a card, let alone two.

Kacee

I don't believe the assumption that a large number of members hold both a personal and a business card is valid. And even if we assume a reasonable number of current Titaniums hold a single card, meaning 22 nights to requalify, so what? We're still going to see an overall drop in the number of Titaniums due to the dramatic decrease in travel, particularly by business travelers.

As AMB, I only need 10 to qualify for Titanium and it's 50-50 whether I'll even hit that (though that's due more to program devaluation than to COVID).

kaizen7

TBH, those night count tier like platinums and titaniums might have their number increased due to these changes.

Current Titaniums only need 38 nights to retain their tier. Added credit card nights they might reduce that to 8 (2x15 from CC) and if the time is right, 4 night with double night credit will easily cover that.
Also current ambassadors that got 2 Bonvoys CCs pretty much get titanium by doing nothing. I would guess some ambassador members can't be bothered to requalify since the tier currently offer very weak benefit.

As for ambassador tier its not as easy as that to retain or even reach ambassador due to the 14k spending requirements.

Kacee

Could be. What I keep coming back to is that there is an entire contingent of people who are simply not traveling at all. While leisure properties in appealing destinations may be doing well enough, I've stayed in a number of urban properties (NYC, SF, SEA) that are usually full of business travelers that were virtually empty. I strongly suspect the absence of this type of business is having a substantial impact on elite numbers.

SPN Lifer

The promotion is only applicable to stays of two nights or more.

2021 Q1/2 Global Promo 'Better Two-gether' 2x points/nights credit, Feb 16 - Apr 27

raunow

Thanks, had not caught that. Corrected.

jjLDNY

I'm pretty confident that their Amb numbers next year are going to be dire. As mentioned above, there is a spend requirement of $280 per night, and obviously between 35-50 nights depending on CCs.

Right now a majority of hotels have lost their core benefits, their prices have been reduced and there is limited opportunity to spend in the bar or on room service. I have not enjoyed staying at any hotels (between EU, UK and US) since they reopened at in June time(though the most 'normal' was the W Barcelona in Aug). So personally I have zero desire to spend any time in hotels in their current state, and if I do, it'll be for the bed not the benefits or service. As a result, I have no reason to opt for a premium hotel.

So given the above, and that we're still going through the motions of travel bans. The only chance I personally have of maintaining Amb is if things return to normal towards the end of the year and they earn my extra curricular spend by taking the hit and providing the benefits we took the hit to reap.

kaizen7

Previously, if someone get a "unicorn" ambassador, s/he might try their best to retain ambassador due to better experiences they got.
Skip ambassador for 1 year and your next ambassador might become real unicorn that never be seen anywhere.

However due to covid, everyone pretty much lose their personal ambassador.
The "loss" of skipping 1 year is not that great to the point I could say there are no loss at all other than a bit higher priority vs those titaniums.

So i guess there are possibilities that the number of ambassadors might be reduced in 2022.