lewin85

Yes this is a problem for members outside of the U.S. I am not sure what the ratio of U.S. based versus overseas membership are like for the Bonvoy program but suffice to say, for members outside of the U.S., work and leisure travel are still difficult like in Europe or straight up impossible like in Asia Pacific.

I made ambassador in 2019 but have not stayed a single night since March 2020 (not without the lack of trying). So the past extensions didn't benefit me at all and I think a lot of us non-U.S. members are in the same boat. Some people will argue that the 50% EQN freebie for 2021 will help with re-qualification but if we cannot stay and do not have access to free EQN from U.S. credit cards, the 50% EQN means nothing...

So selfishly I hope Marriott will extend it again while praying that travel will resume 'some what' in 2022....

GoldenItalianBoy

That's the real truth

escapefromphl

2022 will not be a normal in travel year in anyway. They need to optimize for the business and customers they have now. Giving away status doesn’t do that.

jochen_vdk

No, giving away status is not helping them optimize their business. But the problem is that they have temporarily lost many customers and if that means those customers also lose their status, they might not come back at all and move to another programme.

Some years ago, I had 200+ nights a year at IHG, going down to 50-60 nights a year in 2019 with a stable outlook. So I've always had the spire or platinum card. This year, with what's in the planning right now, I won't requalify for IHG platinum because of the crisis, but I could requalify for gold at Marriott (which also gives me room upgrades). So if IHG is not extending my status, I won't get room upgrades any longer and the risk for them is that I'll take all my business to Marriott. And that's maybe just 20 nights in 2021 but if things go better I will go back to the 50-60 nights level I was before.

Same for people with Hilton and Marriott cards. If Hilton extends their status, whereas they lose the benefits at Marriott, they could switch completely to Hilton and not even look at Marriott any more in the future. Interesting times ahead!

kb1992

I have played CC game for miles and points more than 20 years.... :-) Love those 80K, 100K signing-up bonus

If Marriott do 38 EQN rollover, my BonVoy personal CC gives me 15, plus elite choice of 5 EQN, that's 58.

I don't have BonVoy business card. That gives another 15 EQN?

If I visit China in summer 2022, I'll easily get 100 EQN. I had more than 300 nights in China during the past 13 month. I received almost guaranteed suite upgrade (if available) as a Titanium.

If I don't visit China, I should make few trips somewhere. It will be extremely bored not traveling for the whole year.

Also, I hate to see so many SNA wasted. Hope Marriott extends my SNA for another year.

WasKnown

A US Bonvoy personal credit card and a US Bonvoy Business credit card will award 30 EQNs total.

If you can’t visit China, Thailand is also great. The hotel hardware is worse quality but the hotels are otherwise even cheaper and have better service.

rbAA

Of course, IHG has the easiest status retention as you can pay $200 a year for AMB and it gets you PLT as a minimum, plus if you're Spire and do the AMB at the end of the (status) year, it extends Spire. Of course, IHG doesn't have the benefits of the other programs, but then too many Marriotts and Hyatts are gutting the elite benefits, especially breakfast, in the guise of a COVID plan.

Jon Maiman

Not that it gets you much, but at least in the USA you can get IHG platinum status with a Chase credit card. You get a FNA that is worth more than the annual fee for the card. In my mind, IHG would be the easiest status to obtain/get back. That said, I do think there is validity to the assertion that by having Marriott customers lose status during the pandemic, it is opening up Pandora's box and they may never come back post pandemic.

I have lifetime titanium so it is a moot point for me. That said, it does enable me to be a free agent and try other chains and see if I like their program better. I have tried Hilton in the past and it was okay but not as good as Marriott for me. IHG continues to be a good secondary program for me. Hyatt doesn't have the coverage I need to be a serious contender. Of course if Hilton keeps sweetening the pie and Marriott doesn't, I might give them another go. YMMV....

--Jon

GoldenItalianBoy

We all hope that Marriott will take soon an action, otherwise 2022 stays are likely to be elsewhere (with elite status).....

bosman

Maybe a bit off-topic, but does show the impact of elite status: I am a Marr LTT, so lowered elite qualification doesn't do anything for me with Marr. However, I will be making Hyatt Globalist this year due to their 50% reduction in elite qualification. So far in 2022, I've booked 6 nights (yeah, I know, not a ton) and they are all at Hyatts to take advantage of my newfound Globalist status.

sdsearch

The problem is that Marriott this year has had no problem filling up their hotels with people who aren't Marriott members, just because so people suddenly needed open hotels (and lots of smaller non-brand ones had closed). So your stays and my stays may be elsewhere, but I fear that Marriott may not notice or care about that.

stant

Exactly. I'm at 79 promotional nights this year. And with the EQNs for credit card spend promo they have going on, I'll end up with nearly 90 promo nights once this months credit card bill posts.

How many more free nights can they give away before it all becomes meaningless?

stepfel

Not everyone is in the US. No credit card, no travel in spring here. Give us a double nights promotion again in Q4 for countries without credit cards and we're happy

escapefromphl

They should have Double EQN and double credit card spend nights until the end of the year and have 100 nights qualify for Ambassador just to make it all as meaningless as possible.

kauppias

The problem there is ALOT of the world does not have the oossibility to get those crefit cards cardsthey are only offered in a few select markets for many travel and CCs was not a option yet ( and no I have no skin in the game so to say)