stant

so i was talking to my ambassador about something today and as we are about to hang up I inquire about the idea LTT might open back up. he said no, but that he would forward my desire to see such to the program development team.

since public pressure got marriott to open LTT to spg members when the programs were integrated, maybe it would be worth while for some ambassador members to make requests?

just throwing the idea out there....

abk

As an spg member who has life time titanium, I will tell you it is not worth fighting for. All I get is "Thank you for being a Titanium member". Just spent a night at the Westin Michigan Avenue where I am a repeat guest. Lucky me a high floor. This is a big a hotel and there have to be upgrades. I find, you have to aggressively ask for a suite but sadly my wife does not allow that.

What you really should be angry about is that at AA the best you will ever do is lifetime platinum. Both United and Delta have much better lifetime programs. Had I made better airline choices I would be sitting in the front more often for free.

SPN Lifer

As a lifetime Marriott BONV°Y Platinum Elite who has had five years as a Titanium Elite, I can assure you a lot of guests in our circumstances feel otherwise.

Indeed, for many, the UA MileagePlus™ Premier Silver membership is more than adequate benefit from being Titanium, not to mention the increased point earnings.

X-ON

I have said it before, in the remote possibility of a LTT tier opening up I would be very surprised if the year tenure would be in terms of years as titanium. This since the IT system is obviously not recording this information neither is the history with respect to this stored a lot got purged during the merger. Thus a more cost effective way to achieve this is to design this threshold as years as PLT+, for example 15 years. Working my entire life in big corporations I can tell you that the budgets and the cost benefit of any such changes to a public loyalty program are normally heavily scrutinised. You can forget that any LTT tier would not discount any loyalty from SPG or MR, not doing so would expose you to unwanted blowback in terms really bad PR.

KingCanute

Just making it about how many nights you have actually spent in Bonvoy hotel beds would be the obvious choice. Credit cards and promo nights offer no indication at all of long term (lifetime) value to hoteliers, who let's face it are the ones paying for most of the benefits dished out. The current lifetime programme is a complete nonsense. Eventually Bonvoy/Marriott will just have to bite the bullet on fixing it, whatever the outcry from card customers. Better to get it over and done with (tin hat on...)

stant

1. not to get too personal, but if your wife wont allow you to ask for something you are entitled to, can you really fault the hotel for not giving it to you? You dont have to jump up on the counter and break the keyboard over your knee. I have found that a simple, quick 'I dont suppose there are any upgrades available, are there?' has gotten me moved from a cheapest rate room, to a thousands per night suite with more than 1 fireplace and a tub big enough to swim in. There have been plenty of times where the property does have upgrades available AND is happy to give them to you, but you have to nudge them to do so.

2. My reason for chasing LTT would just be the increased earn rate for points. I have been ambassador for yours, but I assume that at some point my travel will slow down. It would be nice to have that titanium as a backup.

3. When it comes to the american, there is a really easy way to sit in the front 100% of the time. I much rather that option that chancing it on upgrades.

Polytonic

Knowing Marriott IT, I doubt they are tracking head in bed either.

econ

I do see a breakdown of Nights Stayed vs. Bonus Nights (e.g. CC/promo nights) for this year and last year, but no idea if they have this data for prior years.

DallasEsq

I don't see it happening. LTPs are already incentivized to stay at Marriotts so they can redeem the benefits they have earned.

SPN Lifer

Or Marriott could count Titanium years prospectively for this "new" qualification, or starting from whatever recent year they do have records.

Their program, their rules.

Needless to say, the number of nights should be higher, too, such as 1,000 EQN.

nacho

LTT would be a good incentive for LTPs like me to continue to put my stays with Marriott. Now I've earned LTP with Marriott and I don't have to "force" myself to stay with them unless their rates are better than others. For the upcoming trip I have just booked my first night and it's with IHG - the same equivalent brand at Marriott is $30 more with similar review score with 10% cashback - why should I book with Marriott?

The UA status for me is pretty useless - I have *G and if I need to re-qualify I tend to fly UA, I have to put in my *G in order to get the points, which means I'm not allowed access to E+ on UA.

stant

1. if you dont ask, you probably wont ever get.
2. and opening up another higher incentive level would give more people reasons to keep business with marriott when they might otherwise start moving nights to other brands.

CLEguy

Or, you could be like the many people with LTT who have abandoned Marriott completely.

SPN Lifer

At least Marriott would get the delta between LTP and LTT.

nacho

Not when a lot of hotels are trying to cut benefits to cut cost, or for those who stay at lower tier brands like me. What's the difference between a Fairfield and a Holiday Inn Express? Or Aloft/CY to a Holiday Inn when the $10 F&B credit is only enough to buy a breakfast sandwich?

The best benefit for being a LTP is the lounge access, however, it seems that some FS hotels are using various excuses to shut Club lounge down for good or during the whole holiday season. Also, a lot of lounges are closed during weekends too - not good for leisure travellers.