Marriott Visa Annual Fee increasing
 

Anyone else get a letter from the credit card company stating that annual fee on the premier card will now be $85? I guess they announced all of the additional perks that we would be getting, making it look like a good deal, then raise the price. Guess the added benefits really are not free.

I wonder if Marriott will give any additonal perks for the increase in annual fee.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...iott-visa.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...points-10.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...e-card-46.html

I think it's still a pretty good deal at $85.

Bobette

Ugh! $85? Good grief.

The Chase British Air card went up to $95 per, and no free hotel night from them.

I think the BA card is dead when renewal time rolls around.

I am thinking it will be time to dump BA, Marriott, Southwest and maybe Continental. The "perks" just don't add up if you already have elite status and a CapOne card that doesn't charge forex fees.

The free room probably pays for itself for many people, but unfortunately I have found that I rarely have use for it during the limited 6-month period particularly as it's limited to Cat 5. However double points on Marriott and restuarant charges still has some value. I guess I'm on the fence.

For me, the "one qualifying elite night" for each $3,000 spent is the closer. Made me Platinum last year and this year, while being a primary Starwood stayer. Plus I need those night for LT Plat, since I already met all the other qualifications a few years ago.

The annual fee increase is annoying. Yeah, the annual Cat 5 certificate can be worth a lot more than $85, but my leisure travel doesn't necessarily take me to places where I can make good use of it before it expires in 6 months. Often I've spent it on hotels that I could have booked for cash rates of around $100. As long as I can basically break even on the fee I'll probably keep the card; I like the elite nights and 5 pts/dollar spent at Marriotts. Though if my travel pattern shifts such that I'm not staying at Marriotts enough to reach Gold level (including, for me, about 20 bonus nights from the card) the card's toast.

Has anyone been able to call and say, "Hey turds... I saw that you're raising my annual fee. I'm thinking about canceling and moving to new card. Is there anything like bonus points or something like that you can offer me?"

I might give it a try tonight.

I'll probably swap out "turds" for "sir" or "madam" - we'll see :D

Well Chase has really incurred my wrath.

My account has always renewed on September 1st since I got it 5 years ago.

I too got the notice that the new $85 takes effect on 9/15/11 so thought I wouldn't be charged the higher fee til next year. Well this year they charged the annual membership fee on 10/1/11 rather than 9/1 as they have done in past years. And you guessed it, they charged me the higher new rate.:mad:

I've talked with 2 supervisors and have gotten no reasonable explanation on why the renewal date was changed by a month other than "the new terms allowed them to." No where does the notice I received from Chase mention anything of changing the renewal date.

Am I overreacting?

how'd that work out?

85 bucks for a Cat 5 room and a bunch of qualifying nights?

I would leave the card in a drawer for those benefits alone.

maybe that's because it is an airline associated card and not a hotel card (such as the Marriott or Hyatt Visa cards)!

True, and I don't expect BA to offer one free ride with annual renewal. :D

@Counsellor - You never know, mabye it'll be a free ride...to the airport :D

But I am considering getting this card. Even though I have heard there are now targerted offers higher than the publicly available 50k offer. Is that true? I'm a Platinum and was targeted for this 50k before it was widely available. Maybe I'll get a better targeted offer it in the mail?