Jul 30, 2016, 4:21 pm
Last edit by: Slickw
LINK TO CHART
Legacy to New Travel Package Conversion (effective August 2019)
A Marriott supervisor can currently convert your legacy travel package into the new category mapping. If you hold a Category 6, 8, or Tier 1-3 legacy certificate, it's ideal to downgrade your certificate before converting so that points don't potentially get lost in the process.
The codes for the new partial packages are:
New Cat 1-4: QP83
New Cat 5: QP91
New Cat 6: QP99
New Cat 7:
The legacy certificates map to the new certificates as such:
Cat 1-5 => Cat 1-4
Cat 6 => Cat 1-4
Cat 7 => Cat 5
Cat 8 => Cat 5
Cat 9 => Cat 6
Tier 1-3 => Cat 6
Tier 4-5 => Cat 7
==================================================
If you are unsure where you will use your 7 night stay, when you request the package, just ask for a category 1-5 hotel. That way you are out of the least number of points. If later, you decide to book for a higher level category, then you can do so and pay the difference the travel package points. If you can't use your certificate within the year, then as close to the one year anniversary (without going over!) call to extend the certificate for one more year. That's as long as they will typically allow, one extension. There is an option to expedite the mileage delivery to within three business days (sometimes faster) for $15. There are reports that this fee may be waived for platinum members.
Effective April 1 2017 re: Southwest & the companion pass:
"Purchased points, points converted from hotel and car loyalty programs, and e-Rewards, e-Miles, Valued Opinions and Diners Club, points earned from Rapid Rewards program enrollment, tier bonuses, flight bonuses, and partner bonuses (excluding points bonuses earned on the Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase) do not count toward Companion Pass."
************
Can I book SPG properties with my Marriott Travel Package? As of 9/1/2018 apparently not. see https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30155836-post6529.html
Legacy to New Travel Package Conversion (effective August 2019)
A Marriott supervisor can currently convert your legacy travel package into the new category mapping. If you hold a Category 6, 8, or Tier 1-3 legacy certificate, it's ideal to downgrade your certificate before converting so that points don't potentially get lost in the process.
The codes for the new partial packages are:
New Cat 1-4: QP83
New Cat 5: QP91
New Cat 6: QP99
New Cat 7:
Originally Posted by Marriott Rewards Insider
Members who purchased a Category 6, Category 8 or Tier 1-3 certificate prior to 8/18 are able to request a one-time exchange for a Travel Package one category lower. This process will cancel your current Travel Package, reissue a Travel Package one category lower and result in a refund of 30,000 points to your account. To submit a request, follow these steps:
Source: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...es-update.html
- Select “Packages - Deals” from the “Topic” drop down menu
- Submit your request
Source: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...es-update.html
The legacy certificates map to the new certificates as such:
Cat 1-5 => Cat 1-4
Cat 6 => Cat 1-4
Cat 7 => Cat 5
Cat 8 => Cat 5
Cat 9 => Cat 6
Tier 1-3 => Cat 6
Tier 4-5 => Cat 7
==================================================
If you are unsure where you will use your 7 night stay, when you request the package, just ask for a category 1-5 hotel. That way you are out of the least number of points. If later, you decide to book for a higher level category, then you can do so and pay the difference the travel package points. If you can't use your certificate within the year, then as close to the one year anniversary (without going over!) call to extend the certificate for one more year. That's as long as they will typically allow, one extension. There is an option to expedite the mileage delivery to within three business days (sometimes faster) for $15. There are reports that this fee may be waived for platinum members.
Effective April 1 2017 re: Southwest & the companion pass:
"Purchased points, points converted from hotel and car loyalty programs, and e-Rewards, e-Miles, Valued Opinions and Diners Club, points earned from Rapid Rewards program enrollment, tier bonuses, flight bonuses, and partner bonuses (excluding points bonuses earned on the Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase) do not count toward Companion Pass."
************
Can I book SPG properties with my Marriott Travel Package? As of 9/1/2018 apparently not. see https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30155836-post6529.html
Marriott Travel Packages
Jul 25, 2018, 1:20 pm
#4186
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 161
Although I agree it's a little off topic, it is still very relevant to everyone interested in this thread. This is because, if you have enough points for a TP, you also have enough points to redeem 5 or more nights at a Category 8 property at Category 7 rates. I think people should strongly examine whether it makes sense to do a TP or to wait redeem for what could be a very lucrative hotel stay (or even book out ahead of time and request a points refund - another option)
Do I redeem now for a Cat 7 travel package + 132k UA miles, not attach the certificate, and hope they either:
(a) cash it out at the points value of 210,000 points, to which I would need to add 30k points to book a five-night stay
(b) allow old certs to be used at par at the new categories, in which case I score 2 free extra nights
or just play it safe and wait for August to book the hotel for the 240k points I already have.
Jul 25, 2018, 1:32 pm
#4188
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 546
This is my dilemma exactly, sitting on about 330k MR points, and wanting to stay in Paris for five nights in 2019 at the SPG Prince de Galles (will temporarily become a Cat 7 until 2019).
Do I redeem now for a Cat 7 travel package + 132k UA miles, not attach the certificate, and hope they either:
(a) cash it out at the points value of 210,000 points, to which I would need to add 30k points to book a five-night stay
(b) allow old certs to be used at par at the new categories, in which case I score 2 free extra nights
or just play it safe and wait for August to book the hotel for the 240k points I already have.
Do I redeem now for a Cat 7 travel package + 132k UA miles, not attach the certificate, and hope they either:
(a) cash it out at the points value of 210,000 points, to which I would need to add 30k points to book a five-night stay
(b) allow old certs to be used at par at the new categories, in which case I score 2 free extra nights
or just play it safe and wait for August to book the hotel for the 240k points I already have.
Jul 25, 2018, 1:39 pm
#4189
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 24
We have a 7 night cat1-5 MTP. We want to book Courtyard Kamahameha for June 2019. It is currently 35K, but I see it is dropping to 25K (cat 5) after Aug 1.
What should we do?
1) Keep the MTP floating and attach after Aug 1?
2) Upgrade to cat 7, book now, then hope for a refund of 60K after Aug 1?
What should we do?
1) Keep the MTP floating and attach after Aug 1?
2) Upgrade to cat 7, book now, then hope for a refund of 60K after Aug 1?
Jul 25, 2018, 1:43 pm
#4190
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,432
We have a 7 night cat1-5 MTP. We want to book Courtyard Kamahameha for June 2019. It is currently 35K, but I see it is dropping to 25K (cat 5) after Aug 1.
What should we do?
1) Keep the MTP floating and attach after Aug 1?
2) Upgrade to cat 7, book now, then hope for a refund of 60K after Aug 1?
What should we do?
1) Keep the MTP floating and attach after Aug 1?
2) Upgrade to cat 7, book now, then hope for a refund of 60K after Aug 1?
Jul 25, 2018, 1:47 pm
#4191
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,337
If there is a > .01% chance, there is a chance. While extremely unlikely, MR could just allow TPs to match the same category and refund the difference above Cat 8.
Jul 25, 2018, 1:48 pm
#4192
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,575
If you don't care about LT totals, and you simply want to enjoy her status during the award stay, then your other option is to redeem the certificate out of your account and make her Guest 1 on the hotel stay. It's perfectly allowable to redeem a TP for someone else, whether your wife or otherwise.
I don't know which airlines are picky about first name / last name matching on the transferred miles. That may dictate the source account for the TP for you.
Jul 25, 2018, 1:54 pm
#4193
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,575
Still seems unlikely. Can't be that hard to code a simple translation batch program that reissues certificates at the equivalent or closest available "new" points level. Today's Cat 7 is tomorrow's Cat 5. If we're lucky, today's Cat 6 also becomes tomorrow's Cat 5 - that's the mini-bonus scenario that *could* happen.
Jul 25, 2018, 1:56 pm
#4194
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 546
I'm not sure why some people still don't believe what Starwood Lurker has said on the SPG forum that unattached certificates (a.k.a. floaters) will be converted to something that's point-equivalent, not category-equivalent. And he has also said his statement was approved by the Marriott Loyalty Team.
Last edited by tth6133; Jul 25, 2018 at 2:11 pm
Jul 25, 2018, 2:01 pm
#4195
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,324
I am still not convinced we're getting maxed point refunds (Dan's scenario 2), though I will say that Lurker's continued hold to "equivalent points" plus Marriott's timeline is making me more hopeful.
Honestly, as much as I like having 3 7-day stays sometime next year, having half a million Marriott points would make me much happier.
Honestly, as much as I like having 3 7-day stays sometime next year, having half a million Marriott points would make me much happier.
Jul 25, 2018, 2:08 pm
#4196
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 161
Marriott is not in the charitable business and it won't choose the most expensive solution unless it's absolutely necessary. There exist cheaper alternatives that will keep its members whole and happy.
I'm not sure why some people still don't believe what Starwood Lurker has said on the SPG forum that unattached certificates (a.k.a. floaters) will be converted to something that's point-equivalent, not category-equivalent. And he has said his statement was approved by the Marriott Loyalty Team.
I'm not sure why some people still don't believe what Starwood Lurker has said on the SPG forum that unattached certificates (a.k.a. floaters) will be converted to something that's point-equivalent, not category-equivalent. And he has said his statement was approved by the Marriott Loyalty Team.
Essentially, if the points-equivalent outcome means I can turn 330k MR points into 132k UA miles and 210k MR points that would be a windfall in my books.
Jul 25, 2018, 2:10 pm
#4197
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,337
Well, they'd acquiesced to all the belly-aching by the SPG Plat 750 nighters... Marriott will do whatever they think is in the best interest of their shareholders / share price. They can absolutely be overly generous to their base if they think it will retain or grow revenue. And any additional expense can be written off as a one-time expense to Q3 that the Street will understand/absorb.
Jul 25, 2018, 2:12 pm
#4198
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: PHX, ICN
Programs: OZ Diamond Plus, Marriott Gold
Posts: 502
I still very much believe you will end up with three 7-day certificates.
Maxed point refunds would be crazy-generous on Marriott's part.
Forced forfeiture at the "penalty" rate (45k) would be a world-class d*ck move beyond almost anything we've ever seen a loyalty program do. I trust Marriott enough to rule this out.
That leaves a category conversion, which seems reasonable given that the TP's *do* fall into the category of "certificates with a pre-defined category".
The details that remain are what to do when there isn't an identical "new" category level (e.g., old Category 6) and what to do with expiration dates and post-Aug 1 cancellations of certs that were attached on August 1. These are areas where members might get a *little* one-time bonus (in value or expiration date) to save Marriott some coding.
Maxed point refunds would be crazy-generous on Marriott's part.
Forced forfeiture at the "penalty" rate (45k) would be a world-class d*ck move beyond almost anything we've ever seen a loyalty program do. I trust Marriott enough to rule this out.
That leaves a category conversion, which seems reasonable given that the TP's *do* fall into the category of "certificates with a pre-defined category".
The details that remain are what to do when there isn't an identical "new" category level (e.g., old Category 6) and what to do with expiration dates and post-Aug 1 cancellations of certs that were attached on August 1. These are areas where members might get a *little* one-time bonus (in value or expiration date) to save Marriott some coding.
So while I'd prefer to have 450K Marriott points, I think I'm getting three "new" Cat 1-4 + refunded points for any upgraded beyond current Cat 1-5.
Jul 25, 2018, 2:16 pm
#4199
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: PHX, ICN
Programs: OZ Diamond Plus, Marriott Gold
Posts: 502
Better chance than before, but not likely.My expectation is a Cat 5 becomes a new Cat 4, which I am fine with.
Jul 25, 2018, 2:17 pm
#4200
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
I'd say this is a greater-than-zero chance...just really unlikely. Since it's effectively a one-time gift to the member, it's possible that Marriott lets in slide in the spirit of simplicity.
Still seems unlikely. Can't be that hard to code a simple translation batch program that reissues certificates at the equivalent or closest available "new" points level. Today's Cat 7 is tomorrow's Cat 5. If we're lucky, today's Cat 6 also becomes tomorrow's Cat 5 - that's the mini-bonus scenario that *could* happen.
Still seems unlikely. Can't be that hard to code a simple translation batch program that reissues certificates at the equivalent or closest available "new" points level. Today's Cat 7 is tomorrow's Cat 5. If we're lucky, today's Cat 6 also becomes tomorrow's Cat 5 - that's the mini-bonus scenario that *could* happen.