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Originally Posted by teach42
(Post 30077047)
Ok, I just learned about this so I'm scrambling go catch up. I read a ton already, but not all 300 pages of this thread. So I'm hoping for some advice.
Marriott: 352K points SPG: 63K points As I understand it, I can convert the SPG at 3:1 which would giv eme a total of 541,000 potential points. We don't know where we want to go yet, or when. Is our best strategy to just make an educated guess as to where and when, and then to book the highest category 7 night option? IN this case, a Tier 4-5 Cert, and attach it to a Tier 5 hotel? Also, regarding miles. I have exactly the same number of United miles as American right now. Is it better to select United miles for the bonus or Alaskan Airlines?? Much appreciated any advice. Trying to figure this out quick before it all goes poof! |
How long it takes a detached cert to return to one's account?
I decided to cancel a reservation that has the Cat 6 cert attached because the hotel will go down to a 25K night new Cat 4 on Aug 18th. It seems easier to rebook with the later converted Cat 4 cert then trying to get the 30K refund from an existing attached booking. The elite line is the one that has quickest time to reach an agent. He detached the cert and I could see the reservation no longer has the cert attached. Then he made sure I wanted to cancel the reservation before he proceeded with the cancellation. He assured me the Cat 6 cert has returned to my account that I just needed to trust him - but I do not see it online yet, from when we were still on the phone to 30 min later I logged back in - the returned certificate is still a no show. From previous readings, it seems the detached cert would return to the account immediately? I hope I will see the cert later today and not have to call back for follow up. Sigh. BTW I think the conversion of floater cert to the basic Cat 1-4 and refund the excess points is a fair treatment. |
so confusing..So let's say I wanted a TP to stay in a SPG current cat 5, Malta-Westin(new cat will be 5) I purchase the TP for 270k points and after Aug 18th it turns into a cat 1-4 with the new system. How many points must I now need to "upgrade" back to the Cat 5.
Would it be better to purchase a higher cat now? If so...will cat 6 do it for the above, or would I need to go cat 7? |
Originally Posted by DaveInLA
(Post 30077139)
Any help with this? I can’t find the answer anywhere and I don’t want to call and be put on hold for 30 minutes just to be told no. Unless you really want to book a hotel stay that you INTEND to stay at, you may want to reconsider what you are "hoping for" - as that might very well NOT happen. |
Originally Posted by theplayer
(Post 30077336)
so confusing..So let's say I wanted a TP to stay in a SPG current cat 5, Malta-Westin(new cat will be 5) I purchase the TP for 270k points and after Aug 18th it turns into a cat 1-4 with the new system. How many points must I now need to "upgrade" back to the Cat 5.
Would it be better to purchase a higher cat now? If so...will cat 6 do it for the above, or would I need to go cat 7? |
Originally Posted by maxcalls
(Post 30076262)
Like all other I have a couple of Marriott travel packages and was in the process of decoding wheather to use them on a reservation or keep it as a floater or to upgrade it.
After going through the various blogs and the FlyerTalk threads I decided to call. So I called Marriott India and got transferred to rewards desk and had a discussion regarding the much talked about topic of Marriott travel packages and asked him to help me decide what to do with them. The great agent went in depths to explain how the whole process would work and what can be done to maximize the benefits of exisiting travel packages. And all of this is in line with what Marriott have already said : He said that the best way to use the travel package right now is to attach them to a reservation according to the category of the certificate before this transition period 18 Aug. Meaning if u currengly have a category 6 - attach it to the present category 6 accordingly. Upgrading or keeping a certificate floating is only going to have one result. "MARRIOTT TRAVEL PACKAGE CERTIFICATE WOULD BE CONVERTED TO BASIC CATEGORY 1-4 CERTIFICATE AND THE REST OF THE POINTS OVER IT WOULD BE REFUNDED" He mentioned that if u upgrade a certificate from category 1-5 to category 6 using 30k points and keep it floating - it would change to category 1-4 in the new system and 30k points would be refunded. He further mentioned if u keep a category 1-5 floating - it would change to category 1-4 in new system. Keeping a category 7 or above certificate floating would result in the same result as above para. So he stressed that using a category 6/7 etc certificate on the same category now would give u the advantage of having that hotel booked using that certificate and post September 18 the floating certificate would be converted to category 1-4 and the points costing to upgrade that certificate to the desired new category would be according to the new chart and would be much costly then now - so he suggested attaching the certificate now before August 18 for more value. So according to the above discussion I guess he pretty much simplified the whole process. So final thoughts - upgrading a certificate now to book a stay at a desired hotel category is the way to go or else leave any kind of certificate as a floater and would be converted to category 1-4 post sept 18 and one could use the new chart to upgrade them to category above. If anyone else wanna share any views regarding the above can please share. All The Best I bought two of the cat 1-5s and so this outcome would be fine by me and somewhat expected. What I'm not sure about though is my SO bought a cat 6 package which is obviously. Doesn't have a specific redemption in mind, but was hoping somehow to upgrade to the new cat 5s, but it's looking like if the above is true that it would cost another 30K points to do that after the refund of 30K points? |
Originally Posted by PumpkinSmasher
(Post 30077378)
If this does end up being true, how ironic is it that it seems like the best value post-merger is actually in the Cat 1-5 packages? You get the benefit of having access to all of the lower end SPG properties plus some interesting Marriott properties that will have gone down while not having to use any additional points.
I bought two of the cat 1-5s and so this outcome would be fine by me and somewhat expected. What I'm not sure about though is my SO bought a cat 6 package which is obviously. Doesn't have a specific redemption in mind, but was hoping somehow to upgrade to the new cat 5s, but it's looking like if the above is true that it would cost another 30K points to do that after the refund of 30K points? Not only there would not be a "mapping" to new categories, but Marriott may not even let people to do the upgrade on the converted cert after reopen the booking Sept 19, but simply refund the excess above the old Cat 5 based on the information in Post 5057. |
How about attaching legacy certificates to hotel that will go significantly up in points after the transition then cancel the reservation in the hope to get back a better value new certificate or equivalent points ?
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Originally Posted by agjil
(Post 30076957)
But the thing is SPG and Marriott said the old travel package certs will be converted to the new travel package certs where they can be used for properties at similar levels.
If they were planning on downgrading all certs to cat 1-4 and refund the points difference for any higher category certs, then they would not have said the above. So now I am even more confused. "Our New Travel Packages will launch with our new loyalty program on 8/18/18. Certificates purchased on or after 8/18 are able to be used immediately. For certificates purchased prior to 8/18, we are working to convert your package and it will be available based on the new converted values on September 18, 2018." The last part of the sentence is where they imply that existing packages will be converted to new values, hinting at some sort of mapping. |
Not to fuel the fire any further, and I've mentioned this before, but I have a friend that works at Marriott and I just asked them if the information in post 5057 is true and what they said is that they are not sure how much truth there is to it. They said an internal email went out to a large portion of the company today about the travel packages, but there were no references to mapping or conversions post-merger. It's very hush about the TPs and future mapping. They went on further to say that as of right now, only people at the VP level and higher know the new map.
Now, does this mean that post 5057 is wrong or will be wrong? Of course not. Is it possible that a rep had the new info? Of course. I'm just putting this out there to show that someone internally who is higher up the chain is saying differently and that post 5057 may not be accurate. |
Originally Posted by Happy
(Post 30077341)
If you are speculating on the mapping, you may want to read Post 5057 that is just a few posts above your current one - Marriott most likely will NOT map the certificates to new categories but convert the floaters to the basic Cat 1 to 4 cert and refund the upgrade points.
Unless you really want to book a hotel stay that you INTEND to stay at, you may want to reconsider what you are "hoping for" - as that might very well NOT happen. |
Originally Posted by PumpkinSmasher
(Post 30077467)
Not to fuel the fire any further, and I've mentioned this before, but I have a friend that works at Marriott and I just asked them if the information in post 5057 is true and what they said is that they are not sure how much truth there is to it. They said an internal email went out to a large portion of the company today about the travel packages, but there were no references to mapping or conversions post-merger. It's very hush about the TPs and future mapping. They went on further to say that as of right now, only people at the VP level and higher know the new map.
Now, does this mean that post 5057 is wrong or will be wrong? Of course not. Is it possible that a rep had the new info? Of course. I'm just putting this out there to show that someone internally who is higher up the chain is saying differently and that post 5057 may not be accurate. However, the information your friends have given you about sending emails to inform members on changes, have come and gone and nothing happened for over a week or more, before we finally get this bit of information on the locked down. Not saying your friends not giving you real info, but whatever you have shared so far, has not come true that is what I remember. There is a little credibility issue... just sayin. |
Originally Posted by Happy
(Post 30077404)
Marriott may not even let people to do the upgrade on the converted cert after reopen the booking Sept 19, but simply refund the excess above the old Cat 5 based on the information in Post 5057.
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Originally Posted by MasterGeek
(Post 30077408)
How about attaching legacy certificates to hotel that will go significantly up in points after the transition then cancel the reservation in the hope to get back a better value new certificate or equivalent points ?
I seriously Marriott will return you a cert that would be for the new point level that hotel would be post Aug 18th. That is as wild a speculation as those who believe they would get the unrestricted points allow them to book 7 nights as if the TP cert is the same as the regular award nights. It is not and we all know that but that does not stop those keep arguing and even claim they would take Marriott to court should Marriott not let them have their ways. Yeah, right. |
In continuation with the last post. (5057) I further investigated and things got pretty well sorted out. HERE are the Conclusions. 1. There is a reason to tell customers to attach their certificates to properties they like right now before 18 Aug. Have a category 1-5 certificate and want to stay at category 5 hotel - book and attach the certificate now. Want to stay at category 6-7-8 etc, upgrade your certificate at present cost of 30k per category and attach it to the desired category hotel and they will honor it. 2. People who do not know where to stay and have floater certificates or have dummy reservations with attached certificate - cancelling them after sept 18 or leaving any category certificate floating - the certificate gets cancelled and converted to a brand new certificate applicable to new category 1-4 hotels in the new marriott system and whatever points charged over the same gets refunded. E.g Cat 6 (30 k) refund, cat 7 (60k) refund and so on. 3. NOW you want to apply that newly issued category 1-4 certificate on a new category 5/6 etc. Use the new travel package chart to upgrade the certificate as u now carry what is a newly issued certificate for category 1-4. 4. Trying to use the certificate on aspirational properties, e.g Cat 7 - UPGRADE your new certificate according to the new travel package award chart and you are good to go. 5. Want to use your certificate on SPG Properties, u surely can go ahead and use at any SPG property mapped in new category 1-4. Upgrade if u want to use on higher category according to new chart. 6. The newly issued Cat 1-4 certificate expires September 18, 2019 So bottom line - if u really wanna stay at a MARRIOTT property - upgrade to the right category and attach the certificate now and if u want to stay at SPG properties, your best bet is to use it post sept 18 on their cat 1-4 hotels in the new marriott award chart system or upgrade at the new point level charts e.g Category 5 - 60 k more points : Category 6 - 180k more points over and so on. Cheers. |
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