Travel Packages after SPG merger
 

Hi there,

Can anyone please advise me if they know / have any thoughts, on what is likely to happen to the travel packages once the rewards merger happens with the SPG program...

I'm currently saving towards one, which might be around the end of the year, and would then be looking to upgrade that sometime next year (2018)....

Are the vouchers likely to still be active, and if so will they likely still be upgradeable ?

And importantly will SPG properties be coded into Marriott categories, and therefore be bookable with a travel package voucher in 2018 ?

Thanks for any advice

All you'll get is TOTAL speculative responses as NO one knows what the TPs will be, if any.

The only (second-hand) word we've had recently is that we won't have any information on the new program until late 2018 at the earliest, so I would assume the status quo until 2019.

If you're referring the thread about the quote, to me that quote was murky as to whether it was talking about announcement or implementation. So I wouldn't count on nothing being announced before late 2018.

However, counting on nothing actually changing (even if announced) until late 2018 might seem a bit safer. (But that still assumes they don't dribble out changes.)

Ironically enough if there are changes or dropping of the travel packages before the final merger, it might be due to the stampede of SPG elites transferring points to Marriott to redeem them ;) :p :D

Right now no one knows. The 2 programs won't be totally implemented until late '18/early '19, but doesn't mean there might not be some changes on either program before then. My guess is (and it's only that) is that since the programs won't merge for a year, the travel packages will still be Marriott only & not SPG properties. If the OP is saving & thinks he'll have points by end of year for '18, he'll probably be ok.

Cheers.

The 5 day TP is still an unofficial, jump through hoops, get the right agent kind of situation, right? I'd happily use one of those...7 doesn't fit my travel patterns.

From more recent posts its looking like the few remaining "hoops" one could jump through are getting fewer and smaller. So that window may be closing completely. :eek:

Figures - I like to city/hotel hop too much for a 7 nighter...but I get they are great for those who can/like to do that.

A FT friend redeemed for a 7-day, but just blew off the last couple of nights (letting the hotel know of course at check-in). Evidently w/ the airline + hotel stuff it was still worth it for them.

Cheers.

I have a 6 night stay at the CasaMagna Puerto Vallarta where I am using a 7 night TP hotel award cert.

I used the TP award to get my Southwest CP along with the 120K points (just before Southwest plugged that hole). I could have thrown away the hotel cert and still felt it was worth the Marriott points. ;)

Ironically, "newer news" seems to suggest its the merged reservation system itself they're mostly talking about when they say "by late 2018". So since it would require a merged reservation system for SPG properties to be bookable, it's quite likely that the merging of the reservation system might be the last step, not the first step, in the merging of the two programs. So I don't think it's likely you'll be able to book SPG properties as part of a travel package until the new program exists.

The 5 night package is official and no hoops are required as long as you own a Marriott Timeshare. In the past some Marriott representatives have been willing to allow people to order them without meeting the requirements but that is extremely rare now.

There have also been reports that 5-night TPs are a PP benefit. See post #234 in thread found at the link provided below:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...l#post28090109

It should work the same, if the rewards system works then the packages should work.

If the reservations system does not work then that's a whole other issue.