Apr 16, 2018, 4:15 pm
Last edit by: dayone
This thread (post #5 from Marriott Rewards Insider) has the official announcement of changes effective later in 2018.
An earlier, speculative discussion appears in the following closed thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...tus-tiers.html
An earlier, speculative discussion appears in the following closed thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...tus-tiers.html
Official announcement – See how our three loyalty programs will become one in August
Apr 17, 2018, 5:11 pm
#331
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
I don't think it was Marriott P.R. as much as the credit card-pimping bloggers -- Gary Leff is an exception, but pretty much everyone else who isn't a real journalist is just a paid salesman for the credit card companies -- afraid to be honest about the devaluation of award-redemptions because they don't want aspirational travelers not to sign-up for credit cards through their miles-and-points blogs.
Apr 17, 2018, 5:13 pm
#332
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
But that doesn't mean individual properties can't opt-in and provide it. For example, many of the legacy Starwood properties in Hawaii have club lounges.
Apr 17, 2018, 5:14 pm
#333
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
Apr 17, 2018, 5:18 pm
#334
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
It may be that they were allowing for the possibility that there are members in either scheme who have not yet linked their accounts. For FTers, this idea seems so outlandish that one could scarcely countenance it; for members of the general public, it may actually be more common than we think.
Apr 17, 2018, 5:20 pm
#335
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,878
I listened to the VP on TPG video. I may have heard incorrectly but I thought he said that they didn’t want to take away anything from current elites . However , by mapping SPG Gold and RC Credit Card Gold to NEW Gold on 8/1 , aren’t they indeed taking away lounge access and breakfast from current Golds who mapped from SPG or earned via the Ritz card ? Yes , Gold will still be Gold but with far less benefits .
But they are.
Apr 17, 2018, 5:22 pm
#336
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
I listened to the VP on TPG video. I may have heard incorrectly but I thought he said that they didn’t want to take away anything from current elites . However , by mapping SPG Gold and RC Credit Card Gold to NEW Gold on 8/1 , aren’t they indeed taking away lounge access and breakfast from current Golds who mapped from SPG or earned via the Ritz card ? Yes , Gold will still be Gold but with far less benefits .
Apr 17, 2018, 5:23 pm
#337
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
Technically, no if only because Ritz-Carlton golds never had lounge access at Ritz-Carlton. Remember, it was Ritz-Carlton Rewards.
Apr 17, 2018, 5:27 pm
#338
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,232
Will be be very interesting to see if any properties are allowed to opt out of breakfast benefit and give 1000 points instead as some hotels are allowed to do now . Also , will be interesting to see if there are exemptions to suite upgrades (both space available and via suite night certs).
Apr 17, 2018, 5:28 pm
#339
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
No, you are still receiving the same benefits you earned as an SPG Gold. If you look back, you will see the marketing materials always said if you link your account you could enjoy the same benefits as a MR Gold when you stayed at Marriott. You were never told you are a Marriott Gold although it seems some people misinterpreted that. Since there will no longer be a need for a status match once the programs are combined in Aug you will be treated the same as you earned.
Apr 17, 2018, 5:31 pm
#340
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,878
No, you are still receiving the same benefits you earned as an SPG Gold. If you look back, you will see the marketing materials always said if you link your account you could enjoy the same benefits as a MR Gold when you stayed at Marriott. You were never told you are a Marriott Gold although it seems some people misinterpreted that. Since there will no longer be a need for a status match once the programs are combined in Aug you will be treated the same as you earned.
Link your accounts and get your status matched, instantly. Then enjoy the benefits you've come to expect in not just one program but two.
https://www.marriott.com/marriott-re...my-accounts.mi
Furthermore, per the T&C (https://members.marriott.com/terms-conditions/):
Status Match
- Status Match Eligibility. At any time at or after having linked his or her applicable Program member accounts, if a Linked Member has Elite Preferred Guest Membership Status (as defined in the SPG Terms) in the SPG Program or has Elite memberships status in the Elite Membership Program (as defined in the Rewards Program Rules) of the Rewards Program, the Operators will match his or her highest elite membership status, if applicable, as follows:
- If a Linked Member has achieved a higher elite membership status in the SPG Program than in a Rewards Program, the Linked Member will receive matched status in Marriott’s Elite Membership Program as set forth in the below chart:If a Linked Member has the following Elite Preferred Guest Membership Status in the SPG Program:The matched status in Rewards’ Elite Membership Program will be:Platinum Preferred GuestPlatinumGold Preferred GuestGoldPreferred Plus* GuestSilverPreferred GuestMember
Last edited by Troopers; Apr 17, 2018 at 5:39 pm
Apr 17, 2018, 5:33 pm
#341
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,528
I'm looking for this info too, although I only carry the personal cards. As another poster pointed out, it seems strange to merge the program but keep separately-branded cards. And since I'm no longer allowed by company policy to use personal cards for business travel, it doesn't seem worth it to keep paying the annual fee on the SPG Amex if I can't gain any additional nights credit beyond what the Marriott Visa will give.
Apr 17, 2018, 5:47 pm
#342
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
We really are witnessing the “see only what you want to see” phenomenon in a major way with this loyalty program announcement. People are grasping for straws even when it’s obvious the straws aren’t there. It truly is mind-blowing to see how may people really got to game the system and now are shocked and/or outraged when the system catches on and up.
Karma is a beautiful thing. Entitlement isn’t.
For those who “lose” something or feel cheated, let’s not forget that everyone expected all of this to come down a year ago! So you had an extra year to enjoy your unexpected benefits. Call it a win and enjoy that you had it for a while longer than you expected.
For those Starwood elites who “lose” something or feel cheated, let’s not forget that Marriott bought Starwood. So Starwood elites keeping any benefits is better than almost everyone expected when this acquisition/merger was announced. It’s still a big win thus far, and Starwood elites are more or less keeping all of the major benefits of the SPG program. Pretty incredible, all things considered.
For those Marriott elites who “lose” something or feel cheated, let’s not forget that there’d be no guaranteed suite upgrades, no guaranteed late checkout, no increased breakfast benefit options, etc without the Starwood takeover. Most of the new benefits are completely new to you. Some hotels cost you more soon? Well, you have many more benefits at them to enjoy now, too. And many more aspirational hotels you never before could dream of.
For those who “win” something, let’s enjoy it while it lasts.
For those who cannot accept that change is the only constant in this world, I’m sorry to say you need to wake up.
Karma is a beautiful thing. Entitlement isn’t.
For those who “lose” something or feel cheated, let’s not forget that everyone expected all of this to come down a year ago! So you had an extra year to enjoy your unexpected benefits. Call it a win and enjoy that you had it for a while longer than you expected.
For those Starwood elites who “lose” something or feel cheated, let’s not forget that Marriott bought Starwood. So Starwood elites keeping any benefits is better than almost everyone expected when this acquisition/merger was announced. It’s still a big win thus far, and Starwood elites are more or less keeping all of the major benefits of the SPG program. Pretty incredible, all things considered.
For those Marriott elites who “lose” something or feel cheated, let’s not forget that there’d be no guaranteed suite upgrades, no guaranteed late checkout, no increased breakfast benefit options, etc without the Starwood takeover. Most of the new benefits are completely new to you. Some hotels cost you more soon? Well, you have many more benefits at them to enjoy now, too. And many more aspirational hotels you never before could dream of.
For those who “win” something, let’s enjoy it while it lasts.
For those who cannot accept that change is the only constant in this world, I’m sorry to say you need to wake up.
Apr 17, 2018, 5:50 pm
#343
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: Aeroplan, Amex AeroPlat
Posts: 977
The point carefully made over and over again is you are not losing any benefits earned. You will still receive the same benefits you were receiving as an SPG Gold. There will no longer be a need for a status match wherein you were given MR Gold benefits but never were actually a MR Gold. People somehow thought they were MR Gold because of the status match which was never the case. MR Gold shared the same metal name but the two were always different tiers with different qualification requirements and different benefits.
Based on the content on the webpage linked from my email from Marriott, I will get MR Plat in August.
Apr 17, 2018, 6:10 pm
#344
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
Yes it is. Neither quote says you become a Marriott Gold member. The first quote makes it clear that when you status match you can, "enjoy the benefits" of Marriott Gold. The second just clarifies who is eligible to enjoy the benefits. There is a big difference between actually getting MR status and enjoying the benefits because you have SPG status. Sorry if you read what you wanted to be there instead of what was actually there, but MR obviously wrote it in a way for you to believe what was not there.
And, of course, David Flueck has made this point very clear in the new video.
And, of course, David Flueck has made this point very clear in the new video.
Apr 17, 2018, 6:14 pm
#345
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
I am new to this (got MR Gold recently after linking SPG Gold which came with CA Amex Plat) but I read fine print carefully, out of professional habit. Nowhere did I read, that by linking my MR account with SPG Gold, I would be getting anything different from a true “earned” MR Gold. I am MR Gold when I log into Marriott, statements from Marriott show that I am Gold. For all intent and purposes, there is no distinction, either superficial or in substance, between my MR Gold and Gold that has been earned by staying 50 nights.
Based on the content on the webpage linked from my email from Marriott, I will get MR Plat in August.