MileageGoblin

They don't agree b/c SPG didn't have a 75 night LT PLT level. If you chose to spend 250+ nights past 500 at SPG properties (when you knew there was not another SPG LT level to be achieved), you did that of your own prerogative. Why should you expect to get combined program LT at a 75 night level? You weren't expecting that, operated under SPG T&C knowing the rules for over 10 years, and now its unfair?

I suspect the bellyaching is more so b/c MR LT PLTs will be ahead of you (right or wrong). You were already behind SPG 75 PLTs and Ambassadors annually.

an mec

C17PSGR

I've hit 100 nights for the year and through the spend requirement for Ambassador

I had $35,000 spend in 2017. Not sure of my spend so far in 2018. If I'm at $15,000 in spend in August for YTD but have well over 100 nights credit, do I get an ambassador or do I wait until I hit the $20,000.

And I already had an ambassador on the Marriott side as I was a charter member so wondering if that goes away in the future if I don't hit $20,000. Not that I know what to do with an ambassador ...

swintec

I had assumed that SNAs would expire at the end of a calendar or elite year but hopefully they would rollover as long as you maintained the appropriate status.

jrothenb

I called the Marriott PLT desk one hour ago to respectfully advocate that SPG LTP either be grandfathered as the new LTPP, or offered an avenue to earn that status. The PLT agent said that they had received a number of similar calls, and that she believed there was new guidance from above, and asked me to wait on hold while she checked with Marriott Rewards supervisors. I will share exactly what I was told, and please ask that readers treat me as Sgt. Joe Friday, and know I am only sharing the facts as I received them, without any hyperbole added.

1. After checking with two separate MR supervisors and a hold time of nearly one hour, the PLT agent said she was told that SPG LTP will be grandfathered as LTPP. She said that it wouldn’t be right to not grandfather SPG LTP as LTPP when the other two LT groups (MR LTP and RC LTP) are

2. She looked specifically into my own account (with SPG LTP, only modest MR history), and assured me that I would be grandfathered into LTPP

3. She said that it’s important that SPG LTP link their status to their MR account, as this online match is apparently necessary in order to be eligible for the grandfathered status.

4. I asked if she could send me an email confirmation of this for my records. She said that she would be glad to. I have included that email below, and have redacted her personal information since she was very helpful, and I have no desire to get anyone in trouble.

This will be cross posted to both the SPG and MR FT appropriate threads. Wishing all well during these uncertain times!

“Mr. XXXXXXX,

First off, I would like to thank you for your patience today and the extreme long wait you had to endure.

Your question to me was: why under the Marriott account are the Platinum Lifetime elite members going to grand-fathered in as Platinum Lifetime Premier?

I spoke with a representative in Marriott Rewards and they explained that as of today, if a Marriott member and also SPG, and you have linked your accounts together that as of now, you are considered a Marriott Reward member, where as you will also be grand-fathered in Rewards as a Platinum Lifetime Premier.

I hope this helps.

XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX

XXXXX Platinum Desk
XXXXX###
[email protected]”

swintec

You must be new to Marriott CS. Call back two more times and you will get two more different answers.

CJKatl

This is not what most were asking for and if true will set up a new inequality. Many of us thought it was unfair that SOME SPG LTP were not being grandfathered into the new LTPP, specifically those with 750+ stays and enough years or points. If they were to include ALL SPG LTP the problem would shift to some Marriott LTG members being treated differently than those from SPG who stayed the same or more nights. Hopefully if there is a correction it won't be this, which would set up a new inequality, but only apply to the SPG LTP who are presently being treated differently than their MR counterparts.

MR Gold was always similar to SPG P50 except for the name, and MR Plat shared nothing but a metal name with SPG P50. P75 was what SPG called what Marriott called Plat. To treat Marriott Gold differently than SPG P50 is just as bad as what the program is planning to do now.

an mec

Can you call back and ask them to move my 2pm late check out back to 4pm?


Nice work Joe.

jrothenb

I would be fine with the 750 combined night and 2MM combined point threshold too, and have said as such, but if we're going to compare apples to apples, then the MR folks should also have had to accrue 10 years elite status, and demonstrated that status by actual physical stays as the SPG side did, not credit card, meetings, etc. Starwood had a much smaller footprint than does Marriott, and those who were loyal from nearly the beginning of Starwood's inception by earning 10 years of elite status and at least 50 true nights per year have shown true loyalty, along with real revenue to the hotels.

We are now all part of the Marriott family, and I think the best way to move forward is for all of us, both legacy SPG and legacy MR customers to look out for each other in this transition, and ask how we would feel if we were in our cousin's shoes. Marriott is a time-honored respected company backed by truly admirable core values. I believe those values will shine through in the end and that fairness will win out.

I truly believe the right and just thing is for all three LTP programs (MR/RC/SPG) to be grandfathered as LTPP. All programs LTP was difficult to earn for different reasons, and all deserve to be on equal footing in the new system.

And if that means that the LTG get bumped up to LTP, then I'm fine with that too. In a few years, all these grandfathered statuses will be curiosities, relics of those who were fortunate enough by age and profession or personal travel habits at the time to have demonstrated the required loyalty before the merger.

May it be so.

C17PSGR

I agree we should look out for each other, That being said, it's fairly clear to me from recent postings that that many SPG gold/plat members acquired status because they were able to get credit for up to 3 rooms per night which wasn't available to Marriott members. Of course, MR members had ways to gain nights as well such as 15 per year for the Marriott CC and rollover nights. In my case, I have nearly 3000 nights but have had the Marriott CC for 10 years and normally significantly exceed the 75 nights per year so have had some rollover. So ... taking that into account, I probably only have 2500-2700 actual nights. I suspect there will be very few SPG members with those kind of nights.

fayraree

Thanks for the detailed breakdown! Happy to clarify my intent a bit more...based on the posts I quoted below, I think I understand now why it's important for you to already be a LTP (MR or SPG-->hopefully) because you've earned it before the deadline. People who were unlucky and were unable to earn by the timeframe provided (such as me right now with LTG in both programs) need to pick up our game in 2018 or just settle with the lower status, which we earned and justly deserve. I now see the logic that trying to be bumped up the ladder from LTG to LTPP just by virtue of the combining effect of both programs (exceeding 750 nights and 2MM points) doesn't make sense because we weren't entitled to that level before.

At first, I thought the combined effect is all that matters, but no, that's secondary to the LT status level.
Agreed with both above. Here's sending some hope and wishes for you SPG LTPs...I'm hoping I can hit MR LTP by August 1 (I realize I may not need to) but why not get a nice mid-year ego boost!

CJKatl

And there is a perception that most MR LTP loaded up on cc nights (not that many as most of us did not charge hundreds of thousands or manufacture spend) and rollover nights (only granted for a few years) and have only been in the MR program for three years (Plat for 14 here which seems very common among MR LTP). The only similarity between SPG P50 and MR P is the name of the color used as the title. Putting ourselves in shoes I agree with the inequality but would hate to see it replaced with a different inequality. If SPG people with 500 credited nights can become LTPP then the same should be given to MR LTG who have the same number or nights.

jrothenb

Certainly take your points, but consider also that Marriott Rewards goes back to 1983. Starwood Preferred Guest wasn't even rolled out until (I believe) 2000. One would have had to earn SPG PLT in 10 of the program's 18 year history in order to qualify for SPG LTP! I'm no company insider, but I can't believe there are very many of us SPG LTP given the fact that one would have had to have been loyal nearly from the start, and for the first few years, no one even knew what/who Starwood was anyway. We've been super duper loyal, and have (perhaps almost evangelically) been directly responsible for a lot of the growth and success that caused Marriott to want to acquire Starwood in the first place. We're just asking for a fair shake in the new scheme, and for our place to be recognized and appreciated.

fayraree

THIS was my point, thank you! But I think I see the logic because SPG LTP had more benefits that MR LTG, based on our prioritization. I'm LTG in both, so I thought it might have counted for something...alas, no freebies in life!

CJKatl

My neighbor recently invited me to dinner because he was having an elderly friend over whom he thought I would hit off with. My neighbor was right. The friend was a Delta Flying Colonel. The super-premium level was discontinued twenty-something years ago but for those grandfathered in it is still honored.