Meeting Planner Programs?
Sep 14, 2009 | 9:11 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: SFO/RDU
Programs: United Hotcake Preferred
Posts: 531
Meeting Planner Programs?
Which of these would you go for (these are meeting programs)? Do you think that the perks of a particular program can outweigh earning style?
SPG: 1 point for every $3 spent. On the upside they regularly have "signing bonuses"
Hyatt: 1 point for every $1 spent.
Hilton: 1 point for every $1 spent PLUS 1 frequent flyer mile for every $1 spent.
IC: 3 points for every $1 spent.
SPG: 1 point for every $3 spent. On the upside they regularly have "signing bonuses"
Hyatt: 1 point for every $1 spent.
Hilton: 1 point for every $1 spent PLUS 1 frequent flyer mile for every $1 spent.
IC: 3 points for every $1 spent.
Last edited by Alpha; Sep 20, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Sep 14, 2009 | 10:00 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: LAX
Programs: Airline Free Agent/MR Gold/ HH Diamond/National/MGM/Amex
Posts: 662
I have a couple friends that are planners and seem to be fans of IC/IHG/Crowne Plaza's structure. More info here.
I dont personally know all of the details but will in a couple of weeks (I will be working at a Crowne Resort then).
I dont personally know all of the details but will in a couple of weeks (I will be working at a Crowne Resort then).
Sep 21, 2009 | 7:23 am
#5
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA 2.996MM & Plat Pro, DL 1MM, GM & Flying Colonel
Posts: 25,031
Don't know much about the Hyatt program, but between the others: if a Hilton point is worth about 1/3 of a typical airline mile, it would seem that you get 1 airline mile per $3 from Starwood but the equivalent of 4 from HHonors. To the extent that earning maximum miles from this meeting is your objective, that would seem to make it a no-brainer. (It becomes 1.25 from Starwood if you transfer at least 20,000 of them to an airline program at one time, but the gap is still pretty big.)
That said, unless the properties you're choosing among are comparable in all other respects, there are more important things than miles to consider in this decision. I realize this may be FT heresy, but speaking as someone who's been responsible for lots of meetings of different sizes, the downside of the wrong choice far outweighs the loss of a few miles. It may at first seem that there can't be a "wrong choice" among major chains, but believe me, there can. Of course they'll all have the basics covered, but that's not the issue. The #1 choice factor, IMHO, is the hotel's coordinator you'll work with. Make a bad choice here, and you'd give up any number of miles to be able to change your mind.
That said, unless the properties you're choosing among are comparable in all other respects, there are more important things than miles to consider in this decision. I realize this may be FT heresy, but speaking as someone who's been responsible for lots of meetings of different sizes, the downside of the wrong choice far outweighs the loss of a few miles. It may at first seem that there can't be a "wrong choice" among major chains, but believe me, there can. Of course they'll all have the basics covered, but that's not the issue. The #1 choice factor, IMHO, is the hotel's coordinator you'll work with. Make a bad choice here, and you'd give up any number of miles to be able to change your mind.
Sep 21, 2009 | 9:31 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: SFO/RDU
Programs: United Hotcake Preferred
Posts: 531
Don't know much about the Hyatt program, but between the others: if a Hilton point is worth about 1/3 of a typical airline mile, it would seem that you get 1 airline mile per $3 from Starwood but the equivalent of 4 from HHonors. To the extent that earning maximum miles from this meeting is your objective, that would seem to make it a no-brainer. (It becomes 1.25 from Starwood if you transfer at least 20,000 of them to an airline program at one time, but the gap is still pretty big.)
That said, unless the properties you're choosing among are comparable in all other respects, there are more important things than miles to consider in this decision. I realize this may be FT heresy, but speaking as someone who's been responsible for lots of meetings of different sizes, the downside of the wrong choice far outweighs the loss of a few miles. It may at first seem that there can't be a "wrong choice" among major chains, but believe me, there can. Of course they'll all have the basics covered, but that's not the issue. The #1 choice factor, IMHO, is the hotel's coordinator you'll work with. Make a bad choice here, and you'd give up any number of miles to be able to change your mind.
That said, unless the properties you're choosing among are comparable in all other respects, there are more important things than miles to consider in this decision. I realize this may be FT heresy, but speaking as someone who's been responsible for lots of meetings of different sizes, the downside of the wrong choice far outweighs the loss of a few miles. It may at first seem that there can't be a "wrong choice" among major chains, but believe me, there can. Of course they'll all have the basics covered, but that's not the issue. The #1 choice factor, IMHO, is the hotel's coordinator you'll work with. Make a bad choice here, and you'd give up any number of miles to be able to change your mind.