Changes to SPG Cash & Points - effective March 05, 2013
Jan 22, 2013, 11:08 pm
#181
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: DME
Programs: LH SEN, AA Plat, SPG Plat, HH Diamond
Posts: 294
Just booked two properties in Europe using C&P for February - lots of availability.
Jan 22, 2013, 11:18 pm
#182
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
top categories, suites etc, increased availability
might actually get me to book something
might actually get me to book something
Jan 23, 2013, 9:40 am
#183
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,351
Totally agree - have found plenty of C&P availability at hotels I looked at through some time next year. Didn't book because I was looking to book on points only, but certainly still saw the option.
Jan 25, 2013, 2:06 pm
#184
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: *G
Posts: 26
Not sure if this was also the case pre-announcement, but the Milan hotels I'm looking at in June show C&P but only for a minimum of 4 nights.
I just want 1 night so am not able to access those dates. Is there a way around this? Why don't they sell me one night and then keep the 3 nights together as a block? Don't understand a minimum requirement to spend you C&P if there is availability!
I just want 1 night so am not able to access those dates. Is there a way around this? Why don't they sell me one night and then keep the 3 nights together as a block? Don't understand a minimum requirement to spend you C&P if there is availability!
Jan 25, 2013, 7:58 pm
#185
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: BNA
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Bonvoy Plat, HHonors Diamond, DL Gold
Posts: 383
It will be interesting to see how the new Cash and Point options for room upgrades will play out. Any new offering not available before can only be a bonus, if it is not replacing something good now. Aside from the new offerings, the changes to the current categories are disappointing. I truly appreciate William the Starwood Lurker for posting the information here to inform us ahead of the changes. I booked a reservation using cash and points at the current rates for a July stay. With the new Cash and Points pricing for standard rooms, it seems that the new Cash and Points will only be a good deal if the lowest available rate (not Starwood's Best Available Rate) is considerably more than double the cash portion of Cash and Points.
Jan 26, 2013, 10:48 am
#186
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: MCO
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Platinum / Titanium, AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 959
Jan 26, 2013, 1:54 pm
#187
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 3,130
Just checked New York City - not one Manhattan Hotel has C&P availability for the entire year, according to their calendars.
Wasn't the case as recently as November.
Jan 26, 2013, 2:57 pm
#188
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: SEA
Programs: DL Plat, AS MVPG, Bonvoy Plat/LT Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,266
While I'll likely not book it based on reviews on here, the W on Lexington had pretty wide-open availability earlier today through the fall on C&P.
Jan 26, 2013, 4:41 pm
#189
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Upstate New York, USA
Programs: UA Platinum, US Air Gold, Starwood Platinum
Posts: 247
Syracuse University Sheraton also showing no cash and points availability for any date in February/March.
Jan 27, 2013, 12:28 am
#190
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,682
not a big increase & if this leads to greater c&p availability then i think its a welcome change....
Jan 27, 2013, 3:04 am
#191
Join Date: May 1998
Location: australia
Posts: 5,762
When the annual category changes occur in a month or so those properties that go up will have really experienced significant price inflation for their C+P rates.
Jan 28, 2013, 1:24 am
#192
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: MKE
Programs: SPG-Plat, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Plat, IHG-Plat
Posts: 86
Originally I was against these changes and went from thinking "You’re gifted" when using my SPG AMEX to feeling "You’re devalued". Then I reread the original announcement on FT stating that the changes "will improve C&P availability and enhance the program overall" and the official announcement stating the prices were updated "with the intention of expanded availability".
Reading some posts saying these "enhancements" may be a good thing also got me thinking and now I am starting to reconsider my concerns about this devaluation. After all, "everything is going up" nowadays, inflation in the US was nearly 2% last year, certainly a justification for a 25% devaluation.
I thought back to the bad old days of cheap airfare that wasn’t always readily available. Now airfare is usually sky high, but it seems a little more available now so I am very happy with the changes.
I look forward to hearing about a lot of category increases in the coming weeks. I think "enhancements" like this will really improve availability of award rooms, and hotels at their sole discretion may decide in some cases to increase the room types available in the award pool, so this will be wonderful.
I then reflected on my very important goal of becoming lifetime Plat, of course a free suite upgrade was once a common benefit for most Plats. When I am an older lifetime Plat I might not quite stay 50 nights a year so my suite upgrade chances will be reduced by the upgrades given to SPG50 members, by C&P suites which can now be obtained by any member, and by whatever other "enhancements" are announced in the future. So a loyal lifetime Plat member will be left with a nice membership card but little else. But a really nice card is all I want anyway so this is great.
Reading some posts saying these "enhancements" may be a good thing also got me thinking and now I am starting to reconsider my concerns about this devaluation. After all, "everything is going up" nowadays, inflation in the US was nearly 2% last year, certainly a justification for a 25% devaluation.
I thought back to the bad old days of cheap airfare that wasn’t always readily available. Now airfare is usually sky high, but it seems a little more available now so I am very happy with the changes.
I look forward to hearing about a lot of category increases in the coming weeks. I think "enhancements" like this will really improve availability of award rooms, and hotels at their sole discretion may decide in some cases to increase the room types available in the award pool, so this will be wonderful.
I then reflected on my very important goal of becoming lifetime Plat, of course a free suite upgrade was once a common benefit for most Plats. When I am an older lifetime Plat I might not quite stay 50 nights a year so my suite upgrade chances will be reduced by the upgrades given to SPG50 members, by C&P suites which can now be obtained by any member, and by whatever other "enhancements" are announced in the future. So a loyal lifetime Plat member will be left with a nice membership card but little else. But a really nice card is all I want anyway so this is great.
Feb 9, 2013, 8:38 am
#193
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,971
I guess I should have acted sooner. Looking for October and none available in the metro area, it seems...
Feb 9, 2013, 9:33 am
#194
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Quebec and Ontario, Canada
Programs: AC*E50, SPG/Marriott Plat
Posts: 1,917
I imagine lots of hotels will wait the 5th March to load their C&P inventory, if they want to load any...
Feb 9, 2013, 9:34 am
#195
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,924
If I book a hotel today and need to change dates later, will I need to pay the difference in points and dollars, or will it stay?