2004 Program Changes?
 

Noticed there was a thread for 2003 with lot's of postings. How about 2004?

The biggest change was already announced concerning not receiving in-hotel benefits or stay credit with reservations booked on third-party web sites.

There will, no doubt, be some airline transfer ratio changes once the contracts are signed as well as some property category changes once that has been determined.

Other than that, I wouldn't expect anything else.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

[This message has been edited by Starwood Lurker (edited Dec 23, 2003).]

Currently can get Platinum with stays or nights. Any chance Platinum will be offered according to $ spent (such as 100,000 HH base points for Diamond)? I would jump in right away if that was the case!

[This message has been edited by fromYXU (edited Dec 23, 2003).]

Sorry, nothing based on points earned in the program.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

[This message has been edited by Starwood Lurker (edited Dec 23, 2003).]

I don't think I like the sound of that. Can you let us in on which airlines the contracts are being negotiated for?

All of them...each and every year about this time.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

I seem to remember that last year a number of the changes were not announced until Q1 so perhaps we should not be too hasty in assuming that there has been only one change for 2004.

But you can rest assured that the changes announced after the start of 2004 will be retroactive to January 1 if they involve devaluation or dilution of benefits. It's the Starwood way!

Let's not forget the significant (but well announced) increase in the level needed to achieve platinum for 2004 from 40 to 50.

Maybe that's considered a 2003 change.

I was told last year that I qualified based on spending more then $15,000 in the year. I think this is still the case. I didn't have enough nights.

Benefits are excluded now on package tour rates.

Any word on airline transfer ratios for 2004?

Does this mean that my business trips which I must book through expedia corporate travel will not count toward points?

Yes, I beleive you will not earn points on those stays.

Only one that I am personally aware of:

On January 1st, the transfer ratio for Air New Zealand changed from 1:2 to 1:1.

Also, as far as earning airline miles on Air Canada instead of Starpoints and stay credit to your SPG account, you can get 750 miles per stay for all brands except Four Points, which is 500 miles per stay.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

[This message has been edited by Starwood Lurker (edited Jan 05, 2004).]

It's my best guess that if you have summer plans in Europe, make those award reservations now. Am I right to assume that if the award levels are based on what Starwood pays the hotels, the fall of the dollar and the rise of the Euro is bound to increase European (and Australian) levels. Even the Brazilian Real is down 25% from last year.

William, when do these changes in hotel levels actually occur.

[This message has been edited by idahost (edited Jan 05, 2004).]

They are being considered now. When all the data has been covered, we will either lower or raise the redemption rate depending upon what reimbursement level the hotels earned in 2003 based on their average daily rate.

As always, however, anyone that finds themselves caught short because of a category change can ask us for assistance on a case by case basis.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

FYI... Last year, I seem to remember discussions about how the good folks at SPG honored points for reservations already made (for a period of time into the future, since it would be basically unfair for Starwood to change the points required for a reservation made by a loyal customer planning a vacation in good conscience).

I made a reservation today, and asked about Cat changes. Was told that they would honour the rate, but if I changed dates that would be a different matter.

You may have answered it elsewhere, but can we assume that the number of points required in each category itself is fixed as published and will not change for 2004 at the least and any change in redemption levels will come only from hotels moving up or down the categories?

William,

Can I get a clarification about 3rd party bookings for conventions. I'm attending the On Demand expo in New York in March and hotel rooms are being booked through a company named Ambassadors. The Sheraton NY Towers and Westin are both conference hotels and Ambassadors is offering 500 bonus *wood points for reservations booked through them.

However, as I understand the 2004 rules, I will not receive stay credit or benefits if I book through this convention service. Correct?

By the way, can I claim the best rate guarantee for the rate on the convention site?

Thanks

As far as I know, convention rates have never been eligible for Starpoints and stay credit unless they are set up so you pay the charges at check-out instead of pre-paying the convention organizer.

Provided you pay at check-out, you can get stay credit, but in-hotel benefits may be denied. I'm not saying that they will, mind you, but it is a possibility.

No, you can't use a convention rate as a BRG claim.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

Yes, this is what would happen - I would pay at check out.

Thanks

William, if you pay at check-out on a Travelocity or Expedia bookings (ie when the booking is not on a pre-paid rate), will we get points and stay credits?

Not according to to what I have been told.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

With traditional travel agents, however, we we still will receive points/stay credit, as long as its not a negotiated rate or package, correct?

That is correct.

Travel agents (with the caveats noted above), business travel web sites/corporate booking tools, Customer Contact Center, Starwood properietary web sites, and hotel direct reservations - all assuming eligible rates.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

What are you saying here? If I use a Hilton Credit card and spend a certain amount I will be given elite status? At this point buy EVERYTHING on my Starwood Am Express card....I might keep $20 in my wallet for fast food emergencies (ya know they happen from time to time). Of course the Starwood Am Express gives me points, but I could spend $50G on my card and not have my status upgraded at all. If that IS the case with Hilton, I really need to know. Anyone? Please email me at [email protected]

This could be valuable information.....
Thanking you in advance for your advice.

You are confusing spending at Hilton vs. spending on a Hilton-branded AmEx card. You can qualify for Gold (or Diamond) with HH by earning 60,000 HH base points for Gold (or 100,000 for Diamond), essentially spending $6,000 or $10,000 respectively at HH properties. Amount spent elsewhere on your HH-branded AmEx does not earn you status.

It's been my understanding so far (to which wschild's post contradicts) that SPG, unlike HH, did not have an option of qualifying for status solely based on the amount spent at Starwood properties.

Does this exclusion extend to amenity points given to Platinum status holders?

i'm 99% sure yes.

Yes. That would be considered an in-hotel benefit.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]