Sep 22, 2016, 11:20 pm
Last edit by: SkiAdcock
Deal closed Sep 23 - http://news.marriott.com/2016/09/marriott-international-expanded-loyalty-benefits/
FAQ :
http://members.marriott.com/faq/#will-rewards-and-spg-be-turning-into-one-program
Will Rewards and SPG be turning into one program?
These are two of the best programs in the industry, and we want you to benefit from everything that makes SPG and Rewards great. We don’t anticipate that the two programs will come together before 2018, and we will keep you informed of any updates. In the meantime, there’s no change to how you book reservations, manage your accounts or earn Elite night credits, points and miles in the current programs
Status Matches
MR Platinum <--> SPG Platinum
MR Gold <--> SPG Gold
MR Silver <--> SPG Preferred Plus
MR Member <--> SPG Preferred
If your status changes (i.e. Gold->Plat) in one program, your status in the other program will be automatically upgraded within 24 hours per Marriott FAQ
You can now link your Marriott Rewards or Ritz-Carlton Rewards account with your SPG account.
To link your accounts, log in to either account at:
http://www.spg.com/linkmarriott
http://members.marriott.com/
It will be a 3:1 transfer ratio between MR-SPG
If I have Lifetime Status in one of the programs, will I also get it in the other program when I link my accounts?
This is the Official Answer : "We appreciate your loyalty! Lifetime Status is specific to the program that you earned it in. While linking accounts will not result in Lifetime Status in the other program, your Elite status will be matched to the same Elite tier in the other program. Any existing Lifetime Status you already hold within either program will still be enjoyed within that program. We’re working on more ways to recognize your loyalty and Lifetime Status as we work towards harmonizing the programs, which we don’t anticipate happening until 2018."
Transferring points from SPG to MR does NOT change lifetime MR points.
Transferring points from SPG to MR does NOT count as activity & therefore does not extend the expiration date of points.
SPG platinum member matched to MR plat and now interested in the MR - UA Silver status match ? Check here.
Updated Terms and Conditions for the two programs can be found at
http://members.marriott.com/terms-conditions/
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/legal/spg_terms.html
Complete listing of all the hotel brands in the in the merged company :
http://www.marriott.com/marriott-brands.mi#ourbrands
http://www.marriott.com/Images/Brands/brands_page_2016/global_architecture_images/US_MAR_SPG_brand_architecture.png
FAQ :
http://members.marriott.com/faq/#will-rewards-and-spg-be-turning-into-one-program
Will Rewards and SPG be turning into one program?
These are two of the best programs in the industry, and we want you to benefit from everything that makes SPG and Rewards great. We don’t anticipate that the two programs will come together before 2018, and we will keep you informed of any updates. In the meantime, there’s no change to how you book reservations, manage your accounts or earn Elite night credits, points and miles in the current programs
Status Matches
MR Platinum <--> SPG Platinum
MR Gold <--> SPG Gold
MR Silver <--> SPG Preferred Plus
MR Member <--> SPG Preferred
If your status changes (i.e. Gold->Plat) in one program, your status in the other program will be automatically upgraded within 24 hours per Marriott FAQ
You can now link your Marriott Rewards or Ritz-Carlton Rewards account with your SPG account.
To link your accounts, log in to either account at:
http://www.spg.com/linkmarriott
http://members.marriott.com/
It will be a 3:1 transfer ratio between MR-SPG
If I have Lifetime Status in one of the programs, will I also get it in the other program when I link my accounts?
This is the Official Answer : "We appreciate your loyalty! Lifetime Status is specific to the program that you earned it in. While linking accounts will not result in Lifetime Status in the other program, your Elite status will be matched to the same Elite tier in the other program. Any existing Lifetime Status you already hold within either program will still be enjoyed within that program. We’re working on more ways to recognize your loyalty and Lifetime Status as we work towards harmonizing the programs, which we don’t anticipate happening until 2018."
Transferring points from SPG to MR does NOT change lifetime MR points.
Transferring points from SPG to MR does NOT count as activity & therefore does not extend the expiration date of points.
SPG platinum member matched to MR plat and now interested in the MR - UA Silver status match ? Check here.
Updated Terms and Conditions for the two programs can be found at
http://members.marriott.com/terms-conditions/
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/legal/spg_terms.html
Complete listing of all the hotel brands in the in the merged company :
http://www.marriott.com/marriott-brands.mi#ourbrands
http://www.marriott.com/Images/Brands/brands_page_2016/global_architecture_images/US_MAR_SPG_brand_architecture.png
Marriott/Starwood merger closed; FAQs; Status Match; MR & SPG accounts can be linked
Oct 27, 2017, 7:29 am
#1156
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
I have roughly 53k SPG points now and 1M+ in Marriott. I don't have to worry about Lifetime points in Marriott Rewards except just the Lifetime night count. Is there a good justified reason to transfer the SPG points to Marriott points now? Any insights will be deeply appreciated.
Oct 27, 2017, 12:57 pm
#1157
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: ROC/NYC/MSP/LAX/HKG/SIN
Posts: 3,212
The only risk I see is if they should change the transfer rate sometime down the road. Of course it could go either way and everyone is going to complain no matter what, so it's should be a very small chance of happening. The only upside I see merging all your points right now is it gives you one place to monitor and catch any issues (i.e. theft) instead of two.
Oh and if you are into thud, moving the points over will give you a bigger number when looking at your MR account.
Oh and if you are into thud, moving the points over will give you a bigger number when looking at your MR account.
Just had a stay in Sheraton Toronto YYZ last weekend so it should be ok for now. My main target for SPG award stay would be in Maldives, but since it is probably going to be after the merger I cannot say the redemption rates would stay. It might have been just easier to move them to Marriott now
Oct 28, 2017, 5:33 am
#1158
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,838
Purely speculative and just for fun of discussion: who thinks 2018 nights will be combined Marriott + Starwood to determine 2019 status, and who thinks they will remain separate for one more year?
Oct 28, 2017, 6:04 am
#1159
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: PHL
Programs: Marriott LTT, Amtrak Select, Hertz 5*, AA Gold, IHG Plat, National Exec
Posts: 1,312
I originally thought they would count combined in 2018 for 2019 status. But, we are almost at year end and there is not so much as a peep. I’m leaning toward no action for the time being.
Oct 28, 2017, 8:46 am
#1160
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
Good point. I may still transfer the SPG points into Marriott. I don't think SPG can beat the Marriott travel packages even if they are running the same 1:1 transfer rates to airline miles with 30% bonus.
Just had a stay in Sheraton Toronto YYZ last weekend so it should be ok for now. My main target for SPG award stay would be in Maldives, but since it is probably going to be after the merger I cannot say the redemption rates would stay. It might have been just easier to move them to Marriott now
Just had a stay in Sheraton Toronto YYZ last weekend so it should be ok for now. My main target for SPG award stay would be in Maldives, but since it is probably going to be after the merger I cannot say the redemption rates would stay. It might have been just easier to move them to Marriott now
Oct 28, 2017, 9:31 am
#1161
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
Yes, especially if there is a risk of volatility in the market. In this case they are getting smashed together when they merge so would it be better to do it now while activity is relativity low or wait for them to do it and hope all goes well? Fixing one account now should be a lot quicker than fixing thousands should they mess something up. Just an opinion, not a prediction.
Oct 28, 2017, 10:01 am
#1162
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,727
I personally like to keep all my points in one account as it is easier to keep track of my "total" points that way. I needed 30K Marriott points for a 4 night stay for my parents to use, so I moved 10K out of SPG and back to Marriott (took all of 30 seconds). Then I made my reservation.
Though I do like RogerD408's thoughts though on keeping them in Marriott for the ego boost of a 3 times larger number.
At the end of the day it doesn't really matter with the possible exception of points expiration, but that should be fairly easily dealt with as well.
Oct 30, 2017, 7:54 am
#1163
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: JFK, DCA, BUR, YVR
Programs: AC, AS, BA, DL, HH (D), MR (T/LTP), UA (*S), UScAAre (PLT/1,87MM), WN
Posts: 5,207
Oct 30, 2017, 7:54 am
#1164
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: JFK, DCA, BUR, YVR
Programs: AC, AS, BA, DL, HH (D), MR (T/LTP), UA (*S), UScAAre (PLT/1,87MM), WN
Posts: 5,207
Oct 31, 2017, 2:52 pm
#1165
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: *wood Plat, FB Plat
Posts: 64
I need one more year (2018) to become Lifetime Plat.
I'm assuming that SPG program will be re-conducted in 2018.
Do we have any new info on that?
I'm assuming that SPG program will be re-conducted in 2018.
Do we have any new info on that?
Nov 4, 2017, 9:38 am
#1166
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: ATX
Programs: AA EP, USAir Chairman, MR Lifetime Plat
Posts: 275
MR Lifetime Platinum and earned Plat again this year with 82 paid nights so far. Also have 15 paid SPG nights in 2017.
Just learned that SPG has additional loyalty tiers for 50/75/100 nights that apparently do not convey with MR status match. Emailed SPG requesting a match for 75 (and to 100/concierge when I achieve 100 paid nights next week between the 2 programs) and was vehemently denied.
After having recently achieved the MR fall megabonus free night and additional 10k points I’ve switched over to Sheratons and have been very pleased with the experience—so much so that I’d prefer to stay at SPG props over Marriott going fwd.
Anyone in a similar situation have any success convincing SPG to status match at the 75 or 100 night level based on your paid Marriott nights this year? I’d really like to start 2018 off by earning the additional SPG points awarded at that level from my first stay—thx.
Just learned that SPG has additional loyalty tiers for 50/75/100 nights that apparently do not convey with MR status match. Emailed SPG requesting a match for 75 (and to 100/concierge when I achieve 100 paid nights next week between the 2 programs) and was vehemently denied.
After having recently achieved the MR fall megabonus free night and additional 10k points I’ve switched over to Sheratons and have been very pleased with the experience—so much so that I’d prefer to stay at SPG props over Marriott going fwd.
Anyone in a similar situation have any success convincing SPG to status match at the 75 or 100 night level based on your paid Marriott nights this year? I’d really like to start 2018 off by earning the additional SPG points awarded at that level from my first stay—thx.
Nov 4, 2017, 11:07 am
#1167
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,170
MR Lifetime Platinum and earned Plat again this year with 82 paid nights so far. Also have 15 paid SPG nights in 2017.
Just learned that SPG has additional loyalty tiers for 50/75/100 nights that apparently do not convey with MR status match. Emailed SPG requesting a match for 75 (and to 100/concierge when I achieve 100 paid nights next week between the 2 programs) and was vehemently denied.
After having recently achieved the MR fall megabonus free night and additional 10k points I’ve switched over to Sheratons and have been very pleased with the experience—so much so that I’d prefer to stay at SPG props over Marriott going fwd.
Anyone in a similar situation have any success convincing SPG to status match at the 75 or 100 night level based on your paid Marriott nights this year? I’d really like to start 2018 off by earning the additional SPG points awarded at that level from my first stay—thx.
Just learned that SPG has additional loyalty tiers for 50/75/100 nights that apparently do not convey with MR status match. Emailed SPG requesting a match for 75 (and to 100/concierge when I achieve 100 paid nights next week between the 2 programs) and was vehemently denied.
After having recently achieved the MR fall megabonus free night and additional 10k points I’ve switched over to Sheratons and have been very pleased with the experience—so much so that I’d prefer to stay at SPG props over Marriott going fwd.
Anyone in a similar situation have any success convincing SPG to status match at the 75 or 100 night level based on your paid Marriott nights this year? I’d really like to start 2018 off by earning the additional SPG points awarded at that level from my first stay—thx.
Nov 8, 2017, 1:45 pm
#1168
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: GVA
Programs: BA Silver (OW Sapphire), A3 Gold (*G), Bonvoy LTTE, HHonors Diamond, LeClubAccor Silver, UA Silver
Posts: 1,778
MR's Big Welcome To Me
So after many screens "pleading" me to link accounts, etc. I went and did just that. Whatever points I had on there had long been expired due to activity.
I signed up to a few social media promos and collected a whopping 1,125 MR points. A few days later they were gone from my account, because they "do not count as activity to prevent points expiration". Neither does transferring points from SPG, apparently. Thankfully that happened before I would foolishly decide to transfer any SPG points to MR, lest they disappear into the ether. Just as well, since I was eyeing a redemption and was about to pull the trigger on the transfer.
Anyway... great way to welcome a recently linked Plat member!
I signed up to a few social media promos and collected a whopping 1,125 MR points. A few days later they were gone from my account, because they "do not count as activity to prevent points expiration". Neither does transferring points from SPG, apparently. Thankfully that happened before I would foolishly decide to transfer any SPG points to MR, lest they disappear into the ether. Just as well, since I was eyeing a redemption and was about to pull the trigger on the transfer.
Anyway... great way to welcome a recently linked Plat member!
Nov 8, 2017, 3:14 pm
#1169
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,727
Unfortunately, that is the rules as they set them (which was well before the merger started). While transferring points isn't a "qualifying" event, they should have allowed transfers from your SPG account to be qualifying. I know that might mean few enterprising individuals might be able to keep their accounts from expiring by moving points back and forth, but that should only be possible for a couple of years at most (until they finally merge the two programs.) And the confusing/heartburn caused when moving points by folks that have been active with Starwood, but not Marriott recently would be minimized (which I would think would be a better longer-term situation than causing the heartburn as they currently are.)
Considering until 2016 Marriott didn't really expire any accounts, this shouldn't be that big an issue.
Considering until 2016 Marriott didn't really expire any accounts, this shouldn't be that big an issue.
Nov 10, 2017, 3:18 pm
#1170
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,108
So after many screens "pleading" me to link accounts, etc. I went and did just that. Whatever points I had on there had long been expired due to activity.
I signed up to a few social media promos and collected a whopping 1,125 MR points. A few days later they were gone from my account, because they "do not count as activity to prevent points expiration". Neither does transferring points from SPG, apparently. Thankfully that happened before I would foolishly decide to transfer any SPG points to MR, lest they disappear into the ether. Just as well, since I was eyeing a redemption and was about to pull the trigger on the transfer.
Anyway... great way to welcome a recently linked Plat member!
I signed up to a few social media promos and collected a whopping 1,125 MR points. A few days later they were gone from my account, because they "do not count as activity to prevent points expiration". Neither does transferring points from SPG, apparently. Thankfully that happened before I would foolishly decide to transfer any SPG points to MR, lest they disappear into the ether. Just as well, since I was eyeing a redemption and was about to pull the trigger on the transfer.
Anyway... great way to welcome a recently linked Plat member!