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
Dec 6, 2017, 12:13 pm
#1231
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: 100,404
On the SPG side, it's ten years of earned Plat for LTP and five years of earned Gold or Plat for LTG.
Dec 6, 2017, 4:01 pm
#1232
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,167
Remember that MR LTG and LTP have revenue requirements in the form of lifetime points earned. Before the requirements were changed, twelve IIRC years of program membership were required by MR for any lifetime status.
On the SPG side, it's ten years of earned Plat for LTP and five years of earned Gold or Plat for LTG.
On the SPG side, it's ten years of earned Plat for LTP and five years of earned Gold or Plat for LTG.
I would not have had any issue meeting the 2MM points earned in my ~6 year estimate, between hotel and CC spend.
Dec 6, 2017, 10:55 pm
#1233
Join Date: May 2003
Location: LCY
Programs: SQ Krisflyer, QR Privilege Club, MB LT Plt (1K+ nights thx MB)
Posts: 1,038
Dec 7, 2017, 5:26 am
#1234
formerly fdemoulin
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: UK
Programs: SPG Lifetime Platinum, BA Silver, Virgin Flying Club Red
Posts: 916
My biggest objection towards the CC centric LT scheme currently under MR is that it discriminate against Non US residents... Albeit while I recognize the need to incentivise a CC product, I really don't see why to include CC nights and points into LT requirements. It would be enough to add nights towards annual re-qualification and points in order to use for free nights. Alternatively give different qualification requirements depending domicile of account....
Dec 7, 2017, 7:34 am
#1235
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,167
My biggest objection towards the CC centric LT scheme currently under MR is that it discriminate against Non US residents... Albeit while I recognize the need to incentivise a CC product, I really don't see why to include CC nights and points into LT requirements. It would be enough to add nights towards annual re-qualification and points in order to use for free nights. Alternatively give different qualification requirements depending domicile of account....
Dec 7, 2017, 8:24 am
#1236
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,178
I’ve just switched from Accor and I’m one stay from SPG Platinum using the double credit promo (it was better than the Platinum challenge).
100% of my travel is for leisure so it’s not that easy to retain Platinum in any of the major programmes, especially when in Hong Kong, there’s no credit card to help with free nights towards status etc. So when carrying out this merger, SPG should be aware that those Plats with 25 stays probably choose SPG because of the stay requirement (Accor only has nights and points). Will they ditch this when alighting with Marriott? If they do, I suspect many members will go elsewhere - SPG seems good so far but I’ll see how things are with the 19 stays I’ve already booked in terms of how Plats are treated. However, one disadvantage for SPG in Asia is that their properties are generally more expensive than Accor and there’s a lack of budget options. But I’m willing to pay more if the programme is good. I just hope I haven’t wasted my time switching over to SPG if they end up getting rid of the stay requirement and moving towards a points-based system or a ridiculously high number of nights for Platinum. Oh and Lifetime Platinum was also a factor in moving to SPG - as I’m getting older I wanted to commit to a programme now and benefit from this. If these two things go then i may be forced to go elsewhere.
Hopefully we’ll be told the rules of engagement to requalify for 2019 before 2018 starts.
100% of my travel is for leisure so it’s not that easy to retain Platinum in any of the major programmes, especially when in Hong Kong, there’s no credit card to help with free nights towards status etc. So when carrying out this merger, SPG should be aware that those Plats with 25 stays probably choose SPG because of the stay requirement (Accor only has nights and points). Will they ditch this when alighting with Marriott? If they do, I suspect many members will go elsewhere - SPG seems good so far but I’ll see how things are with the 19 stays I’ve already booked in terms of how Plats are treated. However, one disadvantage for SPG in Asia is that their properties are generally more expensive than Accor and there’s a lack of budget options. But I’m willing to pay more if the programme is good. I just hope I haven’t wasted my time switching over to SPG if they end up getting rid of the stay requirement and moving towards a points-based system or a ridiculously high number of nights for Platinum. Oh and Lifetime Platinum was also a factor in moving to SPG - as I’m getting older I wanted to commit to a programme now and benefit from this. If these two things go then i may be forced to go elsewhere.
Hopefully we’ll be told the rules of engagement to requalify for 2019 before 2018 starts.
Dec 7, 2017, 9:04 am
#1237
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA Plat/2MM, DL Silver, UA Silver (via Marr), Marr LTT, HH Gold (via cc), Hyatt Disc
Posts: 1,039
But conversely, those MR elites were playing by the rules at the time, so to eliminate the LT nights earned under stated program rules would be hugely unfair. I assume they will tighten things up similar to what AA did in 2011 when they made their LT program 100% BIS. They left all BIS miles previously earned stand, but changed the rules for accumulation moving forward. While it does little to lessen the existing pool of LT elites, it does slow down the increases in the future and presumably, at some point, some of the "older" LT elites travel less and "consume" less of the elite benefits. I think we're starting to see this now with the elimination of roll-over nights (which, to me, were pretty silly that they added to LT nights, even though I did benefit from them) and wouldn't be surprised if LT nights get even stricter in future update announcements..
Last edited by bosman; Dec 7, 2017 at 9:48 am
Dec 7, 2017, 5:40 pm
#1238
Join Date: May 2003
Location: LCY
Programs: SQ Krisflyer, QR Privilege Club, MB LT Plt (1K+ nights thx MB)
Posts: 1,038
But conversely, those MR elites were playing by the rules at the time, so to eliminate the LT nights earned under stated program rules would be hugely unfair. I assume they will tighten things up similar to what AA did in 2011 when they made their LT program 100% BIS. They left all BIS miles previously earned stand, but changed the rules for accumulation moving forward. While it does little to lessen the existing pool of LT elites, it does slow down the increases in the future and presumably, at some point, some of the "older" LT elites travel less and "consume" less of the elite benefits. I think we're starting to see this now with the elimination of roll-over nights (which, to me, were pretty silly that they added to LT nights, even though I did benefit from them) and wouldn't be surprised if LT nights get even stricter in future update announcements..
This to facilitate the addition of MR LT nights together with SPG LT nights, obviously these needs to be apples to apples.
If the addition is not apples to apples, it would not correspond to how the tiers are defined in the new combined LT program.
What would be unfair in my opinion is to strip somebody from a already obtain status like LTG or LTP, that's why I assume that the new program will have one additional tier above platinum and that gold in the new program will be similar to SPG gold.
However LTG in MR (and in SPG) which has enough # of the new LT criteria will be "promoted" into the new higher tier
.
Dec 8, 2017, 9:48 am
#1239
Join Date: Dec 2017
Programs: Bank
Posts: 14
Can I transfer number of nights to one another?
Dec 8, 2017, 9:55 am
#1240
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
The programs are currently being operated separately, so no.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts LLC
[email protected]
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts LLC
[email protected]
Dec 9, 2017, 10:56 pm
#1241
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
Really interesting NY Times article on the merger
Can Marriott Keep Starwood’s Culture of Cool, and Its Customers?
For the Marriott-Starwood combination to succeed, top-tier loyalty program members like our writer must not flee. Here’s what would keep him in the fold.
Dec 10, 2017, 7:40 am
#1242
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Dec 10, 2017, 12:49 pm
#1243
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
Dec 10, 2017, 2:23 pm
#1244
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,167
Dec 10, 2017, 5:01 pm
#1245
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
Posts: 5,035