Table of Contents

A. Annual elite status (how to earn, benefits, duration, etc.) starting in August 2018
B. Lifetime elite status (how to earn, benefits, etc.) starting in August 2018 C. Redeeming points/legacy certs for award stays D. Miscellaneous program questions E. Co-branded Chase and Amex cards
A. Annual elite status (how to earn, benefits, duration, etc.) starting in August 2018

A1. Will reward bookings still count towards night credit? A2. Will night credit still be earned for booking up to 3 rooms? A3. What status will those who got Marriott Gold or Platinum via a match (linked account) from SPG Gold or Platinum have on August 1? A4. What are the details of the breakfast benefit? Is it continental or full breakfast (as a minimum)? Will Marriott properties which have a lounge that closes on the weekend still be allowed to offer no alternative breakfast benefit? A5. Will Suite Nights continue to clear 5 days out or will they be confirmed at the time of booking? A6. Can SNAs be used at all brands -- in particular, can they be used at Ritz-Carltons? If so, and if an SNA is used at a Ritz-Carlton to upgrade to a room category that includes club access or breakfast, will those features be honored despite those not being elite benefits at Ritz-Carltons? A7. Will members be able to get more than 1 SPG or Marriott card & get more than 15 nights towards elite qualifying credit in the new program? (In the past SPG members had the option to get the Personal & Business Amex & get a maximum total of 10 nights elite credit towards the qualifying year.) A8. If one upgrades this year to the new Amex Premium Card will all of 2018 spend count for Platinum status? A9. Will those who meet either the 75 or 100 night criteria in 2018 still be eligible for the Your24 & Ambassador benefit, respectively, for the remainder of 2018 and for the 2019 year even if they don't achieve the new $20K spend requirement? If so, what is the deadline for meeting these criteria - August 1 or December 31? A10. Will those who got Marriott Platinum via a status challenge this year (supposedly valid till Feb 2020) be switched to Platinum Elite or Platinum Premier Elite on August 1? A11. Does Platinum status via a successful status challenge in 2018, which is supposedly valid till Feb 2020 (see A10), remain in force throughout 2019, or will 2019 status now depend solely on actual nights stayed in 2018? A12. Will SPG Platinum members still have lounge access at Sheraton/Le Meridien/Westin Resorts properties that have a lounge? A13. If I had 69 SPG nights last year and 10 Marriott nights, on August 1, will my status be Platinum Elite Premier recognizing my total stays? A14. Can unused SPG SNA's be used after August and can they be used on Marriott brands? A15. Will members receive new Suite Night Awards in August when the programs are combined? A16. Will members receive new SNA's when they qualify for 2019? A17. Will meetings booked under the merged program's Rewarding Events still receive 10 elite nights credit for all meetings, or only the first?

B. Lifetime elite status (how to earn, benefits, etc.) starting in August 2018

B1. Will members be able to earn LT status under the criteria of the previous SPG and Marriott programs until 31-Dec-2018? B2. Will a member who has been SPG Gold/Platinum for 7 years and has more than 250 combined nights between SPG and MR be LT Silver in the new program? B3. Will a member who has been SPG Gold/Platinum for 7 years and has 200 combined nights between SPG and MR be LT Gold if s/he reaches 400 nights after 2018? B4. What types of years of status count toward the lifetime levels in the new program? (Does old Marriott/Ritz Gold earned through a Marriott credit card or Ritz-Carlton credit card count? If not, does old Marriott/Ritz Platinum earned through spending $75K on the Ritz-Carlton credit card count? Going forward will spending $75K in a year on the new Amex Premium card count as a year of earned Platinum status for the lifetime status requirement?)[INDENT]

• The Marriott FAQ offers this explanation for how past elite years will count toward the new lifetime levels:
  Quote:

  We are keeping members “whole” in the applicable night tier in which they earned their Elite status.
  
  Example: If a member has 4 years of Elite status at the 50 night level (Gold Elite status) they will be counted in August and beyond as 4 years at the new 50 night level (Platinum Elite status). Only the names of the levels are changing. How we account for tenure is not changing.
  Past years at applicable Marriott Rewards and Ritz-Carlton Rewards Elite Night levels will be counted in the following way:
  
  Previous Member Level New Member Tenure Level
  Years at Silver Elite (10 nights) Years count as Silver Elite
  Years at Gold Elite (50 nights) Years count as Platinum Elite
  Years at Platinum Elite (75 nights) Years count as Platinum Elite
  Years at Platinum Premier Elite (unpublished) Years count as Platinum Elite
  
  Past years in SPG Elite levels will be counted in the following way:
  Previous Member Level New Member Tenure Level
  Years at Gold Preferred (25 nights) Years count as Gold Elite
  Years at Platinum Preferred (50/75/100 nights) Years count as Platinum Elite"
  
  The years that members achieved Elite status due to credit cards will count towards Lifetime status. <added by Starwood Lurker 18May18>

B5. Do we have until December 31, 2018, or only August 1 to qualify as lifetime platinum in the current Marriott Rewards program to be grandfathered into Lifetime Platinum Premier? B6. Will Marriott be expanding their policy for awarding Lifetime Platinum Premier (LTPP) status to cover additional scenarios?
FTers have asked that coverage be extended as follows:

1. SPG LTP with the Marriott equivalent of 750 SPG nights + and 2M after conversion points
   No. Please note that SPG does not count lifetime points. They have history on Lifetime nights and years at Elite status. <added by Starwood Lurker 18May18>
2. SPG members with a combined 750 SPG nights + 2M after conversion, but not yet LTP (e.g. 10 Platinum years)
   No. Please note that SPG does not count lifetime points. They have history on Lifetime nights and years at Elite status. <added by Starwood Lurker 18May18>
3. Case (a) or (b) but using both combined SPG + Marriott nights and points to determine the 750 night / 2M points threshold
   No. Please note that SPG does not count lifetime Starpoints. SPG has history on Lifetime nights and years at Elite status. Therefore, it would not be possible to add lifetime Starpoints to your total of MR/RCR points to reach the 2MM threshold. <added by Starwood Lurker 20Jun18>
4. Members with 750 combined nights and 10 years PLT across both programs.
   Legacy SPG members OR Legacy MR/RCR members who have 750 nights and 10 years of Platinum Status prior to 12/31/18 will be grandfathered into the new Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite Status. <added by Starwood Lurker 18May18>
5. If any of the above apply do members need to have Marriott accounts and have them linked prior to August 1st?
   The sooner you link, the sooner you can receive the benefits of status matching and transferring points across the programs. Starting in August, you will be notified to combine your accounts into a single account with one number, one status and one points balance. <added by Starwood Lurker 20Jun18 >
6. On August 1 when nights from SPG ie 700 are combined with nights from Marriott ie 300 will the total combined nights 1,000 make that member LTPP or does the member have to have 750 nights separately in one or the other program on August 1st? Can a member still achieves LTPP by Dec 31 by the same procedure either combining nights between SPG and Marriott to reach 750 nights or can they only earn by 750 nights separately in either Program?
   When a member merges their accounts in August, a current SPG Lifetime Platinum Preferred member would already have at least 10 years at Platinum Preferred status, thus they would only need to have at least 750 combined Lifetime nights to receive Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite Status, for which the combination of accounts adding up to 1,000 nights would qualify.<added by Starwood Lurker 18May18>
7. SPG members fulfilling the equivalent Marriott LTPP criteria of 750 SPG nights and 2M after conversion of SPG points to MR points (i.e 666 667 SPG points) but without enough years to qualify based on years.
   No. Please note that SPG does not count lifetime points. They have history on Lifetime nights and years at Elite status only, so lifetime points in SPG is not a factor. <added by Starwood Lurker 18May18>

B7. How does a member determine their total number of elite years? B8. Do Marriott members with 2MM uncombined lifetime MR points and with 750 combined lifetime MR nights and lifetime SPG nights qualify for LTPP?

B9. After August, 2018, will Marriott Rewards members continue to accrue lifetime points in the same way they always have towards lifetime status until December 31, 2018?

B10. Do years of Gold in the legacy MR program count as a year of Platinum in the calculation for LTPP? C. Redeeming points/legacy certs for award stays

C1. When will properties be mapped to the new award categories? C2. Will awards for rooms booked with points be capacity-controlled? Currently SPG members can book any available standard room with points if the hotel is not sold out. Marriott is highly capacity controlled. C3. Will the 5th night be free when redeeming points at any category now? C4. Will C&P still be available? If so, when can we expect to see the new chart? C5. How will existing Chase category-5 certificates be handled after the realignment of categories? C6. Will existing SPG award reservations be honored at the same rate after August 1? C7. If a member cancels an SPG award reservation after August 1, how many points will be refunded? D. Miscellaneous program questions

D1. Will SPG or Marriott best rate guarantee terms be used in the combined program, particularly with respect to rate type? D2. Will transfers from Amex MR maintain their existing 2:1 (future 2:3) for UK members, and 3:1 (future 1:1) for US members? D3. Will members be able to transfer points to other members? If so, under what circumstances? D4. Will we be able to keep our SPG acct number? Or will we be forced to use our Marriott Rewards number after Aug 1st? Or... will we be issued an entirely new account number? D5. What will be the points expiration policy in the new combined loyalty program? Will point purchases or other point transfer transactions count toward account activity if no account activity triggers points expiration? D6. Will Starpoints earned through Vistana Signature Experiences property be converted to the new program on August 1? The current T&C of the ability to transfer SPG Starpoints to Marriott Reward Points state "Starpoints earned through an interest in a Vistana™ Signature Experiences property, and Rewards Points earned through an interest in a Marriott Vacation Club® property cannot be transferred between the Programs." D7. Will the SPG Cravings discount be available beyond Aug 1? If yes, any chance it might be expanded to include Marriott properties? [ E. Co-branded Chase and Amex cards

E1. Will Chase or Amex prorate the annual fee upon canceling a credit card due to the new changes? E2. Will the ability to earn 1 elite night per $3K spent on the current Chase Marriott card remain available for people who continue to hold that card?

E3. If the Starwood Amex annual fee is billed in the last week of July, the free night benefit won't be awarded until July 2019. Will Amex offer to add the equivalent in points as compensation?
====================

Stay tuned! We’re still working to get you answers to these ones:

1. Can SNAs be used at all brands -- in particular, can they be used at Ritz-Carltons? If so, and if an SNA is used at a Ritz-Carlton to upgrade to a room category that includes club access or breakfast, will those features be honored despite those not being elite benefits at Ritz-Carltons? {answered as A6 above}

2. If SPG member who has been 7 years Elite Gold/Platinum and the combine nights between SPG and MR more than 250 nights, does this mean the member will be LT Silver in the new program? {answered as B2 above}

3. Can you confirm the details of what types of years of status count toward the new Lifetime Platinum calculation? Years of SPG Platinum definitely count. Do years of old Marriott Gold (50 nights) count toward the new Lifetime Platinum Elite requirement? If so, does old Marriott/Ritz Gold earned through a Marriott credit card or Ritz-Carlton credit card count? If not, does old Marriott/Ritz Platinum earned through spending $75K on the Ritz-Carlton credit card count? Going forward will spending $75K in a year on the new Amex Premium card count as a year of earned Platinum status for the lifetime status requirement? {answered as B4 above}

4. Will SPG or Marriott best rate guarantee terms be used in the combined program, particularly with respect to rate type? {answered as D1 above}

5. Will C&P still be available? If so then when can we expect to see the new chart? (chart question is already answered elsewhere) {answered as C4 above}

6. Why does master statement point accumulation records only go back to 2003 although I was in program since 1999? Does Starwood know our total point accumulation?

7. A <75 PLT from 2017 will be mapped as a PLT50, not a PLT75, regardless of 2017 Marriott nights, correct?
8. What will happen with SET codes when my SPG and MR accounts are combined?

9. Will Sheraton lounges continue to be required to be open 7 days/week? 10. Question on the "floater certificates" being canceled and points redeposited into the account on Aug 1st. Does this include outstanding Marriott Travel packages here: Flight and Hotel Packages Marriott Hotel Packages
11. If I have credit card free night certificate and want to stay in hotel which requires more than 35K points, can I use my own points to make up the difference? This would be very useful as there often no hotels at a given location that are available for low amount of points. 12. Under the new points-based (versus category-based) credit card free night certificates, can two or more valid certificates in the same account can be combined for stays at properties that require more than 35K points?

13. How many Make a Green Choice points will be awarded per night after August ?
14. Will the NEW SNAs earned under the COMBINED program continue to function like the current SPG SNAs in that the (Plat50+) elite can designate (currently by checking boxes) the specific suite/room categories for which the SNA-supported upgrade is requested? Or is the hotel free to confirm an upgrade to any standard suite or select premium room and claim that the SNA has been used? In addition, will the SNA-supported upgrade be required to confirm an upgrade to the best available standard suite on the list which was checked if the property permits use of SNAs for more than one suite category? 15. When will multiple stay/night credit for up to 3 rooms stop counting for legacy SPG members? Is it August or January? If August, will reservations made prior to August still count?
16. What will happen to Cat. 1-5 free night certs chosen as SPG50 requalify amenity both for requal in in 2017 and 1st half of 2018?

17. Does the "If you earned status in both programs in the same year, you will get credit toward lifetime status for both" rule apply to 2018? [Example: staying 75+ nights in current Marriott hotels plus completing 25+ stays in current SPG hotels - will this earn two years toward Lifetime Platinum status? 18. In August, we can combine our Marriott and SPG accounts to have one joint account and two sets of accumulated nights working together towards elite status for the upcoming year. However, we also have until January 1st, 2019 to keep earning status as usual in either the MR and SPG legacy programs as they stand before they fully become one in 2019. My question is: if I combine accounts in August to have one points balance and one set of nights, can I still keep plugging along with my SPG account and make my elite magic happen there [i.e. earn 100 SPG-only nights and earn Ambassador status]? Or does combining accounts mean I only play by the rules of the new program? If that's the case, then I won't combine accounts until they force-merge in 2019 and just keep doing my thing with SPG.
19. This didn't get a decent response from the Lurkers via e-mail [namely the copy-paste 'visit [url]http://members.marriott.com/ for more info' response] the first time I reached out to them and I have yet to receive a response based on the second e-mail I sent last week, so: I'm on track to make the 250 lifetime night requirement for SPG LT Gold in the first half of this year. I also have four+ years of elite status. I know SPG LTG will translate into LTG in the new program. Since I don't know when the annual cut-off is for the elite year calculation is/when I first started making status, will I be able to make LTG under SPG and have it translate over to LTG in the new program, or am I stuffed and will just be a LT Silver under the new scheme?
20. Will the SPG50 rate, or some other form of it, continue in the new program?

21. Can Marriott Gift Cards and Marriott eCards be used at SPG properties beginning August 1? If not, when will they be accepted?
22. Will incidentals (food, drinks, etc.) earn points at all (or some) brands in the new program? Will the amount of money spent on those items also count towards the 20,000$ annual spending requirement to reach PP with ambassador status?
23. Does the $10 USD breakfast credit when restaurant not available apply to both guests staying in the room? i.e. $20 USD if 2 guests 24. Will the Platinum amenity when a resort fee is not waived still be offered like in the SPG program? This wasn't done all that well prior, would be great just to have a set $ or % credit.

25. Will the free access to gym facilities for Platinums for properties that charge for it staying in place?

26. Will SPG instant awards still be available?

27. Does Marriott Gold status obtained via RewardsPlus status match from United count as a year of Platinum status in the new combined program (as legacy MR Gold is Platinum in the new program)?

28. As an SPG LTP with more than 10 years platinum, I'd like to confirm that my 563 SPG lifetime nights will combine with my 278 lifetime Marriott nights sometime in 2018 to grant me MR LTPP. Is this correct? If so, when (Aug 1st or Jan 1, 2019) will it happen? 29. Old SPG doesn't award any points or night credit for stays in excess of 90 nights. Old MR has no such restriction. Will the new program?

30. If a member currently has 750+ nights, 8 years Platinum, and uses 2018 to qualify for a 9th year of Platinum under legacy SPG rules (25 stays or 50 nights), and a 10th year of Platinum under MR rules - does one need 75 nights (legacy MR Plat) or 50 nights (new MR Plat) to achieve that 10th year and thus achieve LTPP?

31. How will eligible spend be defined for the $20,000 requirement for PPwithAmbassador? In particular, will spending on room rates at brands such as Residence Inn, TownPlace Suites, and element hotels that earn points at only half of the normal rate (in the MR and new combined program, 5 rather than 10 points before points due to elite status or credit cards are added) fully count at 100% of the room price (before taxes, resort fees, etc.)?
32. Your24 is an earned benefit for Plat-75 through Feb 19, but will be pulled by the end of July. What happens to already approved Your24 stays a Plat-75 has booked between August 18 and Feb 19?

33. After the programs combine does Marriott plan to keep the valuable “Starwood Lurker” on Flyertalk? 34. For SPG members that want to achieve two Platinum years in 2018 (first via 25 stays / 50 nights with SPG), how can they ensure the Marriott Platinum year is counted towards LTPP qualification. a) Is it 50 nights or 75 Marriott Reward nights b) after August 1st, do they have to restrict themselves to just legacy Marriott properties if using their Rewards accounts if systems are 'merging'.

35. Could you further clarify this new update on the refund of the Marriott Travel Package Cert, as to how the refund points are calculated? Reason this is in need of clarification is, currently if a member decides to refund the cert, the points returned on a Cat 1 to 5 is only 45,000 pts, not even enough for 2 Cat 5 nights at current charts.

36. If I have an award booking for later than July 2018 and when the program merged, the redemption rate for this booking drops, could I just call to have the rate adjusted or do I have to cancel and book again to get the lower rate? In that case, what would happen if there is no redemption available anymore? Would it be possible to get the same room as booked previously or the only choice would be to keep the redemption at the former, higher rate? 37. I have 800 Lifetime SPG nights with 9 years of SPG Platinum elite status. Can you confirm that I can still earn the 10th year of SPG Platinum (and therefore SPG Lifetime Platinum/ Lifetime Plat Premier Status in new program) using the 25 stay criteria and I have until Dec 31 2018 to do so? 38. Please clarify whether this means that Chase Marriott Visa Cat 1-5 floater certificates will be converted into actual points or whether they will be converted into points-based free night certificates. Thanks.

39. Upon achieving Platinum and Platinum Premier, members will be given the option to select 5 Suite Night Awards or a "gift option." Would you clarify what that gift option will be?
40. Will Hotel and Flight Package still be available?
41. I received an email update from MAR identifying that breakfast will be provided for PLAT members but at the end it says EXCLUDES RESORTS? Please confirm where breakfast is available for PLAT members?

42. On August 01 will it be the responsibility of the member to combine accounts or will this automatically happen? For example: If a person has 15 nights already with SPG and 4 nights with MAR how will this be combined? My thought process would be my 15 nights would be carried over to my new account and moving forward from August 01 ALL nights whether at SPG or MAR will go towards my PLAT threshold including my 15 nights already completed?
43. I'm afraid this may have gotten lost above. Regarding "Marriott Travel Packages being cancelled and converted to equivalent points, credited to the member's account for future redemption”; Can you clarify how the equivalent points will be calculated? 44. Is the new combined program keeping the Z*H and Z*R rate plans, even if under a different coding?

45. Do years of status achieved through "road to" status, status challenges, status matches, soft-landings, and buy-backs under the legacy programs count as years of status for purposes of achieving lifetime status in the new program? 46. According to SPG rules on point buy/gifting, "30,000 Starpoints per account per calendar year, whether purchased by the member him/herself or received as a gift from another member. If your purchase for another account exceeds that account’s 30,000 Starpoint purchase/gift maximum, the recipient will not be able to receive any Starpoints until the next calendar year. There are no refunds in these instances." So how will this work if someone gifts me starpoints and I already hit the max? With starpoints going away Aug 1, how will you receive next calendar year?

47. What is the definition of a "floater certificate"?

NO MORE QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATION REQUESTS ARE BEING PASSED ON TO THE LOYALTY TEAM FROM THIS WIKI AFTER JUNE 20, 2018. WE ARE STILL AWAITING ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS 16 & 32. <ADDED BY STARWOOD LURKER 21JUN18>