Marriott slowly has been releasing pieces to the Starwood merger puzzle, and we now have yet another important piece. The chain announced that the joint loyalty program would launch officially Aug. 18.
What This Means for You
It’s the end of SPG as we know it. The loyalty programs will merge into one, and there will no longer be separate award charts for the two hotel chains. Aug. 18 is when new standard redemption rates for award nights will be implemented and new elite status tiers will take effect.
Now that the Doomsday Clock is nearing midnight, make sure you do these five things before the programs fully merge.
No. 1 – Lock In Increasing Award Nights at Old Rates
About a month ago, Marriott released a new award chart for all its hotel brands, including The Ritz-Carlton, which will join the same program, and we have had time to study it. Some properties are increasing in price, and others are going down.
If you have a trip coming up, find the hotel you want to book and see if redemption rates are going up, going down or staying the same. If the rate goes up, make sure to set a reminder and book your stay before Aug. 18. You don’t want to be redeeming more miles for the same room come August, specially if you know your travel plans now.
No. 2 – Rebook Stays Decreasing in Price at Lower Rates
Technically, this step has to be completed after the programs integrate, but the gist is similar to the first to-do point. Evaluate the list of hotels and take a look at the properties decreasing in price, especially if you have made a booking prior to when the new chart was published. Once the programs officially merge, cancel your stay and rebook at the new, lower rate. You’ll save points by adjusting the booking after Aug. 18.
No. 3 – Prepare to Book Category 8 Properties at Category 7 Rates
Through the end of this calendar year, Marriott will implement seven new redemption categories. However, come 2019, another category will be introduced for the chain’s highly desired properties, which will require the most number of points to book. In comparison, we’re talking about 60,000 points per night at a Category 7 hotel vs. 85,000 points per night at a Category 8 hotel, which is a huge difference.
If you have enough points to book a long-enough stay to make it worth your while and have your eye on one of these sought-after properties, make sure to book quickly. You’re not the only one looking to redeem points at Le Méredien Bora Bora or The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, and it’ll be a feeding frenzy. You don’t want to be left out, that is if availability at these hotels actually exists.
No. 4 – Purchase Starpoints for a Luxurious Getaway
Which leads me to the next point. Keep in mind that Starpoints will be converted to the new Marriott points at a ratio of 1-to-3. So, if you almost have enough points to cover multiple award nights at one of the soon-to-be Category 8 properties, you can purchase the remaining Starpoints to book a once-in-a-lifetime stay. As always, don’t buy points just because. Make sure to crunch all the numbers before purchasing points because it isn’t a great investment in most cases, but this might be the case where it makes sense.
No. 5 – Book a Marriott Hotel + Air Package
Mariott’s Hotel + Air Packages have been a great use of Marriott Rewards points, and if you’re after value one last time, do not wait to book a seven-night stay at one of Marriott hotels, as long as you have use for a certificate.
Again, don’t do this without a plan in mind. Rather evaluate your options and see if it makes sense for you. We still do not know how the existing travel packages would translate to the new program, and I do not recommend buying one of these packages speculatively. They might be more limited than you think.
What have you done to prepare yourself for the inevitable integration of the two loyalty programs?
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