Marriott Bonvoy Is Selling Points At A Discount For The First Time Ever
It looks like Marriott has taken a further leaf out of Starwood's playbook by launching a points promotion in which it is offering Bonvoy points for sale at a 25% discount to their regular price.
Save 25% & Earn Up To 5,000 Bonus Points With Marriott In London
If you're a Marriott loyalist, are thinking of booking a stay in the UK and haven't been put off by all the nonsense Bonvoy members have been putting up with since the merger of Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (a suffering now known as 'being Bonvoyed'), you may wish to consider this offer for stays in London.
Marriott’s Loyalty Program May Soon Have An Even Bigger Image Issue
Bonvoy was a terrible name for Marriott to call the merged Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest programs and whatever they paid the company that came up with that name was too much....but that's the least of Marriott's problems right now.
NOW LIVE: Register For Marriott’s Double Take Promotion
Marriott's second promotion of the year is now open for registration although, as the first promotion was targeted, this is technically the first Marriott promotion of 2019 which is open to all Marriott Bonvoy members.
REMINDER: Last Day To Book Marriott Properties Before Tomorrow’s Category Changes
It was only in the second week of February that Marriott announced that it would be changing which hotels appear in which of its Bonvoy categories and deadline day is almost here - from tomorrow a significant number of Marriott properties will be charging more for an award night that they do today.
Marriott Bonvoy Isn’t Really Encouraging Lifetime Elites To Be Loyal
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Marriott Bonvoy Adds New Experiences & Benefits In Asia-Pacific Region
Marriott has announced that it has introduced "exclusive member benefits" across the Asia-Pacific region as it expands its Marriott Moments offering and adds kids, dining and spa benefits too.
9 Marriott Properties To Book Before 5 March 2019
Marriott recently announced its hotel category changes for 2019 which will soon see over 285 of its properties charging more for an award night than they do right now.
These hotel category changes will be effective for bookings made from 5 March 2019 onwards which means there are only 18 full days left to lock in the exiting rates at properties moving up a category....and I've selected 9 such properties which are worth a closer look.
Check Your Marriott Cash & Points Reservations – They May Be Wrong
Almost 6 months have now passed since Marriott rolled SPG into Marriott rewards in August 2018 and although some issues have finally been resolved (most people's lifetime status seems to be showing correctly in their accounts now) other issues still remain.
Marriott’s “Points Advance” Reservations Not Affected By Hotel Category Changes
As part of its loyalty program Marriott offers a benefit called “points advance” which allows guests to book award nights at Marriott properties even if they don’t have enough points in their account at the time of booking.
Marriott’s 2019 Hotel Category Changes – The Numbers
At some point on Friday afternoon Marriott quietly published a list of its properties that will be seeing the cost of an award night change for bookings made from 5 March 2019 onwards.
The fact that the news was put out on a Friday afternoon and that no emails were sent out to let members know about the upcoming changes speaks volumes but, nevertheless, I thought it would be interesting to look into the numbers behind the information we've been given.
Has Marriott Targeted You For Bonus Points Or Bonus Elite Nights?
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I Have Lifetime Status With Marriott But I May Defect To Hilton
I have been a Marriott loyalist for as long as I can remember and I recently earned the highest level of lifetime status that Marriott has on offer....but I'm seriously considering a move across to Hilton.
Has Your Marriott Lifetime Status Now Posted Correctly?
I think it's fair to say that Marriott's integration of Starwood and its Preferred Guest loyalty program has been less than smooth sailing since the two officially became one back in August 2018.
Thousands of Starwood members points failed to show correctly online, Starwood stays and nights from 2018 weren't reflected correctly in members' accounts, historic Starwood stays and nights weren't recorded correctly in members' accounts, Marriott's elite choice benefits were not selectable for weeks and Lifetime status wasn't being displayed correctly in members' account either.
Marriott Unveils Its New Loyalty Program Name – Marriott Bonvoy
It's been a poorly kept secret for some time (although a lot of us hoped it wasn't true) and today Marriott has announced that it will be renaming its new loyalty program "Marriott Bonvoy" from 13 February 2019.
Chase Is Offering Bonus Marriott Points Through 31 March 2019
Chase is sending out emails to Marriott Rewards credit card holders inviting them to register for a promotion which earns them bonus points for spending through 31 March 2019.
Based on the T&Cs of my offer it looks as if Chase is varying the promotion from person to person so, if you have a Chase Marriott Rewards credit card but haven't received an offer, I suggest checking your spam filters/folders in case it has been caught up there.
Check How Many Marriott Suite Night Awards You Have In 5 Simple Steps
Earlier today I decided that I needed to know how many Marriott Suite Night Awards I have left and I realised that I didn't automatically know where to look (although I had a pretty good idea) so, just in case any readers are ever in a similar position, here's a very quick, very basic, 5 step guide to checking how many Marriott Suite Night Awards you have left.
Marriott Bonvoy Titanium & Platinum Elite Benefit Choices – What They Are & How...
Under the loyalty program created following Marriott's takeover of Starwood Platinum and Platinum Premier Elite members are given a choice when it comes to some of the benefits they receive. In this post I'm going to take a look at what those choices are and how these elite members can select those choices online.
Marriott’s Negative Award Chart Changes Delayed (And Possibly How To Lock In Rates Even...
We've known what Marriott's final, post-merger, award chart will look like for months and we were given the impression that the more negative changes would be coming into force in a few weeks time....but now the timeline has changed.
Get Super Bowl Tickets Through Marriott/SPG Moments
Marriott & SPG Moments are bringing back a promotion that SPG offered last year in which members of Marriott's loyalty program can bid for Super Bowl and Pro Bowl tickets using their Marriott points balances.
Marriott PointSavers Awards Still Exist….But You May Not Notice Them
Marriott PointSavers are similar in many ways to the Saver Awards we see published by the airlines - they're cheaper than standard awards and aren't all that easy to find - and I have to come clean here and admit that I hadn't realised they still existed.
I hadn't noticed a PointSaver award for so long that I pretty much assumed they had been quietly enhanced away when SPG was folded into Marriott Rewards back in August.
I’ve Finally Booked A Big Ticket Marriott Redemption For Next Year
Since Marriott introduced its new award chart in August it has been possible to book awards at numerous aspirational properties around the world for just 60,000 points per night but, sadly, that's only going to be the pricing for a limited time.
The window to book these properties for 60,000 points per night will probably close on 1 January 2019 when Marriott is expected to introduce a Category 8 level into its award chart - a category into which all the aspirational properties will be placed.
This Why You Should Book ALL Your Marriott Reward Nights Before 1 January
Leaving aside the significant number of issues that still plague the Marriott/Starwood merger, the biggest changes on the horizon for Marriott Rewards members are changes coming to the award chart in 2019.
The change that most people seem to have been concentrating on so far is the one that will see top-tier properties (like the St Regis Bora Bora) moving from Category 7 to a newly created Category 8 and, as a result, they'll be charging a lot more points for a free award night.
There’s A Issue With Marriott Free Night Certificates That I Haven’t Seen Mentioned
There have been a lot of changes taking place with Marriott's loyalty program over the past few months (not least the merger of Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest) and, among those changes, we've seen the complete overhaul of the Marriott award chart and the introduction of some new credit cards.
A lot of the important changes have been discussed over and over again so most people are pretty familiar with what to expect going forward....but there's one little issue that I haven't yet seen addressed.
Here’s The Problem With Marriott’s Suite Upgrades
Before Marriott Rewards and SPG were merged Marriott didn’t officially offer its elites upgrades to suites. Very occasionally (and usually on short trips) Marriott properties have upgraded me to a suite in the past but, more often than not, the upgrades I’ve received have been to a slightly larger room on a high floor.
That’s always been fine for me as I rarely need the space that a suite offers but I know that the lack of suite upgrades has been a bugbear for some.
Those crying out for suite upgrades had their wish granted when Marriott updated its elite benefits following the merger of the Marriott Rewards and SPG loyalty programs but, now that the new rules are in place, I’m not sure guests will be getting what they may expect.
Check Your Amex Offers – Bonus Points Available On Some SPG Cards (Again)
A little over a week ago American Express published a targeted offer which allowed select holders of SPG co-branded credit cards to earn bonus points when they hit specific spending thresholds on their cards.
I hold the regular (non-premium) version of the Amex SPG co-branded credit card and my account wasn't targeted for the bonus.....but now it has suddenly appeared.
Objective Achieved: I’ve Finally Got Marriott Lifetime Platinum Status
I was slowly happily making my way towards Marriott Lifetime Platinum status before the Marriott/Starwood merger was announced but a combination of not knowing what the combined loyalty program would look like and the fact that I was reasonably close to hitting the Platinum Lifetime milestones saw me intensify my efforts.
Mark The Date: Marriott’s New Loyalty Program Starts 18 August 2018
It feels like we’ve been waiting for Marriott to complete the merger of the Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest programs for ever but at last the end is in sight. Marriott will have one unified loyalty program from 18 August 2018.
ENDS TODAY: Last Ever Chance To Buy Starpoints With A 35% Discount
Starpoints will cease to exist when Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest merge in August so this is genuinely the last chance you'll ever have to buy Starpoints at a discount. It may even be the last chance you get to buy discounted points which you can use at Marriott properties because, traditionally, Marriott doesn't offer discounted points sales.
Can’t See Your Marriott Lifetime Points? Here’s The Solution
With all the upcoming changes to Marriott Rewards I can't remember a time when I have needed to be able to track my path to lifetime status more...but Marriott apparently disagrees.
Did You Know That You Can Earn Marriott Points For Tours & Experiences?
Marriott Moments is the section of Marriott Rewards best known for allowing members to redeem their points for various experiences around the world but I recently discovered that it also allows you to earn Marriott points as well.
I’m Quietly Confident About Aspirational Marriott Award Availability
A number of people have been saying that having the likes of the St Regis Bora Bora and the St Regis Maldives Vommuli priced at 60,000 points/night is only really a good deal on paper.
In reality, they say, award availability will be very limited (due to demand) so only a few of us will be able to get the reservations we want.
I see things in a slightly different way.
Bora Bora For 60,000 Points Is A Great Deal…But Have You Considered The Other...
Last week, shortly after Marriott released details showing us what category each of it hotels will be in from August onwards, there was a small melt-down in the miles and points world.
From August through the end of the year travelers will be able to make reservations at the most aspirational hotels in the combined Marriott/SPG portfolio for just 60,000 Marriott Points (20,000 Starpoints) per night…and that’s cheap.
Marriott Announces New Hotel Categories – Book Amazing Properties from 60,000 Points
We've known about the new Marriott award chart (kicking in from 1 August 2018) for some time but it hasn't really meant all that much up until now because Marriott hadn't confirmed what categories its hotels would be placed in.
The hotelier gave us an indication of what to expect back in April but, as I noted at the time, there was quite a bit they left out.
In its examples Marriott didn't include all the properties in each city/region that it was using to explain how things would look, we weren't told how peak- and off-peak seasons would be split and there was still uncertainty over how all-suite properties would be treated.
SPG Starpoints On Sale With A 35% Discount (Again)
To the surprise of many in the miles & points world (including me) Starwood has launched another points promotion in which it's offering a discount of 35% on purchases of 5,000 points or more. This mirrors an offer we saw back in April and is the best discount Starwood has historically offered on its currency.
Why I Won’t Mourn The End Of Starwood Preferred Guest
As of August this year Starwood's loyalty program (SPG) will finally be merged with Marriott Rewards and a new program will emerge. SPG has been a very popular loyalty/rewards programs with those who chose to spend their time at Starwood properties and its passing appears to be saddening a good proportion of this group.
I'm not one of this group and I can honestly say that the passing of SPG doesn't bother me in the slightest. In fact, to some degree, I have a "good riddance" attitude towards the program.
Marriott’s Award Chart Examples (And What They Didn’t Show You)
Although Marriott released details of its new award chart at the beginning of last week it was only partially useful to those of us who care about these things because it only gave us half the information we need.
The award charts told us what categories we can expect and how much properties in each category will cost but there was no information on which properties will appear in which categories.
Now we've been given some examples.
Warning: You’re Not Going To Be Booking Bora Bora For 20,000 Starpoints
One of the things we learned last week when Marriott announced its plans for the merger of Marriott Rewards and SPG is that we can expect a short transition window between the beginning of August and the end of December.
During this time a number of Marriott Rewards and SPG features will run side by side as travelers get used to the new combined program (e.g SPG members will still be able to qualify for elite status on stays) but the major part of the transition surrounds the new Marriott award chart.
Get A 35% Discount On Starpoints Through 31 May
Starwood has launched another points promotion in which it's offering a discount of 35% on purchases of 5,000 points or more. This mirrors an offer we saw towards the end of last year and is the best discount Starwood has historically offered on its currency.
While Starpoints can be used to use to book award nights at properties in the Starwood and Marriott portfolios there are other uses that may offer better value and I'll go through those uses in this post.
Marriott/Starwood Combined Loyalty Program – Big Questions Yet To Be Answered
There's no doubt that, right now, the big miles & points news surrounds the new Marriott loyalty program that's beginning to emerge from the union of Marriott Reward and Starwood's SPG program.
I've already taken a look at the facts behind what Marriott has told us so far, I've written about the new credit cards that are on the way (and the changes coming to the existing credit card portfolio) and I've taken a look at who I think the big winners and losers are in the shake up....but there are still things we don't yet know.
Marriott’s New Loyalty Program – Winners & Losers
Earlier today I took a look at the facts behind the new loyalty program that's being born from the merger of the Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest programs but I didn't pass any comment on the changes. I also took a look at the new credit cards that are coming on line from as early as next month as well as the changes we'll be seeing to the existing credit card line up.
Now that all the facts are out of the way it's time to let a little emotion show and to take a look at who the big winners and losers are in the Marriott Rewards/SPG shake up.
Marriott & Starwood New Combined Loyalty Program – New Credit Cards Coming
Following on from my earlier post (which just covered the facts surrounding the new combined loyalty program) I'm now going to take a look at what we've been told we can expect from the new Marriott/SPG credit cards that will be coming out later this year and what changes are coming to the credit cards that are already available.
Marriott & Starwood New Combined Loyalty Program – The Facts
Marriott has finally announced almost all of the major details surrounding the new combined loyalty program that will soon be taking the place of Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG).
With so many changes on the way and with so much new information for us to absorb today will be Marriott Day on Traveling For Miles with 3 posts dedicated to everything we now know about the new combined loyalty program.
Recent Marriott/Starwood Rumors Have Given Me Two Big Dilemmas
There have been a lot of rumors floating around this week surrounding a possible announcement regarding the merger of Marriott Rewards and Starwood’s SPG program.
Almost all the rumors are very negative for Marriott and Starwood loyalists and they’ve left me with two big dilemmas on my hands.
RUMOR: Marriott Rewards/SPG Program Announcement Coming
The Points Nerd blog and View From The Wing have reported a suggestion that Marriott is set to reveal a few significant details relating to the combined Marriott Rewards/SPG rewards program in the very near future.
An announcement is expected to be made around 16 April and, supposedly, this is some of what we can expect:
Starwood’s 2Q 2018 Promotion – More Nights, More Starpoints
Starwood has followed in Marriott's footsteps and released its promotion for the second quarter of 2018....and it's just as bad as Marriott's.
Starwood's 1Q promotion offered double Starpoints after the first stay as well as a bonus 500 Starpoints when a stay included a Friday or Saturday night which, while hardly inspiring, was better than the dross Starwood has unveiled for 2Q 2018.
Sign Up For Marriott’s 2nd Quarter MegaBonus Promotion
Marriott's 1Q MegaBonus promotion is set to end on 15 April and the hotel chain has already announced the 2Q promotion that will follow it. Unsurprisingly this too is called "MegaBonus" and it starts the day after the 1Q promotion ends so there's no gap between promotions.
LAST CHANCE: Starwood’s 35% Discount On Points Purchases Ends Tomorrow
Starwood has been offering a 35% discount on the cost of Starpoints since the beginning of February but, if you haven't made the most of this promotion yet, you only have until 11:59 PM ET tomorrow (16 March) to get in on the deal.
Sometimes Starwood Doesn’t Stick To Its Own Hotel Category Changes
At the beginning of February Starwood announced its hotel category changes for 2018 that took effect from 6 March. 145 properties moved up one or more categories, 131 properties moved down one or more categories and I covered all the changes in detail here on Traveling For Miles.
Yesterday, reader Steven posted the following comment on the blog post where I analysed the changes that SPG had announced:
Contrarian View: Marriott’s Hotel Category Changes Are Not That Bad
Last week I analysed the changes Marriott announced that it would be making to its hotel categories from March 6th onwards. I concluded that the changes are clearly a net negative but I also said that I didn't think they were quite as bad as some are making them out to be.
I've now had time to take another look at the changes that are coming and I think I've found another way of looking at them.
Marriott Hotels Category Changes In Detail (2018 Edition)
Following Marriott’s hotel category moves late last week I’ve taken a closer look at the changes Marriott is putting through and pulled out some of the more interesting statistics.
I’ve taken a look at Marriott’s hotel category changes by region, by significant brand and on a holistic level to try to get a better idea of just what these changes mean and to see if they’re as bad as some are saying they are.
Are the latest Marriott hotel category changes really the “bloodbath” that some are suggesting or are they something else?
Starwood Hotel Category Changes 2018 – Analysis In Detail
Yesterday, following in the recent footsteps of IHG and Carlson Rezidor, Starwood announced its 2018 hotel category changes . I've taken a very close look at the moves Starwood has announced and pulled out the significant changes we'll be seeing in each region as well as taking a look a the changes we will be seeing within the more popular Starwood brands like St Regis, W Hotels and the Luxury Collection.
How To Make The Most Of Starwood’s 35% Discount on Starpoint Purchases
Starwood is offering a sale on Starpoints with SPG members currently eligible for a discount of 35% on the regular price. With that in mind I'm going to use this post to take a look at the various ways you can use Starpoints purchased in this promotion and offer my opinion on where the better value lies.
Why Marriott Flight And Hotel Packages Are Not Always The Best Marriott Rewards Redemptions
If you look around on the internet for tips on how to use your Marriott Rewards balance you'll be hard pushed to find a site that doesn't suggest you should use your points for a Marriott Rewards Travel package...or a "Flight & Hotel Package" as Marriott calls them. Well, as great as those redemptions can be, I'm going to offer a contrarian view.
Is It “Gauche” To Ask For A Room Upgrade You’re Entitled To?
On a recent visit to the JW Marriott Hong Kong I found myself at the front desk politely requesting a room upgrade my Platinum status entitles me to (per Marriott's own rules). I posted this fact in my review of the property and a reader commented that he agreed with my stance but that a poster on Flyertalk had said that requesting an upgrade was "gauche" (even if it's an upgrade you're entitled to).
ENDING TOMORROW: Buy Starpoints For 2.757 Cents Each
Starwood has been running its latest points promotion since early November but, if you haven't had a chance (or remembered) to top up your SPG account, tomorrow is the last day to buy Starpoints with a 35% discount of 35%.
Marriott 1Q 2018 MegaBonus Promotion Is Live – Register Now
A little earlier I wrote about Starwood's 1Q 2018 promotion so, considering they're essentially the same entity now, it's not surprising to find out that Marriott's 1Q 2018 MegaBonus promotion is live too.
I'd love to be able to tell you that Marriott's 1Q offering is significantly better than the promotion SPG has released but I can't - it may even be worse!
Starwood’s 1Q 2018 Promotion Is Live – Register Now
It's that time of the quarter where all the hotel promotion that have been running for a while are coming to and end and new ones being to appear....and Starwood has just launched its latest promotion (Great Weeks, Grand Weekends) for the first quarter of 2018.
I'm going to warn you now that you're not going to have your socks blown off with this one but, nevertheless, a promotion is a promotion and if there are bonus points to be earned that's better than nothing (just!)
Here’s How You Can Earn More SPG Starpoints
Over the past week or so I've taken a look at look the transfer partners of the four major transferable loyalty currencies - Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou, American Express Membership Rewards and Starwood's Starpoints and, as a follow up to those articles, I'm now taking a look at the best ways to earn the four transferable loyalty currencies and hopefully giving you some idea of what you can do to earn more points and to boost your balances quickly and/or frequently.
BIG NEWS: Marriott Announces New Credit Card Deal With Chase AND Amex
Marriott's takeover of Starwood threw into question the future of the hotel chain's credit card contract. Marriott has traditionally had its co-branded cards issued by Chase while Starwood has had a long association with Amex and we've been waiting to hear what the outcome of recent negotiations would be.
Now we know.
Marriott Rewards & SPG Update Guests On Merger….Kind Of….
Marriott Rewards and Starwood's SPG program put together have a LOT of members so there are quite a few people eagerly waiting to find out what's in store when the two loyalty programs merge.
Marriott Rewards members are generally more relaxed about the whole merger while SPG loyalists appear to be expecting (and anticipating) the apocalypse. I don't blame SPG loyalists for this but as someone who has never really understood the excitement that often surrounds SPG I can't say I understand the doom-mongering either.
40% Off Starwood Bookings With American Express
I fly around quite a bit and that means that sometimes I'm a bit late with the news or sometimes I may miss a small offer completely (airlines that don't offer wi-fi don't help here!)....but I have no idea how I missed this offer which appears to have been running for a while.
Buy Starpoints For 2.28 Cents & That’s A Much Better Deal Than It Sounds
Starwood has brought back an offer we last saw earlier this summer in which SPG members can buy Starpoints with a discount of 35% off the regular selling price. While SPG members can buy Starpoints to use to book award nights at upscale hotels, better uses may be to convert the Starpoints to airline miles or to convert them to Marriott Rewards points and then use those to book Flight & Hotel packages.
REMINDER: 35% Off Awards At Some of Starwood’s Most Expensive Properties
For the last couple of years (it may be longer) Starwood has run a quiet but popular promotion which sees some of the chain's most expensive properties (from an award cost point of view) reduced in price by an impressive 35%....and the promotion is still running.
Transfer Starpoints To Airlines: What Are The Options And How Should You Transfer?
This week I'm taking a look at the four major transferable rewards currencies individually and listing out the airline and, where relevant, hotel rewards programs those currencies can be transferred into. In this, the fourth and final post, I'm taking a look at Starwood's Starpoints.
Earn Up To 45,000 Marriott Rewards Points For Not Doing Very Much At All
If there's one thing that I enjoy most in the miles and points world it's the opportunity to earn points for no outlay and very little of my time. If you place a value on your time this is as close as we ever get to truly free stuff in this hobby and who doesn't like free stuff?
Postseason Baseball Tickets Coming To SPG Moments…..Including Tickets To The World Series
SPG Moments is a pretty successful innovation from Starwood in that it allows SPG members to use their points balances to purchase experiences they may not be able to purchase otherwise - they may be way too expensive to be bought with cash or tickets are simply too hard to come by. Earlier this year SPG Moments offered tickets to the US Tennis Open championships at Flushing Meadow and now it's the turn of Baseball with postseason tickets on the line.
Great Starwood To American Airlines Conversion Bonus…But You Should Probably Ignore It
Great conversion bonuses don't normally come with huge caveats attached to them but when it comes to describing any kind of conversion to American Airlines AAdvantage miles a health warning should always be attached....and in big letters too.
Starwood’s Fall 2017 Promotion Is Out – SPG Explore More
Now that Marriott owns Starwood the two are coordinating their promotions a lot more closely (to the extent that both released their fall promotions at the same time) so, after having seen the disappointing Marriott MegaBonus promotion, I was a little concerned at what Starwood would offer.
New Marriott MegaBonus Promotion – Stay Twice. Get A Free Night
Both Marriott at Starwood have released their fall promotions concurrently (not that surprising considering Marriott now owns Starwood) but both are quite different from one another. I'll discuss the Starwood promotion in another post so, for now, I'll focus on what Marriott's latest MegaBonus promotion is all about.
How To Use Starwood Starpoints For Low-Mileage Premium Cabin Travel
As I don't really visit many SPG properties my primary channel for earning Starpoints are my Amex/Starwood co-branded cards and my primary use for them is usually as a conversion to an airline's loyalty program (they convert at a 1:1 ratio into a surprising number of airline programs) - it's just one such conversion I'm going to write about today.
SPG Moments Will Offer US Open Tennis Tickets Next Week
SPG Moments is a pretty successful innovation from Starwood in that it allows SPG members to use their points balances to purchase experiences they may not be able to purchase otherwise - they may be way too expensive to be bought with cash or tickets are simply too hard to come by - now one of the year's big sporting occasions is again being offered by SPG Moments.
Why Buying Starpoints To Convert To Avios May Not the Best Deal Right Now
As I mentioned earlier today, Starwood is running a promotion through 30 June in which SPG members can purchase Starpoints with a 35% discount. Not only is that the best discount we've seen on Starpoints, but it also offers up the opportunity to generate airline miles at a very reasonable rate of 1.82 cents/mile.
In most cases 1.82 cents/mile wouldn't be a bad rate at all but, if you're looking to boost your Avios balance, using the current Starwood promotion may not be the cheapest way for you to do it.
REMINDER: Buy Starpoints From 2.28 Cents (Great For Airline Transfers)
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Marriott Platinum Upgrades: They’re Really Not Very Good
Marriott Platinum status has historically been one of the harder top-level hotel statuses to earn because, absent a status match from Starwood, it requires staying a minimum of 75 nights at Marriotts around the world (you can reduce that to 60 nights if you have a Marriott Visa card from Chase). As a result you could be forgiven for thinking that the benefits that come with Marriott Platinum status should be some of the best out there.....but they're not. One status perk in particular is nowhere near as good as it probably should be - upgrades.
Marriott Is Offering Bonus Points In The UK
Just a quick note to highlight a promotion that Marriott is currently running in the UK which allows guests to book a special weekend rate which will get them a bonus 2,000 Marriott Rewards Points & breakfast during their stay.
Starwood Launches “SPG Take Three” Summer 2017 Promotion
Starwood has launched its summer 2017 promotion - SPG Take Three - and registration is now open.
Even though SPG and Marriott rewards are not yet integrated it's interesting to see how coordinated the two programs already are - they both announced their summer 2017 promotions on the same day (I wrote about Marriott's MegaBonus Infinite Points promotion earlier today) and the promotions, while different in style, run between exactly the same dates.
Marriott Summer 2017 Promotion – MegaBonus Infinite Points – Now Live
Marriott Rewards has released details of its latest MegaBonus promotion and registration is now live on Marriott.com.
With Starwood's summer promotion also now live, with IHG's summer Accelerate promotion already up and running. with Hyatt offering double points through 30 June and with Hilton offering double points through 31 August we now know what all the major hotel chain promotions look like for the summer months.
I’ve Learned Something New About Marriott Rewards….And I Don’t Like It
Although I hold top-tier status with Marriott I don't book that many award stays with the hotel chain so what I learned may be something which has been around for a while and is quite common...or perhaps it's a rarity. I don't know. Either way I can't say I was too impressed by what I discovered.
Marriott Launches 30 Days Of Rewards Promotion
Marriott has launched a new promotion, lasting 30 days, which offers a mixture of free Marriott Rewards points, vacation packages, savings on Marriott bedding, a holiday flash sale, savings on car rentals, a cyber weekend sale and more.
Why SPG Members Should Be Pushing For Lifetime Status
Marriott's takeover of Starwood has resulted in quite a few changes for members of both Marriott Rewards and Starwood's Preferred Guest program but, while we already know what the next 14-18 months are going to look like for both programs, there's not much that we know about what the final combined rewards program will look like.
GREAT PROMOTION – Buy Airline Miles From 1.4 Cents Each
Starwood has come out with a targeted points promotion that will allow some SPG members to buy Starpoints for just 1.75 cents each.
Because of the way Starpoints can be converted in a wide variety of airline miles this means that targeted SPG members can effective buy airline miles for just 1.4 cents each!
I don't recall seeing Starwood selling points any cheaper than this and, even with my conservative valuation, this is a very nice offer if you're lucky enough to have been targeted.
Bonus Starpoints With Starwood Promotions
Starwood is running a couple of promotions right now that offer SPG members the chance to earn some bonus Starpoints. The "Suite Temptations" promotion offers discounted rates for anyone looking to book a suite at one of Starwood's worldwide properties as well as bonus Starpoints per stay and the "5,000 More Reasons to Stay" could be a nice promotion for those with a lot of hotel nights to book between now and the end of the year.
Calling All UK Marriott Rewards Members…..
American Airlines has announced a very nice promotion whereby travelers can earn 20% more miles when they convert their Marriott Rewards points to AAdvantage miles and it was while I was researching that promotion that I noticed something a little odd. I tend to use the US Marriott Rewards website so my knowledge of the UK website is limited....and that's why I'm hoping to enlist the help of any UK readers who have used Marriott's UK website to check out the Flight & Hotel packages recently.
American Airlines Offering 20% Bonus On Transfers From Marriott
American Airlines has launched a promotion that gives travelers a 20% bonus on all points transfers from Marriott Rewards to the American Airlines AAdvantage program. In itself that’s not a bad promotion but what makes it even better it that it includes points transfers via Marriott’s “Flight & Hotel” packages.
Starwood Adds 10 More Design Hotels To SPG & Some Look Fantastic!
In the past week Starwood has added 10 more Design Hotels to its Starwood Preferred Guest rewards network. 8 of the properties are found in Asia, one in Europe and one in the Middle East.
It was around this time last year that Starwood announced a plan to incorporate the Design Hotels brand into its hotel portfolio.....but with a slight twist thrown in. Unlike Starwood's other brands (W Hotels, Westin etc…) the Design Hotels continue to operate independently of Starwood and continue to be managed by their leadership team in Berlin.
The Marriott/Starwood Merger – A Marriott Platinum’s Thoughts
The Marriott/Starwood tie-up finally concluded on Friday and we got a lot more information about what Marriott and Starwood elites can expect in short-term. Marriott Rewards and SPG accounts can be merged, status matches have been made available, points can be moved between loyalty systems and customers are in a much more informed position now than they were just a few days ago. But, in the run-up to the merger completing, most of the attention has focused on the Starwood elites and how they feel about the news...so I thought I'd share what I think, as a Marriott Platinum, now that the initial dust is beginning to settle after Friday's announcements.
It’s Official! Starpoints Will Convert To Marriott Rewards At 1:3 Ratio (And A Lot...
The Marriott and Starwood merger is finally closing today and the merged entity is not wasting any time in getting information out to its customer base. Marriott has posted details of what Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) and Marriott Rewards members can begin to expect and members of both programs are already being invited to link their accounts.
Marriott & Starwood Merger – Time For A Reality Check
Now that the Chinese authorities have given their blessing to the Marriott and Starwood merger the two entities are expected to become a single company by tomorrow (Friday 23 September). In the miles and points world this is causing a lot of teeth gnashing, wailing and discontent from some areas and what can only be described as serious denial from others. While I understand the reasons for all of those emotions I think a few people need a bit of a reality check when it comes to what the future holds.
Register Now For The SPG “More For You” Promotion
Starwood has opened up registration for its fall "More For You" promotion which gives SPG members the chance to earn double or triple Starpoints on their stays. It's been over a month since the last Starwood promotion ended (SPG Triple Up) and, while that promotion wasn't bad at all, I suspect that "More For You" will work for more people.
Marriott Fall MegaBonus Promotion – Your Bonus. Your Choice.
Marriott has announced details its fall 2016 promotion and, to no one's surprise, it's called MegaBonus....just like every other Marriott promotion in recent years (originality doesn't appear to be a big priority at Marriott Rewards). The promotion runs for stays between 15 September 2016 and 15 January 2017 and registration is open now.
Did You Know? You Can Book Marriott Reward Nights Even If You’re Short Of...
One of the biggest issues that travelers can face when making plans to use their miles and points is that, quite often, they can see availability for the flight or hotel reservation they want to book but they don't yet have all the miles or points needed to make the reservation.
This issue can be avoided, to a degree, by transferring in points from other sources or by purchasing more miles or points from the airline/hotel....but what if you don't have points to transfer in and what if you don't want to pay for more points?
Marriott has the answer.
20% Bonus On Starpoint Transfers to American Airlines AAdvantage
American Airlines is offering a 20% bonus on all Starwood Starpoint transfers between 1 August and 14 September 2016.
Starpoints transfer over to American Airlines AAdvantage at a ratio of 1:1 (like they do for the majority of airline currencies) and, as always, the best value is to be had by transferring Starpoints over in multiples of 20,000.
Buy SPG Starpoints With 30% Discount
Starwood has come up with another "buy Starpoints" promotion less than 3 weeks after the last promotion ended. Last time out the promotion was targeted at those who hold one or more of the Starwood American Express credit cards and it offered a 35% discount on Starpoint purchases. This latest promotion only offers a 30% discount but it appears to be open to all SPG members.
Earn An Easy 500 Marriott Rewards Points
Marriott Rewards is offering 500 of their points to anyone who follows them on Instagram between now and 21 June 2016.
The 500 free Marriott Rewards promotion appears to be part of an effort to showcase the fact that you can now book Marriott properties through Instagram
Marriott Promotion: Earn 1,000 Frequent Flyer Miles Per Stay
It's hardly groundbreaking or likely to entice anyone into making a stay they weren't already planning on making but Marriott has opened up a new promotion. This promotion is targeted at guests who choose to collect frequent flyer miles on their Marriott stays rather than Marriott Rewards points.
Marriott Double Elite Qualifying Nights (Non-US)
If your Marriott Rewards account is based outside of the US Marriott has a surprisingly good promotion for you at the moment. For all stays between 3 June and 31 December 2016 you'll earn double Elite Qualifying nights meaning you'll have very little reason not to requalify for status in 2017.
Marriott’s Truly Uninspiring 2016 Global Promotion
Marriott has launched what it's calling its "2016 Global Promotion" and if the hotel group was trying to see just how poor a promotion they could offer then they've succeeded. As promotions go I'm not sure if I can remember any that were as uninviting, uninspiring and as unlikely to get me to participate as this one.
Marriott Trialling Rewards For Non-Staying Guests
In what may be an idea taken from Starwood's SPG program, Marriott is testing out a program for customers visiting their restaurants, bars and coffee shops but who aren't staying at their properties. The idea behind this is to reward customers who regularly visit Marriott properties for business meetings (for example) without actually booking a room.
Buy Starpoints For 2.3 Cents Each & Airline Miles From 1.8 Cents Each
Starwood and American express have launched an offer aimed at customers who hold one of the American Express SPG credit card which, coincidentally, I was discussing yesterday. The offer is for a 35% discount on Starpoint purchases though Points.com and, strangely, you don't have to use an American Express SPG card for the purchase so, unless Starwood has a way of knowing if you have the SPG Amex card, the promotion would appear to be open to everyone.
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