Update: People had questions about existing cards as well, so I am adding those to this post.
Marriott just announced a big suite of changes to their loyalty program that will be going into effect in August. Most interesting for us are the firm details of two new credit cards.
Contents
Chase
Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Credit Card
- Card will launch on May 3rd, 2018
- $95 annual fee
- Card earns at the following rates:
- Six Marriott rewards points per dollar spent at participating hotels
- Two points per dollar spent on all other purchases
- Anniversary free night certificate for any property up to 35,000 points
- Silver status, upgraded to gold elite status when you spend $35,000 in purchases each year
- Coming in 2019: Receive 15 nights towards elite status (you can only receive this once regardless of how many Marriott/SPG cards you have)
- Will launch with 100,000 point bonus
This is just an updated version of the Premier card. Annual fee is also increasing by $10. None ‘Plus’ version currently offers:
- $85 annual fee
- 5 Marriott points per dollar at participating hotels
- 2 Marriott points per dollar on purchased directly with the airline, and at car rental agencies & restaurants
- 1 Marriott point on all other purchases
- Anniversary free night certificate category 1-5 properties (up to 25,000 points)
Marriott Premier
This card is being discontinued in favor of the Premier Plus. Current cardholders will be given the option to upgrade to the Premier Plus. If you’re in your first year of being a card member then you won’t have to pay the annual fee difference ($10).
Marriott Premier Business
- $99 annual fee, waived first year
- Card earns at the following rates:
- Five Marriott rewards points per dollar spent at participating hotels
- Two points per dollar spent on restaurants; airline tickets purchased directly from the airline; car rental agencies; office supply stores; and internet, cable, and phone services
- One points per dollar spent on all other purchases
- 15 credits toward elite status (enough for Silver status, upgraded to gold elite status when you spend $50,000 in purchases each year)
- Anniversary free night certificate for any property up to 35,000 points
- Earn one elite night credit for every $3,000 in spend
This card seems to be worse than the Premier Plus in every way (higher annual fee, lower earning rate). I guess the benefit is you get 15 credits towards elite status plus one elite night credit for every $3,000 in spend. Putting spend on the card doesn’t make much sense though. Chase will be making changes to this card to further improve it at some stage. It’s also worth noting that this card will not be accepting applications in the future as American Express has the exclusive rights to issue business Marriott cards. Existing Chase cardholders will keep their cards.
Ritz-Carlton
- $450 annual fee
- Gold status with $10,000 in spend each year, platinum elite status when you spend $75,000 each account year
- 3 Club upgrades annualy
- $300 annual travel credit
- $100 Global Entry credit
- $100 hotel credit for any paid stays at the Ritz-Carlton of two nights or more
- Priority Pass select membership
- Premium in room internet access at participating properties.
Doesn’t really look like there are any changes to this card apart from the premium internet. It’s ridiculous this card has a $450 annual fee and still requires you to spend $10,000 to get gold status (this is apparently Gold status under the current program and will be Platinum elite under the new program. Making it less bad). Chase will be making further improvements to this card, but what they are and when we see them isn’t known currently.
American Express
Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card
- Card will launch in August
- $450 annual fee
- Card earns:
- Six Marriott rewards points per dollar spent at participating hotels
- Three points per dollar spent on airfare and at U.S. restaurants
- Two points per dollar spent on all other purchases
- Receive $300 in statement credits for on-property purchases (confirmed that the room rate will count towards this!)
- Anniversary free night award up to 50,000 points (this is a free night certificated that can be used on properties costing up to 50,000 points)
- Gold status
- Platinum Elite status after $75,000 in purchases in a calendar year
- Coming in 2019: Receive 15 nights towards elite status (you can only receive this once regardless of how many Marriott/SPG cards you have)
- Priority Pass select Membership, unlimited access for you and up to two accompanying guests
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free unlimited Boingo Wifi
- Premium in room internet access at participating properties.
- $100 fee credit for Global Entry
$450 annual fee like the Hilton Aspire card. Gold status is incredibly weak though. Surprised not to see any airline credits, but I guess the $300 on property purchase credit is more valuable than the resort credit the Aspire offers. Current SPG cardholders will also receive an upgrade offer to this card as well.
SPG Personal
- This card won’t be available for new sign ups in the future
- Anniversary free night award up to 35,000 points (this is a free night certificated that can be used on properties costing up to 35,000 points)
- $95 annual fee
- Card earns at the following rates:
- Six Marriott rewards points per dollar spent at participating hotels
- Two points per dollar spent on all other purchases
- Free unlimited Boingo Wifi
- Coming in 2019: Receive 15 nights towards elite status
- Silver status and earn gold status by making $30,000 in purchases within a calendar year (increases to $35,000 in 2019)
- Premium in room internet access at participating properties.
Big difference here is that the card will earn 2 points per $1 spent on all purchases, previously it was 1 SPG point and that translates to 3 Marriott points so this is a significant change as a lot of cardholders kept this card for that earning rate. It does come with the free anniversary night award though so that’s a plus.
SPG Business
- American Express will issue a business card, I assume it’s this same card
- Anniversary free night award up to 35,000 points (this is a free night certificated that can be used on properties costing up to 35,000 points)
- $95 annual fee
- Card earns at the following rates:
- Six Marriott rewards points per dollar spent at participating hotels
- Four Marriott rewards points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping
- Two points per dollar spent on all other purchases
- Silver status and earn gold status by making $30,000 in purchases within a calendar year (increases to $35,000 in 2019)
- Free unlimited Boingo Wifi
- Coming in 2019: Receive 15 nights towards elite status
- Premium in room internet access at participating properties
This card also gets it’s everywhere earning rate lowered and also loses Sheraton lounge access. It only has the free night certificated and a 4x category added to it.
Our Verdict
I’m not that interested in the Marriott card due to the fact that the Chase 5/24 rule will almost certainly apply to this card. The SPG card is much more interesting, I’m hoping for a nice big sign up bonus but the current listed benefits wouldn’t be enough to get me to keep the card long term. It’s also weird that the $95 annual fee card will offer 15 nights towards elite status in 2019, the same benefit that the $450 annual fee card offers.
The free night certificate on the Premier Plus isn’t actually an upgrade as 35,000 points will be required for a category five property anyway. In fact in 2019 when they add peak/off peak it will be downgrade as you’ll only be able to book a category four property during peak season. The 15 credits towards elite status is a benefit you also only get once, regardless of how many Marriott/SPG cards you have.
Given you won’t be able to get the current SPG cards in the future and the sign up bonus is devalued, I’d recommend applying soon.
