- Full details were released early, click here for our thoughts
- Stream has just gone live, post is stickied. Count down timer in top right corner (7:30 mins remaining. Counting down towards 4:40EDT)
Marriott/SPG will be making an announcement at 4:30PM EDT regarding the future of the programs. There has been multiple rumors/leaks about this announcement (1, 2, 3), but this is when we will get official confirmation and clarity. Anybody can stream the event live on Facebook here. For those that can’t watch the stream, I’ll live blog the announcement on this post (for the duration of the announcement this post will be stuck to the top of the homepage) in dot point format (with the newest points first). If we get the full information before the event we will obviously just post that instead. 
live blogging a credit card announcement? now i’ve seen everything
🙂
Live stream is still going?
I have 370,000 Marriott points, should I redeem for a 7 night travel package now? Or is it safe to wait?
New program is garbage as are the credit cards. Nothing exciting about this change at all.
* They are really excited to offer 2 points per dollar on all purchases even with the super premium Amex card versus the 3 points we currently get so a 33% reduction on Marriott Rewards points on all spend starting August 01, 2018.
* Marriott Gold no longer gets lounge access (this was not a benefit of SPG Gold)
* Award nights increase in price on August 1, 2018 and then they add off-peak and peak pricing starting in 2019 with another increase in points needed for peak stays. For example, Category 5 hotels increase 10,000 point per night August 1, 2018 and then increase another 5,000 points in 2019 for Peak stays while off peak stays will still be 5,000 points higher than today.
Only new perk that is even moderately worthwhile is the old SPG Amex adds a free night up to 35,000 points which means that Category 5 hotels will not even be redeemable during peak times since they will now cost 40,000 points, so for most people a worthless certificate.
Also, they do mention that Marriott Rewards points will transfer 3 to 1 to most airlines so 60,000 points will equal 20,000 airline miles and will receive 5,000 bonus miles. So this benefit which is exactly the same as SPG’s is staying. Wondering whether partners which were not previously 1:1 will now transfer 3:1 which would be an improvement for the likes of United.
Was just starting to switch stays to Marriott and Hilton but Hilton is definitely going to be getting a majority of my stays going forward. Already was dumping IHG because of how hard it is to get any value out of their points and now Marriott/SPG will be worthless as well.
Also curious to know whether I will be Gold or Platinum since I am a member in both SPG and Marriott Rewards and linked my accounts. According to the Marriott Rewards chart it says if you have Gold status currently then you will be Platinum status come August 1, 2018 but the SPG chart says if you are SPG gold you will have Marriott Gold come August 01, 2018. My current status came from linking my SPG account to my Marriott Rewards account but am under 50 nights for the year so far.
Loss of lounge access for Gold will make me look much harder at other hotels. I get why they’re doing it (everyone and their uncle is gold), but I’m curious what the cost of lounge access is versus what their lost customers will cost them.
gold didnt get the lounge access……it came with the spg biz….????
You’re thinking Sheraton Lounge. Many unbranded premium travel cards give Marriott/SPG gold. Unless they start offering Platinum instead, this awards change is far more impactful for the recreational traveler loyal to Marriott/SPG than it appears.
Marriott Gold get but not SPG Gold.
I like your take. You should read OMAAT. He seems ecstatic about the “new” program.
here you go Doc: https://members.marriott.com/marriottrewards/
So, a 33% decrease in credit card earnings…..need to do the math & see which will hotel card will be more lucrative: Hilton (3:1 earning) or Marriot (2:1 earning) in regards to the new award charts.
say what??!! Sure hope not. I just took an SPG offer to extend the card — they kill/devalue the earnings, I may retract my acceptance of the offer.
Where’s doc’s live bloggin’ feed?
Or give up on hotels and do AirBnb
Most of this doesn’t look to bad. No big change until August so you have tons of time. SPG points to Marriott at 3:1 rate. Biggest downside is 2x instead of 3x on daily spend with current SPG cards.
TPS is claiming Ritz is 5/24. Please tell me if someone knows that this is incorrect
Can SPG still qualify by stays through 2018?
Who is TPS? You mean TPG?
Damn, gold member lose lounge access 🙁
And breakfast as well. This sucks big time,☹️
Here’s all the credit cards (new and old):
http://credit-cards.marriott.com/
Sub-links:
Marriott (Chase) – http://credit-cards.marriott.com/en-us/marriott-rewards-us
Ritz Carlton (Chase) – http://credit-cards.marriott.com/en-us/ritz-carlton-rewards
SPG (Amex) – http://credit-cards.marriott.com/en-us/starwood-preferred-guest-us