With great change comes great opportunities. Marriott’s new program means a lot of change, with several good and a few great opportunities…
Before April 19: Consider getting the SPG consumer card if you don’t have it already
Doctor of Credit reports a rumor that the welcome bonus for this card will be changing to $200 after $1K spend. That would be awful compared to the current welcome offer: 25K SPG points after $3K spend (the same links sometimes show up with a 30K offer). And I’ve learned from a source that the offer will be changing on or after April 19th. I don’t know whether the new offer will really be as bad as Doctor of Credit thinks, but it does seem unlikely that the new offer will be better.
Opportunity rating (Meh, Good, Very Good, or Awesome): Very Good. If you haven’t had the SPG card before, the 25K bonus is worth 75K Marriott points, and the 30K bonus is worth 90K Marriott points. That isn’t different than before but we now know that the points aren’t devaluing and we know that this may be the last chance to get a signup bonus for this card.
Before May 3rd: Consider getting the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier card if you don’t have it already.
This card is expected to become unavailable on May 3rd when Chase releases the new Marriott Rewards Premier Plus card, so consider getting this one now if you don’t already have it. Why? For this year only, the card’s 15 elite nights should be stackable with 15 nights from the Chase Marriott Business card plus 5 nights from the SPG personal card plus 5 nights from the SPG business card. You could get 40 nights total towards elite status from holding these cards alone. With 10 more nights spent in either Marriott or SPG properties, you will get Platinum status in August when the programs merge and that status will be good for the rest of 2018, all of 2019, and (probably) through February of 2020. Starting next year, though, credit card elite nights won’t stack anymore. Unfortunately this card is subject to 5/24.
| Chase's 5/24 Rule: With most Chase credit cards, Chase will not approve your application if you have opened 5 or more cards with any bank in the past 24 months. To determine your 5/24 status, see: 3 Easy Ways to Count Your 5/24 Status. The easiest option is to track all of your cards for free with Travel Freely. |
Opportunity rating (Meh, Good, Very Good, or Awesome): Good if you plan to seek elite status or are working towards lifetime status.
Before August: Spend $75K on the SPG consumer card
In August, regular spend on the SPG cards will drop in value by 1/3rd. The new Marriott SPG program in August will result in all existing SPG points tripling, but then the base earning rate for SPG cards will be only 2 Marriott points per dollar instead of the equivalent of 3 today. So spending a lot on SPG cards before August makes sense. Why $75K? In August, a new ultra-premium SPG card will be available: Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Luxury Card. Amex will likely have great upgrade offers for those who want to go from the SPG consumer card to the luxury card. And one of the features of the luxury card is Platinum status with $75K spend. The spend on your consumer card will carry over to the luxury card. This way you’ll get the equivalent of 3X Marriott points per dollar on that $75K spend and you’ll get Platinum status for the rest of 2018, all of 2019, and through Feb 2020 (most likely).
Opportunity rating (Meh, Good, Very Good, or Awesome): Very Good for those who can generate high spend easily. I know that I want to spend as much as possible on my SPG cards before August and if I can secure a year and a half of Platinum status too, I’ll take it.
Before August: Book stays with family and friends at SPG properties
SPG currently lets you earn elite nights for up to 3 rooms at a time. In the new program we’ll earn points for up to three rooms at a time, but only 1 elite night.
Opportunity rating (Meh, Good, Very Good, or Awesome): Meh. If you care about earning status through stays and you often stay with friends or family members in multiple rooms, then this is a big deal. That just seems like too narrow of a population to deserve more than a meh.
Before August: Sign up for the Ritz Carlton Rewards card
Nick detailed this trick yesterday. The current Ritz card offer is for 2 Free Tier 1-4 night stays after $4K spend. We believe that when the Marriott and SPG programs merge in August, those free nights will be usable at any property charging up to 70K points. That just happens to be all properties as long as you book before category 8 is introduced in early 2019.
Opportunity rating (Meh, Good, Very Good, or Awesome): Good. At first I thought that the opportunity sounded awesome, but then I realized that 40K SPG points would get you the same 2 nights anywhere during that same time period (since the points will triple in the new system). Plus, Chase has been shutting down the accounts of some heavy card churners who have been signing up for these cards that are not subject to 5/24. Personally, I’d rather not risk it.
August through Early 2019: Book top tier SPG properties with points
When the programs merge in August, the SPG properties that currently cost 35K Starpoints (105K Marriott) will cost only 60,000 points (20K Starpoints). That’s a huge drop in price! Nick detailed how some properties may see much more extreme bargains as well (See: The huge wins in yesterday’s Marriott announcement). In early 2019 an 8th category will be added to the new program’s award chart and peak and off-peak pricing will be added as well. At that point, many of those same properties will cost 70K (off peak), 85K (standard), or 100K (peak). All of those prices are still lower than today, but if you can lock in the August to early 2019 prices you’ll be ahead. Note that it is fine to book at the lowest prices for later stays.
Opportunity rating (Meh, Good, Very Good, or Awesome): Awesome. Some amazing properties that were previously out of reach due to their extremely high award prices will suddenly be more accessible.
Reader Suggestions
Since the big announcement on Monday, my head has been swimming with ideas. I’m sure I’ve forgotten to list some here. And I’m sure that readers have thought of their own, even better opportunities. What have you dreamt up? Comment below.
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Im trying to see if its better to book a rewards hotel stay for the end of September with SPG points now, or wait till August 1. Currently it will cost 60k SPG points, wondering if my points will multiply x3 and the hotel gets devalued per night.
If you have enough points, then book it now. In August, if the award price drops you can call and reprice it at the new award price.
The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card currently comes with Marriott Gold Membership after $10,000 annuual spend. I wonder if this card’s benefit would become Platinum(50) membership in the new program, since Marriott Gold members become Platinum(50) members in August . No one has written about this.
very good point….it hasn’t been covered by any one.
You’ll have Platinum status. That’s covered in our complete guide to the transition:
https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-spg-ritz-transition-guide/#elite
Awesome. Thank you.
Hey Greg.
I had been trying to get SPG Gold by spending 30K on my SPG Amex, hoping this would convert to Marriott Platinum come August. From what I’m hearing now though, it sounds like SPG Gold earned through spending on the SPG Amex will only convert to Marriott Gold in August. Is this your understanding?
If the above is correct, it seems like signing up for the Ritz card before August is my best bet to get Marriott Platinum in August, and should give me Platinum through early 2020. Being that you get auto Gold status in year 1, if I sign up for this card before August 1, I should get Platinum as of August 1, correct? Couple this with the ability to use my free nights at any hotel booked after August 1 through the end of 2018, this seems like an awesome way to go. What am I missing?
Thanks.
You’re not missing anything. That’s correct.
Hi Greg – did Chase already remove the 15 elite night credit for the Marriott Rewards Premier Business credit card? When I go to the Offer Details for the Marriott Business card on the Chase page there is no reference to the 15 elite nights. The Offer Details for the Marriott Rewards Premier personal card still has the reference to “15 Elite Night Credits Annually.” Thoughts? Already removed for Business card?
It is strange that they don’t list the 15 elite nights anymore, but I believe you still get them.
Do you know if there will be a way to get plat status on any business card spend? If not would you recommend picking up the personal and using it solely for business spend?
I’m guessing that Marriott will come out with a high end biz card that will allow earning Platinum through spend. For now, though, spending with the personal SPG card makes sense.
hey greg/nick.
in which post do u talk about hitting status strategy before the AUG 1 and Jan 1 cut-over? i thot it would be clearly spelled out in “Marriott Platinum Premier 75. Should I go for it?”, but it really focuses on your personal situation. which is fine, but where do you talk about the overall strategy for various situations? meaning, lets talk about qualifying for 2019/2020 status under current rules and what will happen after the cut-over.
for example, someone who has already qualified for SPG plat for all 2018/2019 until 2020 based on 25 stays. same for SPG golds. what do we need to do before Aug 1st if anything and what about before Jan 1st 2019? SPG plat should get Marriott PP until 2020.
furthermore, the new program eliminates stay-based elite qualification and has min spend for 100 night Ambassador status. so it looks like we have to gun it for the SPG status before Aug 1st right? all SPG Plats get Marriott PP right? but until when? until 2020 if we are SPG Plat by Aug1st?? and i would think people want to qualify for Ambassador status without meeting the $20,000 minimum spend requirement. so all your 40 EQN via CC may be good but for those that dont have the cards, theres a different strategy too. thats key for many i would think.
also you have a few posts on the merger announcement, but there should be one big MASTER THREAD POST to summarize all the various posts so your fans have one place to reference. that would be a huge help for us or maybe im just talking for myself.
I know that you saw the new guide, but just to follow-up here: https://frequentmiler.com/marriott-spg-ritz-transition-guide/
(I’ve added a list of all posts to that guide too)
Greg
Looks like SPG & Marriott Card will require $35,000 points in 2019 to keep Gold Elite. What about getting the Ritz Carlton card now? Only requires $10,000 per year for Gold status. Would that Status give me Marriott Gold Elite in 2019 as well?
I don’t know. Marriott hasn’t gotten back to me regarding my Ritz card questions.
Wouldn’t it also make sense to get the Marriott Rewards Premier Business Credit Card right now, especially because the business card is not subject to 5/24?
Yes
[…] a lot about different options for earning high level elite status (see this post for ideas: Marriott SPG Windows of Opportunity). The new program has three levels of meaningful elite status: Platinum 50* (requires 50 nights […]
If I apply for and obtain the Chase Marriott business card, will I receive the 15 nights credit right away (before August), or not until the card anniversary, which would be too late? I tried to read the T&C, but wasn’t clear on it–sorry. Thanks for your help!
I don’t know how soon the nights will post but you will get them this year so it will count even if they post after August
Awesome, thanks!
I have Marriott Gold through SPG Gold. If I apply for both the Chase Marriott personal and business cards, will the 30 Elite nights (15 from each Marriott card) fulfill the 25 additional nights needed to bump me to Platinum Elite in the new Marriott program?
I have a similar q, Greg. If my gold status is from cc and not dtays, can I get the platinum challenge (and stay the nights for that, of course)? Thanks so much for all this great info!
Yes, you can qualify for the platinum challenge regardless of how you got Marriott Gold status
No, simply having SPG Gold doesn’t give you any nights towards the next level of status.
Each year, I generally book a few spg properties with the excess points in my SPG account. This is usually at properties that will likely sell out at the time I’m considering to stay there, or at hotels that are rising in point cost. Once in a while, I make use of my speculative reservation. More often than not, I cancel the reservation before the cancellation deadline and the points fall back in to my account, with no harm done. I currently have a few of these reservations. Am I right in my assumption that if I cancel before August, the points refunded due to the cancellation will convert to Marriott points at 1 —> 3. However, I suppose if I cancel after August 1, the points will automatically convert to Marriott points at 1–> 2. I don’t recall this issue being discussed. What do you think?
I would fully expect to get the 1->3 conversion as you paid in Starpoints, which are worth 3 Marriott points.
There is no 1->2 “conversion”. The SPG credit card is just going to start earning 2 Marriott points per dollar instead of 1 Starpoint and your existing Starpoints balance will convert to Marriott Rewards at a rate of 1 SPG to 3 Marriott.
I hope Marriott gets this right, anyway. I’m sure there will be a lot of people in the same boat.
FrequentMiler says: “This card is expected to become unavailable on May 3rd when Chase releases the new Marriott Rewards Premier Plus card, so consider getting this one now if you don’t already have it. Why? For this year only, the card’s 15 elite nights should be stackable with 15 nights from the Chase Marriott Business card plus 5 nights from the SPG personal card plus 5 nights from the SPG business card. You could get 40 nights total towards elite status from holding these cards alone. ”
That’s not what I’m seeing, but it was what I was hoping. I have both personal and both biz cards (MR and SPG). My SPG profile reflects the posting from both the personal and biz, but my MR summary shows only 1 posting of the 15 nights. Now, I just recently got the biz card and I’m not sure what the anniversary date is for my personal (don’t weight my wallet down with that one for every day spend).
1. You sure on this one?
2. When to the MR Visa nights post? Jan 1 (like SPG AMEX) or the earlier of (a) anniversary date of the card or (b) the approval date for the card if it is a new issue?
My 30 elite nights took quite a while to show up this year (I’ve never paid attention to it in the past). Finally 15 days posted in March and then another 15 in April. I had applied for both cards in March a couple years ago, but the Biz card took much longer to get approved and to arrive. So, I think my cards have different anniversary dates and I think that the elite nights are tied to anniversary date.
Thanks Greg. I don’t see a way to tell when the nights post. On the SPG site, I see them hit but MR doesn’t show anything more than just a YTD number / lifetime number…no attribution as to source or date. I’m thinking my anniversary date is July so hopefully I’ll see them hit then. Having 40 stays toward annual status is huge! Glad I made the decision to get the biz version and jump through all of the hoops I had to in order to get it two months ago.
Looks like not only did the sign-up bonus for the SPG personal card go down today, but they also removed the 5 nights/2 stay credit. If I was approved last night, will I still get the 5 nights credit for this year? Hoping to stack with my Marriott cc 15 nights for an easy route to Platinum…
Don’t worry, even the new terms show the 5 nights / 2 stay credit for this year as long as you get the card before August 1. Specifically the terms state:
Credit For 5 Nights And 2 Stays
For accounts opened on or after August 1, 2018
This benefit is not available for Card accounts opened on or after August 1, 2018.
Thank you so much! That’s what I thought, but I couldn’t find it on the website.
Please help, I cannot figure the answer out.
If I qualify for SPG gold prior to 8/1 by way of 6 stays plus 4 nights from SPG AmEx cards. Will my new status in August be Gold or Platinum?
How long will it last for if known?
Thanks so much if anyone can answer this…
If you don’t link your SPG and Marriott accounts, then your status will be Gold. If you link your accounts before August, then you’ll have Marriott Gold and that way you’ll have new Marriott Platinum in August. You’ll be Platinum only until end of Feb 2019 then will revert to Gold.
How confident are you that we would get an upgrade offer from Amex? Also, how long would the platinum status be valid for?
It seems very likely, but I can’t promise anything