Marriott’s Three Loyalty Programs Unify

BETHESDA, MD—A new era is beginning for the more than 110 million members of Marriott International’s loyalty programs—Marriott Rewards, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG).

For the first time since Marriott acquired Starwood Hotels and Resorts in 2016, the programs now operate under one set of unified benefits and one currency spanning the entire loyalty portfolio of 29 brands and more than 6,700 participating hotels in 130 countries and territories. Members are able to earn and redeem across the entire loyalty portfolio and achieve Elite status faster with new Elite tiers. Members can now combine their separate program accounts into one at Marriott.com or SPG.com to take advantage of everything Marriott’s loyalty programs offer worldwide.

Members now earn on average 20% more points per dollar spent and have their Elite status recognized consistently at every hotel. In addition, members can now book stays throughout the portfolio on Marriott.com, SPG.com and the Marriott and SPG apps, or by contacting customer engagement centers.

Earn Points and Achieve Elite Status Faster

As a result of the unified, single-currency programs, when members combine their accounts, their points balances will also combine, ending the need to transfer points between programs. For SPG members, their SPG points balance multiplied by three. All members earn 10 points for every dollar spent at all brands except Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites and Element which earn five points per dollar spent and Marriott Executive Apartments and ExecuStay properties which earn 2.5 points per dollar spent. In addition, for 2018, nights earned at Marriott Rewards and SPG hotels will also combine, potentially helping members achieve Elite status faster. Under the unified programs, all SPG members receive a new account number to align with the Marriott Rewards system. Members with multiple program accounts can choose to combine under their preferred account. The Marriott Rewards, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) names will continue to live on until early 2019 until combining under a new brand name.

Under the unified programs, members now earn Silver Elite status after 10 nights annually, Gold Elite status after 25 nights, Platinum Elite status after 50 nights and Platinum Premier Elite status after 75 nights. All Platinum Premier members surpassing 100 nights and $20,000 annual spend will get the highest level of personalized service—the ambassador program—along with all the other benefits in that tier. Members who have achieved Lifetime status will continue to have their status recognized under the new Lifetime Elite tiers that will apply across the unified programs.

Redeem for Free Nights Easier

The unified programs introduce a new Free Night Award chart for redemptions across the entire loyalty portfolio. Nearly 70% of hotels now require the same or fewer points for a free stay than before. Further, members can save 25,000 points per night by redeeming for future category eight hotels priced in category seven until 2019, including all-suites properties. The new Free Night Award chart launched with standard pricing, adding off-peak and peak pricing in 2019.

Earn Points and Access Benefits with Co-Brand Credit Cards

This year, Marriott and its U.S. credit card partners—JPMorgan Chase and American Express—will offer new and refreshed co-branded credit cards that provide card members with more benefits across the entire loyalty portfolio. The recently launched Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Credit Card and soon-to-launch the new Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Luxury Card, launching Aug. 23, offer perks and more ways to earn points when using the cards.

The new Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Credit Card offers card members six points per dollar spent at 6,700 participating Marriott Rewards & SPG hotels, two points per dollar spent on all other purchases, an anniversary free-night award for any property up to 35,000 points, automatic Silver Elite status and path to Gold Status when spending $35,000 on purchases each year and more. Plus, in 2019, cardmembers will receive 15 Elite Night credits each calendar year.

The new Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Luxury Card will offer card members six points per dollar spent at participating SPG and Marriott Rewards hotels, three points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants and on airfare when booked directly with the airlines and two points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. Card members will also receive up to $300 in statement credits each year of card membership for eligible purchases at participating SPG and Marriott Rewards hotels, a free night award up to 50,000 points, automatic Gold Elite status, a $100 fee credit for Global Entry, Priority Pass Select membership, and more.

Members of all three loyalty programs in Canada, Japan, The United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates can also take advantage of refreshed co-branded credit cards with banking partners and new benefits offered within their respective regions.

More Travel Experiences

Members have access to the collection of nearly 120,000 experiences in 1,000 global destinations on the company’s Moments platform—Marriott Moments, Marriott Rewards Moments and SPG Moments. These range from destination tours and day trips, to exclusive member-only events.

More Benefits

All members now earn points for food and beverage, spa and other qualifying incidentals charged to their folio, rather than just the room rate. Hotels throughout the loyalty portfolio now have no blackout dates for points redemptions. Booking direct on any of Marriott’s digital and mobile channels means members can take advantage of exclusive member-only rates and free WiFi. In addition, both the Marriott and SPG apps offer mobile check-in and check-out and send members alerts when their room is ready. Members can also chat directly with hotel associates before, during and after their stays using Mobile Requests and use their smartphones as their room key at more than 1,000 hotels.