Should Marriott Bonvoy offer status only on spend?

[dairyfloss]

Hi AFFers - I asked this question today on the Marriott Bonvoy Insiders FB group, and await the melee that could take place following that posting... but I also wondered what this group thought, as well. Interested in your thoughts on the lack of ability to earn Marriott Bonvoy status based purely on eligible hotel spend, regardless of the number of nights stayed?

Marriott has good property coverage and quality in the region, but the nights it requires for meaningful elite status, without a double promo or similar, makes it quite hard, particularly if you are running multiple programs as many do. Most if not all of their direct competition offer an equivalent path to an equivalent status or better for between USD$5.6K & USD$20K, with an average requirement of about $11K. I created this table to show the differences:

Chain	Tier	Nights	condition	Stays	condition	Points =	Spend (USD)	@ Base Rate
Hyatt	Globalist	60 nights	OR	-		100,000	$ 20,000	5
IHG	Diamond Elite	70 nights	OR	-		120,000	$ 12,000	10
Hilton	Diamond	60 nights	OR	30 stays	OR	100,000	$ 10,000	10
Marriott	Platinum Elite	50 nights	AND	-	-	-	$ -	10
Marriott	Titanium Elite	75 nights	AND	-	-	-	$ -	10
Marriott	Ambassador Elite	100 nights	AND	-	-	-	$ 20,000	10
Accor ALL	Platinum	60 nights	OR		OR	14,000	$ 5,600
Accor ALL	Diamond	60 nights	OR		OR	26,000	$ 10,400

Here was the full post:

Interested in your thoughts on the lack of ability to earn Marriott Bonvoy status based purely on eligible hotel spend, regardless of the number of nights stayed?

When we are on vacation, we tend to choose properties in the Luxury or Premium categories, and we pay to stay in a suite, as we travel with a child, often have room service for dinner (mainly due to closeness to bed time for the kid), and we appreciate the separate bedroom, dining area and extra living space. We much prefer full-service hotels to apartments or other accommodation.

We've spent upwards of US$1,000 a night in many places (South Pacific, Asia & Europe), and so could be well over the Ambassador threshold for annual spend, but not even make Bonvoy Gold, based on the nights (well-timed promos aside). Note: there are no Elite Nights given away on credit cards in this part of the world to help supplement real nights.

Other programs give you an avenue to status via spend or equivalent points earned - e.g. Hilton Diamond @ US$10K, Accor Diamond @ EUR10.4K, IHG Diamond @ US$12K, Hyatt Globalist @ US$20K). Should Marriott Bonvoy have similar? I can't see it diluting things much if you set the right bar for Platinum/Titanium, and then perhaps leave Ambassador for the combination of both spend and nights.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[get me outta here]

It is easier for me to make say a USD10K spend than make 50 nights.

Hi AFFers - I asked this question today on the Marriott Bonvoy Insiders FB group, and await the melee that could take place following that posting... but I also wondered what this group thought, as well. Interested in your thoughts on the lack of ability to earn Marriott Bonvoy status based purely on eligible hotel spend, regardless of the number of nights stayed?

Marriott has good property coverage and quality in the region, but the nights it requires for meaningful elite status, without a double promo or similar, makes it quite hard, particularly if you are running multiple programs as many do. Most if not all of their direct competition offer an equivalent path to an equivalent status or better for between USD$5.6K & USD$20K, with an average requirement of about $11K. I created this table to show the differences:

Chain	Tier	Nights	condition	Stays	condition	Points =	Spend (USD)	@ Base Rate
Hyatt	Globalist	60 nights	OR	-		100,000	$ 20,000	5
IHG	Diamond Elite	70 nights	OR	-		120,000	$ 12,000	10
Hilton	Diamond	60 nights	OR	30 stays	OR	100,000	$ 10,000	10
Marriott	Platinum Elite	50 nights	AND	-	-	-	$ -	10
Marriott	Titanium Elite	75 nights	AND	-	-	-	$ -	10
Marriott	Ambassador Elite	100 nights	AND	-	-	-	$ 20,000	10
Accor ALL	Platinum	60 nights	OR		OR	14,000	$ 5,600
Accor ALL	Diamond	60 nights	OR		OR	26,000	$ 10,400

Here was the full post:


Cheers,
Matt.

 

[dairyfloss]

It is easier for me to make say a USD10K spend than make 50 nights.

Much easier, for us, too. Spent close to that on 6 nights at Sheraton Grand Mirage Gold Coast last time we were there!

 

[levelnine]

I feel like you're attempting to win a game that is rigged against you and unlikely to become unrigged anytime soon.

You're competing for recognition/perks with people that can get 30 elite night credits simply by holding both Marriott US Amex cards.

You're also competing with people who can earn Marriott points at far greater rates than you, which is why Marriott is on a devaluation frenzy.

I only play the hotel loyalty game when I am on the same playing field. Eg I hold an Amex Aspire to give me Hilton Diamond for free, which always makes me feel sorry for people that only get there by redirecting stays to Hilton that they wouldn't otherwise direct that way, and hold the Chase Hyatt personal and business cards to give me the same head start to Globalist that Americans get (won't quite get there this year).

 

[dairyfloss]

I feel like you're attempting to win a game that is rigged against you and unlikely to become unrigged anytime soon.

You're competing for recognition/perks with people that can get 30 elite night credits simply by holding both Marriott US Amex cards.

You're also competing with people who can earn Marriott points at far greater rates than you, which is why Marriott is on a devaluation frenzy.

I only play the hotel loyalty game when I am on the same playing field. Eg I hold an Amex Aspire to give me Hilton Diamond for free, which always makes me feel sorry for people that only get there by redirecting stays to Hilton that they wouldn't otherwise direct that way, and hold the Chase Hyatt personal and business cards to give me the same head start to Globalist that Americans get (won't quite get there this year).

Perhaps - but I'm not trying to win anything... I'm just looking to get some more value & enjoyment out of the same spend, in a program which I like. I've been Platinum/equivalent or higher with Marriott for over 6 years, but I was only able to do that with more work travel than I will do any more, combined with some rather creative double night credits activity more recently...

After one too many painful discussions with my other half along the learning curve (I never knew there was such a difference between 'ocean view & ocean front'!), we only book the room or suite we'll be happy with these days, but that doesn't mean we wouldn't like a further upgrade again, if it's going... it just means we leave very little to chance.

If I can give Marriott the same amount of revenue in 20-25 nights as the Ambassador who scrapes it in with 100, am I wrong for feeing like I should also get the same or similar status options of late checkout, free breakfast / lounge, 75% extra points, etc.? It's the same deal as flying F instead of Y - do people have to do the same amount of miles in F at 10x the price for that status? No way.

It feels like Marriott is one of the last to offer this... with all the other programs (hotel & air) offering a path via revenue.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[marks]

I think the credit promos where you get 10-15 nights credit really put the non US bonvoy member at a disadvantage.
But I haven't heard of a credit that give platinum access yet, but I might be wrong.
I get Hilton through Velocity, which I'm still preferring to use Bonvoy most of the time.

 

[dairyfloss]

I think the credit promos where you get 10-15 nights credit really put the non US bonvoy member at a disadvantage.
But I haven't heard of a credit that give platinum access yet, but I might be wrong.
I get Hilton through Velocity, which I'm still preferring to use Bonvoy most of the time.

You can get up to 30 nights head-start on U.S. cards, but it is limited to 1 'business' card and 1 personal card w/15 nights a piece. You can also get Bonvoy Platinum w/>US$75K spend on the personal card, which I'd be able to do, but it's most likely at the loss of QF points club for me, which I value for earning SCs on award J flights. I have no way of accessing the U.S. cards in any case.