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15 Questions About the Future of SPG and Marriott Rewards

Zach Honig

September 21, 2016 • 4 min read

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With less than 48 hours to go until the scheduled Marriott acquisition of Starwood, we still have far more questions than answers. That certainly makes sense, given that the companies have yet to join forces under one umbrella, but we're still eager to understand just what this merger means for the beloved Starwood Preferred Guest program — and Marriott Rewards.

Below, I'm including a list of 15 of our seemingly infinite list of SPG/Marriott Rewards-related questions, and we'd love to hear from you too. If we haven't addressed your question here, please leave it as a comment below — we hope to get some clarification from Starwood and Marriott just as soon as possible.

We hope Suite Night Awards are here to stay. (Pictured: a Junior Suite at the St. Regis Princeville.)

Here are 15 of the TPG team's questions — please share yours below as well!

1. When will Marriott begin the process of combining the Starwood Preferred Guest program with Marriott Rewards?

2. Will Starwood Preferred Guest disappear entirely, or will it be run alongside Marriott Rewards?

3. What will become of the Starwood Preferred Guest credit cards?

4. When will Starwood members be able to redeem points for Marriott hotels, and vice versa?

5. Will SPG Gold members be matched to Marriott Gold? And Platinum to Platinum?

6. How will points be combined? Will one Starpoint be equivalent to three Marriott Rewards points, for example?

7. Which Starwood benefits will we see integrated with the Marriott Rewards program?

8. Which SPG benefits won’t be available as part of the new Marriott Rewards program?

9. Will Starwood Platinum members be eligible for complimentary suite upgrades? Will there be any option to confirm a suite at booking, as Hyatt offers to Diamond members?

10. Will Marriott offer an “Ambassador” service, as Starwood does now?

11. How will Starwood lifetime elite members be accommodated within Marriott Rewards?

12. How will airline transfers work? Will Marriott maintain transfer agreements with all of Starwood’s existing partners?

13. Will Marriott continue offering perks with Starwood partners, such as Uber, Delta and Emirates?

14. Will Marriott be making any changes to the Ritz-Carlton program?

15. How much notice will Marriott give members before introducing any changes to either program? In other words, would an SPG member still have time to convert points to frequent-flyer miles before that benefit is changed or eliminated?

Will Starwood's fantastic Platinum benefit extend to all Marriott hotels? We want to know, too.

To recap everything that’s happened to date regarding the merger, check out these posts below:

May 1, 2015 — Rumors of IHG preparing a bid to acquire Starwood
October 28, 2015 — Starwood CEO Adam Aron mentions the possibility of a sale during an earnings call
November 16, 2015 — Marriott announces its intention to acquire Starwood
November 20, 2015 — Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson addresses questions about Marriott and SPG
January 22, 2016 — TPG chatted SPG with Marriott’s Vice President of Loyalty
February 24, 2016 — TPG shares plans to attend a Marriott loyalty forum in Los Angeles
March 14, 2016 — Starwood and Marriott acknowledge Anbang’s bid
March 18, 2016 — Starwood accepts Anbang’s bid
March 18, 2016 — Starwood CEO Tom Mangas addresses the latest acquisition news
March 21, 2016 — Marriott Outbids Anbang with Latest Offer for Starwood
March 28, 2016 — Marriott Isn’t Submitting a Higher Bid for Starwood Hotels
March 31, 2016 — Anbang Won’t Be Acquiring Starwood After All
April 19, 2016 — Marriott’s Integrating Some SPG Benefits Long Before the Merger
May 11, 2016 — Two Hotel Owners Suing Marriott and Starwood Over Upcoming Merger
August 9, 2016 — China’s Been Holding up the Starwood-Marriott Merger
September 20, 2016 — China Approves Marriott’s Acquisition of Starwood Hotels

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Pros + cons

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Cons

Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits

More details

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No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.

Pros

Valuable dining and food-related credits
Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
Multiple travel and purchase protections
No foreign transaction fees
Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)

Cons

Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
$120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.