Minor Changes Coming to Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest in 2018

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

As previously confirmed, Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest will continue to be run independently in their current forms through the end of 2018. There will be some relatively minor tweaks to both programs, though, as outlined by Marriott this morning:

• Starpoints will never expire for SPG members with lifetime status, matching Marriott Rewards.
• Excess Marriott nights earned in 2017 will roll over to 2018, but nights earned in 2018 will expire at the end of next year.
• Marriott Rewards status buy back will be discontinued in 2018.
• SPG members will be able to earn points on Hertz rentals, as you've been able to do with Marriott Rewards.
• Marriott and SPG Platinum members will be eligible for free mid-tier Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star status.
• Marriott Platinum Premier and SPG members with ambassador service will be eligible for top-tier Hertz Gold Plus President's Circle status.

Overall, these changes, while minor, are largely positive. Many elite members likely already have Hertz Five Star status via The Platinum Card® from American Express, but some customers will benefit from this expanded partnership. Additionally, while we'd heard similar months back, it's reassuring to have Marriott reconfirm that both programs will remain intact through next year.

We still don't have details regarding the chain's co-branded credit card plans, but we've reached out for more details, given that we're expecting to learn more by the end of this year. For now, you can continue to apply for all co-branded cards, including the following:

• Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
• Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express
• Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card

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Don't forget, if you haven't already linked your Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest accounts, you can continue to do so to earn reciprocal elite status and transfer points instantly between both programs.