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Marriott lays off Ambassadors; top tier status may now be without dedicated agents

Aug. 29, 2020
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2 min read
Marriott
Marriott lays off Ambassadors; top tier status may now be without dedicated agents
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With hotel demand in the U.S. remaining low and leisure travel tapering off as fall approaches, it seems some temporary changes hotels made to their loyalty program to cut costs are going to become permanent.

View From the Wing reports that Marriott has laid off a number of its dedicated Ambassador agents, charged with taking care of Marriott's most valuable customers, after temporarily suspending assigned Ambassador agents back in March.

No numbers are available yet as to how many Ambassador agents have been let go. TPG requested comment from Marriott and will update this post with additional information.

Marriott had previously said elite members who stayed 100 nights in a year in addition to spending $20,000 would have the Ambassador team as a whole to help them. It seems that with the Ambassador team getting smaller, elites having a dedicated agent may not be a perk of the status moving forward.

The permanent cuts follow a series of changes this year to the Marriott Bonvoy program. In July, Marriott issued an extension to the suspension of elite benefit guarantees through September 15. But, not all changes are negative: Marriott extended elite status until Feb, 1, 2022, free night certificates through Jan. 31, 2021, and points expiration through Feb. 2021.

I find it curious Marriott would cut its best reservation agents that keep its most valuable members happy. It effectively de-incentivizes Titanium elites from becoming Ambassador elites as there's now no added bonus outside of Your24.

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It's hard to read about people continuing to lose their jobs as the impacts of COVID-19 continue for months with no end insight. According to Ambassador agent posts on LinkedIn, many of these reservation agents had over 10 years of experience and loved their job. We wish them all the best and hope they land on their feet somewhere - perhaps as a Hyatt Globalist My Concierge whose program remains intact.

Featured image by Yuriko Nakao/Getty Images.

Featured image by YURIKO NAKAO/GETTY IMAGES

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  • Solid welcome bonus

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 $6,000 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 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.