topic Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card? in Credit Cards

Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

quarius — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 23:32:09 GMT

I was thinking of just switching cards so i dont get hit with the annual fee but this card has the free anniversary certificate every year. What do you guys think? I rarely use the card but the free night every year upto cat 5 hotels.

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

K-in-Boston — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 23:37:49 GMT

If it has been worth it to you before, it will likely be in the future. The Cat 1-5 should be replaced with an up to 35,000 point room certificate and your earnings for spend will slightly increase in August.

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

quarius — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 23:50:34 GMT

@K-in-Boston wrote:
If it has been worth it to you before, it will likely be in the future. The Cat 1-5 should be replaced with an up to 35,000 point room certificate and your earnings for spend will slightly increase in August.

Im coming off my 2 years and would be eligible to reapply for another bonus soon for this card. I also have the SPG card as well with no annual fee. I have until May to decide before new annual fee comes in.

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

wasCB14 — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 00:16:33 GMT

@quarius wrote:
@K-in-Boston wrote:
If it has been worth it to you before, it will likely be in the future. The Cat 1-5 should be replaced with an up to 35,000 point room certificate and your earnings for spend will slightly increase in August.
Im coming off my 2 years and would be eligible to reapply for another bonus soon for this card. I also have the SPG card as well with no annual fee. I have until May to decide before new annual fee comes in.

My understanding is that SPG will get the same up-to-35k renewal night. Is this new 35k cap expected to genuinely improve the quality/location of hotels where the renewal certificate can be used? Or is some catch expected, like major category inflation?

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

K-in-Boston — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 00:37:44 GMT

As of right now, 35,000 points is a Category 7 Marriott or a Cat8 with a PointsSaver redemption. (Or enough for a low-level Ritz-Carlton.) The word from Marriott is that more hotels will cost fewer points than more points going forward in August. They’re still putting the various properties into the new Category 1-8, including Ritz-Carlton. For Marriott card holders, that should be a decent boost, and for SPG that’s additional value.

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

Peteyglad — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 11:50:26 GMT

I a in the same boat. Actually, with all the hotel card changes in the past few months I need to reevaluate mine and my wifes card portfolio to make sure we are getting the best bang for our buck.

The Marriott card for me will probably stay due to the free night and my high credit limit on it.

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

quarius — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 14:00:15 GMT

@Peteyglad wrote:
I a in the same boat. Actually, with all the hotel card changes in the past few months I need to reevaluate mine and my wifes card portfolio to make sure we are getting the best bang for our buck.

The Marriott card for me will probably stay due to the free night and my high credit limit on it.

I dont plan on cancelling it because i have a nice limit on it, I just plan on switching to a Freedom or something like that. Then maybe down the road get The Marriot card again with the nice 90k points spend bonus.

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

Peteyglad — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 14:08:40 GMT

@quarius wrote:
@Peteyglad wrote:
I a in the same boat. Actually, with all the hotel card changes in the past few months I need to reevaluate mine and my wifes card portfolio to make sure we are getting the best bang for our buck.

The Marriott card for me will probably stay due to the free night and my high credit limit on it.
I dont plan on cancelling it because i have a nice limit on it, I just plan on switching to a Freedom or something like that. Then maybe down the road get The Marriot card again with the nice 90k points spend bonus.

I don't believe you can product change it to a freedom.

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

simplynoir — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 14:16:47 GMT

@Peteyglad wrote:
@quarius wrote:
@Peteyglad wrote:
I a in the same boat. Actually, with all the hotel card changes in the past few months I need to reevaluate mine and my wifes card portfolio to make sure we are getting the best bang for our buck.

The Marriott card for me will probably stay due to the free night and my high credit limit on it.
I dont plan on cancelling it because i have a nice limit on it, I just plan on switching to a Freedom or something like that. Then maybe down the road get The Marriot card again with the nice 90k points spend bonus.
I don't believe you can product change it to a freedom.

Correct. You can't PC the Marriott card.

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

K-in-Boston — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 14:20:42 GMT

It can't be changed to one of the core products (Slate, F, FU, CS, CSP, CSR), but in thoery it should be possible to PC to either the reduced AF non-Premier Marriott Rewards card (assuming Chase didn't just stop this, no word on that yet) or upgraded to Ritz-Carlton.

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

quarius — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 15:17:49 GMT

@Peteyglad wrote:
@quarius wrote:
@Peteyglad wrote:
I a in the same boat. Actually, with all the hotel card changes in the past few months I need to reevaluate mine and my wifes card portfolio to make sure we are getting the best bang for our buck.

The Marriott card for me will probably stay due to the free night and my high credit limit on it.
I dont plan on cancelling it because i have a nice limit on it, I just plan on switching to a Freedom or something like that. Then maybe down the road get The Marriot card again with the nice 90k points spend bonus.
I don't believe you can product change it to a freedom.

Well that sucks. Now I will definately keep the card until I get more Chase cards.

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 16:08:18 GMT

I'm curious what type of room a person gets by using the "Free night" or by redeeming points? Is it not quite as good as you would get if paying in cash? For instance the room between the elevator and laundry room. lol

I recall one time years ago (company) tried to rent an undesirable room to me. This instance is what detered me from ever using "coupons" or "specials" ever again.

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

K-in-Boston — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 16:19:09 GMT

It depends on the actual property and when you are there. I’ve had some obviously upgraded rooms on redemption nights and I’ve also had the standard room that I booked with a less than desirable view. Honestly it’s a gamble, but I’ve never had a bad room per se.

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

Peteyglad — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 16:19:24 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I'm curious what type of room a person gets by using the "Free night" or by redeeming points? Is it not quite as good as you would get if paying in cash? For instance the room between the elevator and laundry room. lol

I recall one time years ago (company) tried to rent an undesirable room to me. This instance is what detered me from ever using "coupons" or "specials" ever again.

I have used points and certificate nights many times with Marriott with no issue. Maybe this is also due to the fact that I have Marriott Gold status as well. It is still not quite as nice as Hilton where you can pick your room personally.

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

Dave4fun — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 19:34:38 GMT

Same for me ..I love my Marriott VS. I have enjoyed the benefits for many years. The free annual rooms are always nice. Occasionally the view is not the best, but the room and servcie are just like normal. I appreciate you all identifying the aspects of the new programs. Special thanks to K in Boston explaining the points and certificates. I recieved emails both from Marriott and SPG and honestly I don't quite understand all of the changes. And I do have a question....I stay at Marriott and SPG but only use and have the Marriot VS card. I have reservations twice in August for a total of 12 days at SPG properties. I was planning to use my Marriott card. I was not clear on the difference in using my current Marriott VS card or do I need to get the newer version Marriott card in order to benefit from points earning at the SPG property. ???

Re: Is it worth keeping Marriot Rewards card?

K-in-Boston — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 20:01:24 GMT

@Dave4fun wrote:
Same for me ..I love my Marriott VS. I have enjoyed the benefits for many years. The free annual rooms are always nice. Occasionally the view is not the best, but the room and servcie are just like normal. I appreciate you all identifying the aspects of the new programs. Special thanks to K in Boston explaining the points and certificates. I recieved emails both from Marriott and SPG and honestly I don't quite understand all of the changes. And I do have a question....I stay at Marriott and SPG but only use and have the Marriot VS card. I have reservations twice in August for a total of 12 days at SPG properties. I was planning to use my Marriott card. I was not clear on the difference in using my current Marriott VS card or do I need to get the newer version Marriott card in order to benefit from points earning at the SPG property. ???

Your 12 days in August will earn the new Marriott points and using it there will also earn you the new Marriott points, as the cardmember agreements are all changing. Prior to August, using the SPG card is still the best way to rack up points at Marriott properties.