Any Update on SPG + Marriott?

[BronzeTrader]

With 2018 coming, I just wonder what will happen to SPG + Marriott merger.  I'm still eligible to apply for the SPG business and family member can still apply for SPG personal.  Try to come up with a strategy since the SPG business spending is so high ($10,000 total).  And I try to avoid to open another personal card this year.

Also, I do not want to wait too long since definitely something is going to change.  I do not know how and when.  It may be the Citi + Barclay situation for American Airline.  

[K-in-Boston]

The head of Marriott Rewards confirmed that there will be no substantial changes until 2019, so we get to enjoy this wonderful gravy train of mix and match earnings and redemption for at least another year!

In June, there was an on-the-record interview by TPG, and they are hoping to announce any changes with the credit card programs by the end of this year although it’s getting close now so maybe we won’t find out until next year. Personally, I am in no rush for changes since I stay in Marriott properties but get the huge SPG earning!

I don’t really want my SPG card to become a Chase Marriott card, though. I’ll take 3 Marriott points per dollar (6 on Marriott/SPG spend) across the board over any of the points earning on the Marriott cards.

[BronzeTrader]

Contacted AmEx.  The rep is confident that both Chase + AmEx will want to work together to have a seamless SPG + Marriott + Ritz program.  So I do not expect a lot of changes coming in 2018.  

With this, I think I'm going to skip the SPG for now.  I'll want to get the business cards that I do not currently have.  

[K-in-Boston]

I would not be surprised at all to see a new card or two introduced in 2018. I think it would be nice for a lot of people if this goes the AAdvantage route with two issuers. One thing I’d really like to see is the elite stay and night credits from SPG transfer to Marriott as that could possibly help me achieve Platinum. I ran the numbers for Ritz-Carlton and I could achieve Platinum through spend, but at a tremendous loss of points earning. I’d rather have a few weeks of nice Category 9 stays for free than fewer nights with Platinum status.

While the bonus has a higher spend, the business card DOES come with Sheraton lounge access which the personal card does not, one of a few reasons why I have yet to stay in a Starwood property.

[BronzeTrader]

I just don’t know what kind of new card it can be. Both Marriott and SPG are very popular. The Ritz card has been completely folded into Marriott. But I don’t see this going to happen with SPG.

The Sheraton lounge access is nice. But there is still limited SPG properties. On our last trip to Canada, we couldn’t find any suitable SPG in upper state NY, without going to another town. So we used some Hilton points instead.

[simplynoir]

My hope is that AMEX and Chase play nice and let the programs be while introducing a one card to rule them all as well. Depending on how they handle that I would gladly get that card as well; just hoping they leave the SPG cards alone really. And the Sheraton access seems to be the only real difference between the personal and business cards but from what I read it doesn't seem to be totally worth it unless you go to a lounge internationally since the domestic ones seems to have a lot to be desired. Hoping to find out sometime in the future just to see for myself.