We just heard from our contacts at Marriott, providing us an update on the progress of the integration with SPG. You can also check out our video interview from the beginning of the merger.
Last time around, we ended up doing an email interview with Marriott Rewards. This time around, I managed to have a phone interview instead Senior Vice President David Flueck (Starwood SPG) and Vice President Thom Kozik (Marriott). The purpose of the interview get an update on the recent merger between Marriott and Starwood.
Apologise for the delay. We did our best to arrange a time, but due to Michelle Bozoki’s (Vice President of Marketing at Marriott International, Canada) busy schedule, we were unable to interview her over the phone. Instead, she provided us with an email response to the questions so that there would not be a longer delay in getting back to everyone.
Marriott just launched their new Fall MegaBonus promotion on September 1st, 2016. For the first time, Marriott is allowing its members to choose how they earn their rewards points with the new Choose Your Path initiative. Members can choose to either earn up to 10,000 bonus points for every 10 stays or 5,000 bonus points after their second stay. With this new program, members can earn up to 50,000 points which can be can be redeemed for frequent flyer miles, concerts, sporting events and more.
I was previously asked what are the best hotel elite benefits. I believe that this is a strongly personal question, because it is based on personal preferences, as well as specific travels. In other words, depending on where you want to go, you may want to take advantage of a different benefit. I would not get too caught up on very specific benefits, it is always better to remain flexible and open minded to what’s available, along with customizing to specific needs.
A few updates to the hotel elite status programs means that this list is due for an update from last time. Some of the updates include: adding Le Club AccorHotels, changes to Best Western Rewards elite program, Delta Hotel and Resorts merger with Marriott, changes to the IHG Rewards Club program and changes to Wyndham Rewards.
We previously wrote an update that 22 of the former Delta Hotels have integrated with Marriott. Now, there is full integration, which also means the discontinuation of Delta Hotels’ former recognition program.
There are several hotel bonus offers occurring simultaneously just in time for your summer vacation.
Location is pretty much the biggest advantage of such hotels of an airport hotel. As you know, Canada can get pretty cold in the winter. So if you happen to have a layover in a Canadian airport and don’t feel like leaving the airport (so that you don’t have to pack a winter jacket), then these airports are the most optimal for such situations. Especially if you have a layover for 10 hours or less that goes overnight when airport lounges are closed.
It is very slim pickings for co-branded hotel loyalty program credit cards in Canada. These are only 4 credit cards left to choose from. This also means that the market is completely wide open. Unfortunately, the weak Canadian dollar is really not helping the potential for a hotel rewards program to want to enter the Canadian market.