Update: We’ve heard back from Marriott regarding this website change and apparently it was an error. We sought clarification as to whether it was an error that these changes were published early or if it was just a complete error and they’ve confirmed that it was a complete error, so that’s good news.
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In the latest edition of #Bonvoyed, Marriott appears to be in the process of slashing how many points you’ll earn on future hotel stays at many of its brands.
In the past, stays at most Marriott brands earned 10 points per dollar, with only a handful earning 5 points per dollar. The latter category included Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Element, Homes & Villas and a few others.
That appears to be changing. Updates to Marriott’s website now display a sizeable increase in the brands that will only earn 5 points per dollar in the future.
An eagle-eyed member of the Frequent Miler Insiders Facebook group noticed this change today. As you can see in the screenshot above, the brands that will have its earnings halved from 10x to 5x are:
- Courtyard
- Four Points
- SpringHill Suites
- Fairfield
- AC Hotels
- Aloft
- Moxy
Those brands – along with Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites – make up a significant proportion of the Marriott portfolio. I haven’t had a chance to do the math yet, but I suspect this represents about 60%-75% of Marriott properties in the US that will now earn at half the regular rate.
That’s hugely disappointing and is just the latest step Marriott has made to make its once-popular loyalty program the butt of many a #Bonvoyed joke. It’s a strange move to make as it’s going to give people a disincentive to book paid stays at these brands, but I suppose they’re hoping that people will book stays at its other brands to earn 10x instead. Those brands still earning at the higher rate are, obviously, the brands that tend to charge much higher room rates.
Marriott hasn’t officially announced this change yet; it’s only this page of their website that’s displaying the lower earning rate. Interestingly, when opening that page in two different browser tabs I saw the new earning rates on one tab and the older rates (shown below) on the other tab.
It therefore seems like there are either caching issues with that page or Marriott is in the process of updating that page unofficially and we’re getting fleeting glimpses of upcoming changes. In the past, Marriott tended to implement devaluations in March each year. That’s no longer the case as they use dynamic pricing throughout the year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this change to earning rates will be implemented – or at least officially announced – in March. FWIW, the full terms and conditions of the Marriott Bonvoy program haven’t been updated yet to reflect the slashed earnings rates. We’re reaching out to Marriott to get clarification on these changes, so we’ll update this post once that’s received.
h/t Robert in the Frequent Miler Insiders Facebook group
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Here are two examples.
The Detroit suburb of Livonia. The Marriott is $107. The Courtyard (literally right next door) is also $107. The Fairfield a short drive away is $91.
At Detroit’s airport in Romulus, the Sheraton is $156, the Marriott is $156 and the Courtyard is $156.
At the Marriott as a platinum or higher, I’ll get (1) a choice at check-in of 1,000 points or a $10 F&B credit and (2) a second choice at check-in of 750 points or breakfast in the restaurant if the club lounge is closed.
At the Sheraton as a platinum or higher, I’ll get a choice at check-in of 1,000 points, an amenity, or breakfast in the restaurant. That’s in addition to my club lounge access (assuming it’s open).
At the Courtyard, I’ll get one choice at check-in of 500 points or a $10 F&B voucher.
At the Fairfield, I’ll get one choice at check-in of 500 points or a F&B item from the pantry.
Why would I book the Courtyard or Fairfield, especially if the number of points per dollar is cut in half?
I am in the “the explanation from Marriott makes no sense” camp.
Considering that Marriott is openly hostile to engaged loyalty members I’d say the chances of this not being implemented are around zero. Nobody actively hunts for ways to screw over loyal guests like Marriott.
Delta.
Touche.
If Marriott cuts the base earning to 5 points per dollar at brands that make up a majority of its properties within North America, it will be virtually impossible for anyone just starting out or anyone who isn’t a full-time road warrior on a large expense account to ever accumulate enough points for aspirational properties.
While Marriott’s large footprint will insulate some properties (like those in small towns and other markets with little chain competition), this could be a massive blunder because anyone who cares about points won’t stay at the limited service properties. Not only will that hurt the bottom line of owners, but it will ultimately cost corporate money.
It’s not unheard of to see Fairfields and Courtyards with nightly rates as expensive or, in some cases, more expensive than a Delta, Marriott or Sheraton. Why would you stay at a Courtyard? It would make no sense (or cents).
Although it’s been walked back this would be a huge impact if (when) it happens. Stephen is right on the money, for close to half of Marriott’s portfolio this would end up being a 50% cut in earnings rate. There are nearly as many Courtyard properties alone (~1250) as Hyatt has in its entire global portfolio (~1350). Fairfield isn’t far behind (~1150).
Since elite bonus points are a percentage of base points, those with status would be looking at an even bigger earnings rate cut – Platinums would go from 15 points per dollar to 7.5 points per dollar.
On business trips I have skipped over Element, Residence Inn, and Towneplace Suites in favor of the other properties because of the better earning rates. There’s a bit of a tradeoff as those extended stay properties tend to have bigger rooms and better breakfast offerings than Fairfield, Springhill Suites, Four Points, or Aloft. As a solo traveler I’ll consider that tradeoff, though with family the extended stay brands are nice to have (Element Albuquerque was in my top 5 hotel stays of 2024).
Without the higher earning rate I’m not sure what the draw is for most of the brands that would move down to 5 points per dollar. Moxy, AC, and Courtyard are usually at least nicer properties or have some cool factor (competing with a Hilton Garden Inn or Hyatt Centric). The bottom four have – nothing? No breakfast or worse than the extended stay brands, typically older properties, and a rate difference that is often trivial ($10 – $25 per night). RI has some older properties but most Towneplace Suites and Elements tend to built since 2000, many very recent.
Most importantly if an area gets enough travel to have a Marriott branded hotel, it will always have a Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and a few Choice and Wyndham properties nearby competing with it. Those all offer a breakfast on par or better than what the shifting down Marriott properties will and better earning rates, with comparable cash rates.
A strange move to me that would seem to drive away any business traveler staying in enough low to mid-tier properties to actually look at their reward earnings. I guess the play is to only care about the business travelers that spend all their time at full-service conference and downtown properties?
Quite often, a limited-service Courtyard is already as expensive or more expensive (in some cases) than a Marriott, Sheraton or Delta, which are nominally nicer and nominally full-service brands. This will actually hurt owners and ultimately cost Marriott revenue.
This could be great news for IHG since a Fairfield or Courtyard customer who values points and benefits will likely consider a Holiday Inn Express or Holiday Inn.
Good point. Almost all my Courtyard stays have been in suburbs or small cities where there are no competing full-service properties, or they are 20+ minutes away so as to be a bad choice for commuting to a work site. But the instances where I have seen them in close proximity I never pick the Courtyard because the price difference is minimal. Occasionally a Courtyard will be much newer and nicer than an old beat up Sheraton, but then it will end up with a rate premium to match.
Courtyards are all over the map on quality. Every Fairfield I’ve stayed in has been marginally better than a Days Inn, to the point I avoid the brand already. If the earning rate gets halved Courtyard will need to win on price alone to get me to stay there, which will virtually never happen. Just a bad idea.
I find the bedding used by Courtyard and Fairfield (same bedding) awful. The Holiday Inn Express bedding is better. Holiday Inn Express is in just about every small-town market where there the only other chain option is a Fairfield, excluding Best Western or Choice/Wyndham. In those places, I generally opt for the Holiday Inn Express.
Here’s an example. The Detroit suburb of Livonia. The Marriott is $107. The Courtyard (literally right next door) is also $107. The Fairfield a short drive away is $91. At Detroit’s airport in Romulus, the Sheraton is $156, the Marriott is $156 and the Courtyard is $156.
At the Marriott as a platinum or higher, I’ll get (1) a choice at check-in of 1,000 points or a $10 F&B credit and (2) a second choice at check-in of 750 points or breakfast in the restaurant if the club lounge is closed.
At the Sheraton as a platinum or higher, I’ll get a choice at check-in of 1,000 points, an amenity, or breakfast in the restaurant. That’s in addition to my club lounge access (assuming it’s open).
At the Courtyard, I’ll get one choice at check-in of 500 points or a $10 F&B voucher.
At the Fairfield, I’ll get one choice at check-in of 500 points or a F&B item from the pantry.
Why would I book the Courtyard or Fairfield, especially if the number of points per dollar is cut in half?
How would an error like that happen? It’s not like a web page rewrites itself. Someone with a level of authority did the change.
The persons saying this was a mistake might have plausible deniability as they may not be in a position to actually know if this is part of a long-term de-evaluation that was accidentally published. Remember, they’ve already changed the meaning of a “night” at some brands.
That “incorrect” list would basically (exactly?) mirror the list of brands that get 250 elite welcome points rather than 500 points.
Hard to imagine that their error would coincidentally exactly match what you would expect if they realigned earning rates.
The explanation is not believable. Where would this randomly generated page have come from? Was it just a spitball conversation at a meeting that ended up in the wrong hands? Was this the other alternative to the devaluation that happened last week (either we slash earn rates or we balloon burn rates)? The explanation “this was an error” is too vague.
Ouch, I thought the road warriors who stay at those brands were the program’s core segment. I already prefer Hilton brands to these Marriott ones.
Bonvoyed again ! Time to reevaluate hotel points strategy.
“Error”…….yeah that’s the ticket.
This is what’s known as a “trial balloon”
Just wait. Marriott (and the other brands) have no reason to alter their course. Wake up and smell the coffee.
Even with the walking back, I really believe that this is a change they still intend to make that was just pushed earlier than planned on accident. I already cancelled my Brilliant earlier this month, at this point I’ve shifted entirely to Hilton and Hyatt. I don’t have enough patience or enough of other peoples’ money to deal with the constant Marriot monkey business.
Agreed. More than half a dozen brands don’t end up in a different category by mistake.
LOLLLLL you published this after the alert already went out that this was a website error
Which do you think is more likely, they would go to all the effort of putting together a page for a change they’ve never planned to implement or that this was accidentally published before they were ready to release?