Marriott and Starwood Pull Off a Merged Loyalty Program That Makes Everyone Happy
Photo Credit: Marriott and Starwood made good on a promise to merge loyalty programs. The Marriott in Beijing is pictured. Flickr / Bernhard Wintersperger
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Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest: "Hold my beer"
There's a lot riding on the merged loyalty program that Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest are cooking up for later this year. Many Starwood loyalists were ready to jump ship as soon as word came that their credit card or point transfer partners were disappearing. And everyone on both sides was concerned about the value or utility of points dropping.
Amazingly, Marriott seems to have put together a combined program that doesn't send anyone running for the hills. Announced this week and covered in depth by Skift's Deanna Ting, the new program gives legacy brand autonomy to SPG and Rewards customers while pooling searchable hotels and point balances into one, combined pot. Critically, all of the perks on both sides of the table (including point transfer partners and credit card deals) have also been kept in place for the d
