United's New Fees, Marriott's Branded Residences and Minor Hotels' Masterbrand

Skift Daily Briefing Podcast

Listen to the day’s top travel stories in under four minutes every weekday.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, March 25. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

United Airlines announced on Monday it’s raising its credit card and lounge fees, writes Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi.

Maharishi notes United’s changes — made alongside banking partner JPMorgan Chase — include more benefits such as rideshare credits and complimentary Instacart memberships. But they’ll cost you: The United Explorer Card now has an annual fee of $150, up from $95.

As for the United Club lounge network, passengers without elite status will have to pay $750 for an annual individual membership, a $100 jump from last year. 

Maharishi reports United has seen an increase in revenue from co-branded credit cards and lounge memberships. 

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Next, Marriott International is increasing its dominance in branded residences, a sector industry analysts expect will double in less than a decade, writes Contributor Debbie Carlson.

The company currently has 142 operational properties and 138 more in development — a portfolio that has expanded by more than half since the end of 2019. While the U.S. and Canada are Marriott’s strongest markets, it’s seen its most aggressive growth in the Caribbean and Latin America. 

Carlton notes that Marriott does face fierce competition from Accor, Four Seasons, and Hilton in particular. 

Finally, Minor Hotels is unifying its eight hotel chains under a single app and developing a “masterbrand” approach, writes Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill. 

Each of the company’s brands had its own app until recently, which Global Chief Commercial Officer Ian Di Tullio described as “crazy.” All customers will soon be able to use its unified mobile app, which has quietly soft-launched in app stories. 

Di Tullio said the masterbrand strategy would make it easier for the group to add brands and cross-sell them to its existing customer database. He added Minor Hotels would also be able to unify its loyalty programs, which would allow members to access benefits across properties.