Hopefully our last post for awhile, but Marriott has released a conversion chart for those that have travel packages that aren’t attached to a reservation. The chart is as follows:
| Existing Travel Package | How Travel Packages will Convert (8/18) |
|---|---|
| Cat 1-5 (max 25k points) | Cat 1-4 (max 30k points) |
| Cat 6 (30k points) | Cat 1-4 (max 30k points) |
| Cat 7 (35k points) | Cat 5 (max 40k points) |
| Cat 8 (40k points) | Cat 5 (max 40k points) |
| Cat 9 (45k points) | Cat 6 (max 60k points) |
| Tier 1-3 (max 50k points) | Cat 6 (max 60k points) |
| Tier 4-5 (max 70k points) | Cat 7 (max 70k points) |
No packages are getting any worse from a points perspective. I guess people are still going to be mad, especially those who upgraded packages recently and will be receiving packages that are valid up to the same amount of points.
Cat 1-4 (max 30k points). I don’t understand what the max 30k points means. I have a 1 week certificate. Does that mean I can book a hotel if it’s less than 30k points each night?
Here’s the specifics….
Thanks OMAAT (one mile at a time)
Existing Travel Package certificates can be redeemed starting today
Initially Marriott said that you wouldn’t be able to redeem existing Travel Package certificates until September 18, 2018. This one month period where you couldn’t redeem was supposedly due to potential issues Marriott was worried they’d have with their new technology.
As it turns out that isn’t an issue and they’ve completed the testing necessary. As a result you’ll be able to redeem existing Travel Package certificates starting today.
Some members can get partial refunds on Travel Packages
Members who booked a Category 6, Category 8, or Tier 1-3 Travel Package can receive a one-time exchange for a package one category lower.
The reason this is being done for these categories is because in all cases you’d get the same value if you had booked a hotel that’s one category lower, so as a gesture of goodwill Marriott will refund 30,000 points per certificate for those who request it.
This one-time exchange can be requested by contacting Marriott at this link, and selecting the “packages – deals” topic.
You actually have until these certificates expire in order to exchange them, and once you do, the certificates will once again be valid for a year, so you can potentially make that work in your favor.
Trade existing certificates for points
With Marriott Travel Packages you’ve always been able to exchange your certificate for a set number of points, and this will continue to be possible for existing certificates issued prior to August 18, at the same rates as before.
Category 1-5 certificates can be traded for 45,000 points, and higher level certificates can be traded for 45,000 points plus the difference in cost between certificates.
Very Positive News from Marriott re Travel Packages.
https://onemileatatime.com/marriott-travel-packages-refunds/
Things could be worse. You could work in Marriott customer service…
So I know Marriott points are the property of Marriott, we don’t have any rights to them, blah blah blah…
But seriously, how can they enforce us not being able to upgrade or downgrade these certs after Sept. 18th? I received a 7 night certificate valid for one year and was told explicitly by the rep I could upgrade it at any time.
Regular consumers not following blogs or FT would have no idea they couldn’t upgrade later on, and it just seems like Marriott is gonna needlessly piss a lot of people off not allowing them to spend the extra points to upgrade their certs and stay at a property they want. Add to that I tried to call in and upgrade my cert to a Cat 7 on the 16th and was told their system was locked and no changes could be made (2 days before Marriott’s deadline).
Really bad news for me.
My boyfriend and I booked 27 category 6 packages for our wedding. The hotel is now category 5 and our certs are worthless.
https://www.facebook.com/Marriottrewardfraud
Share if you agree Marriott Rewards just #defrauded their customers
Why didn’t you book before the change…?
27 cat 6 packages?! That was an insane gamble not attaching them. Hope you find a decent cat 1-4 hotel. If you’re dedicated to that hotel idk if Marriott might offer (small!) refunds if you cancel a cert like they did before so you can salvage something there…
Also as the holders of what, over 3 million airline miles? look into redeeming those for the hotel. Not a great rate but maybe another option.
I had 2 free nights (tier 1-4) from the Chase Ritz card. I just checked my account and they’ve been converted to “up to 60k points” certificates.
🙁
edit: guess it’s not so bad because i can’t even find a hotel that costs 70k/night.
It would appear that your certs got temporarily upgraded from now until the end of the year as the max hotel value is 60k points
I had a 6 and 9 so balanced out.
Everyone who booked now, won in a BIG way however regardless of the tier you selected:
Massive devaluation:
Pre:
https://web.archive.org/web/20180625130744/https://marriott.com/rewards/usepoints/morepack.mi
Post:
https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/redeem/travel/packages.mi
I booked a Cat 8 Hotel + Air package a few days ago. I am disappointed they didn’t publish this weeks ago when the conversion decisions were made, or they set a trap. Let everyone rush to claim packages and then make the chart to mitigate their losses. Fair play, but lost loyalty has a cost too.
I have a 3-night stay booked at Hotel Chicago Downtown, Autograph Collection for next week. I will be calling to find out how they will address my disappointment and be canceling my reservation and book with Hilton if they give me no other options.
“No packages are getting any worse from a points perspective.”
Except a Cat 7 off peak is 50k points. Yet you can’t use a Cat 6 (max 60k points) to redeem it. So you can’t look at it from a points perspective. Marriott is trying to have it both ways.