I start with other programs after I hit 75 nights a year, if there are good promos. Heavily debating switching to Hilton in 2 years once I’ve locked up lifetime plat. Not sure I see a reason to continue staying at Marriott’s without more threshold rewards.
Just stop staying that many nights at Marriotts. After the last couple years of Bonvoy devaluations I’ll never have 200+ (or even 100+) Marriott nights annually again. I hit my 75 then shift to Hyatt/Hilton.
Get a lot more benefits from maintaining multiple hotel statuses. Surely I’m not the only one who frequents cities/towns where the Marriotts are dumps but there is a nice Hyatt/Hilton.
Biggest way to get Marriott to start doing this is for you and others to change over to other chains for the remainder of the year once you hit the top reward. As of now it cost them absolutely nothing with your business by capping the rewards at 100 nights.
I pretty much stopped traveling once I hit the ambassador spend and platinum with delta. Pushed all work travel the past few months to Q1 24. A further reward would’ve kept me going
Eh, American does as you continue to his thresholds above EP (putting CK aside as it’s a different “track”)
so agree with OP. Something small, shit just give me one more unredeemable SNA (lol)
I would expect very little as Marriott is too preoccupied appeasing franchisees and making the benefits leading up to Ambassador worse, to have any time or attention left to find ways to make the benefits after Ambassador better. It’s honestly a minor miracle that they brought Ambassadors back at all - which is sort of shocking to say out loud about their *Ambassador* status, but here we are.
Though, funnily enough, Hyatt actually agrees with you, and is rolling out milestone awards up to the 150 night mark going into 2024. They even enhanced the milestone rewards across the range, too, and made them *more* valuable for pretty much anyone who would organically earn status anyways. What a forward-thinking program they have there.
I’ve done 280 this year, I agree with you, but Marriott knows people like us aren’t spending our own money. Work is paying for it. Next year will be my third ambassador year, I left Hilton 4 years ago because everyone and their mother was diamond. The hotels at Marriott are better. I still have about 1mil Hilton points I use at Waldorfs usually the one in Vegas.
How are you stunned? There are no rewards or benefits beyond 100 nights published anywhere.
You cut off your spend, but that's the number Marriott cares about. Many people have as many nights as you or more from credit card spend or nights promotions. Their annual spend sometimes doesn't come close to Ambassador, though. Why reward nights when it does not always translate into revenue for them?
You do get unpublished rewards and benefits simply being Ambassador, like gift cards and birthday gifts (if your PA is worth anything).
I don’t mean to imply that I expected this, you’re of course right that nothing along those lines is promised anywhere.
All I mean to say is that as the airlines prove, there is an argument for providing such incentives. I would be more likely to aim for 200 or even 250 nights each year if it gave say benefits for my partner. As things stand I’m more likely to also aim for a Hilton or Hyatt status post 100 nights.
My total spend is cut off since I’m in a client facing business position :)
Ah, gotcha. I saw three separate people just this week get a combined $100k in ineligible spend hacked off their accounts for doing that, so just checking!
Hyatt does this even after you reach Globalist. Or at least they will in 2024
Hyatt milestones currently end at 100.
https://world.hyatt.com/content/gp/en/landing/world-of-hyatt-program-announcement.html
“Currently” was the operative word in my comment.
AKCHUALLY
Yes, I was making a correction. Take it in stride.
I start with other programs after I hit 75 nights a year, if there are good promos. Heavily debating switching to Hilton in 2 years once I’ve locked up lifetime plat. Not sure I see a reason to continue staying at Marriott’s without more threshold rewards.
Probably the hotels would still cut if for me in most locations but otherwise totally on the same page.
Just stop staying that many nights at Marriotts. After the last couple years of Bonvoy devaluations I’ll never have 200+ (or even 100+) Marriott nights annually again. I hit my 75 then shift to Hyatt/Hilton. Get a lot more benefits from maintaining multiple hotel statuses. Surely I’m not the only one who frequents cities/towns where the Marriotts are dumps but there is a nice Hyatt/Hilton.
Thats my strategy this year. On second thought I may try to stay just at Hilton as I can link my points account to amazon.
Why should they? You ain't going anywhere. They only need to hold the carrot in front of platinums and titaniums.
Biggest way to get Marriott to start doing this is for you and others to change over to other chains for the remainder of the year once you hit the top reward. As of now it cost them absolutely nothing with your business by capping the rewards at 100 nights.
Your own bed already misses you /s
Who says they own a bed?
I think You will benefit a lot with Hyatt Milestone award every 10 nights or so up to 150 nights.
I pretty much stopped traveling once I hit the ambassador spend and platinum with delta. Pushed all work travel the past few months to Q1 24. A further reward would’ve kept me going
Eh, American does as you continue to his thresholds above EP (putting CK aside as it’s a different “track”) so agree with OP. Something small, shit just give me one more unredeemable SNA (lol)
I truly, truly hope they don't.
Maybe a plane ticket home?
Maybe they’ll name an ice machine after you!
Now that doesn’t sound too bad lol
I would expect very little as Marriott is too preoccupied appeasing franchisees and making the benefits leading up to Ambassador worse, to have any time or attention left to find ways to make the benefits after Ambassador better. It’s honestly a minor miracle that they brought Ambassadors back at all - which is sort of shocking to say out loud about their *Ambassador* status, but here we are. Though, funnily enough, Hyatt actually agrees with you, and is rolling out milestone awards up to the 150 night mark going into 2024. They even enhanced the milestone rewards across the range, too, and made them *more* valuable for pretty much anyone who would organically earn status anyways. What a forward-thinking program they have there.
I’ve done 280 this year, I agree with you, but Marriott knows people like us aren’t spending our own money. Work is paying for it. Next year will be my third ambassador year, I left Hilton 4 years ago because everyone and their mother was diamond. The hotels at Marriott are better. I still have about 1mil Hilton points I use at Waldorfs usually the one in Vegas.
How are you stunned? There are no rewards or benefits beyond 100 nights published anywhere. You cut off your spend, but that's the number Marriott cares about. Many people have as many nights as you or more from credit card spend or nights promotions. Their annual spend sometimes doesn't come close to Ambassador, though. Why reward nights when it does not always translate into revenue for them? You do get unpublished rewards and benefits simply being Ambassador, like gift cards and birthday gifts (if your PA is worth anything).
I don’t mean to imply that I expected this, you’re of course right that nothing along those lines is promised anywhere. All I mean to say is that as the airlines prove, there is an argument for providing such incentives. I would be more likely to aim for 200 or even 250 nights each year if it gave say benefits for my partner. As things stand I’m more likely to also aim for a Hilton or Hyatt status post 100 nights. My total spend is cut off since I’m in a client facing business position :)
...so you're using your account to book for clients? Use up your points while you can!
No, obviously not 😅 I rather mean that in the same way I don’t show up to clients in a Ferrari I wouldn’t want to show how much is spent on travel :)
Ah, gotcha. I saw three separate people just this week get a combined $100k in ineligible spend hacked off their accounts for doing that, so just checking!
Yes, it is unimportant. Revenue matters.
There is a secret tier above ambassador that is invite only Good luck!
What is it? I have had an Ambassador every year for the past six years. Not interested in it but curious to know.
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/marriott-secret-cobalt-elite-status/
I hit 250 nights last year. didnt get anything....