It has been in the making since Marriott International acquired Starwood Hotels in 2016: the loyalty programmes of these two major groups have now become one. Bringing together the millions of members of Starwood Preferred Guest and Marriott Rewards was even one of the main reasons for this mega-acquisition, in order to fight effectively against the competition from online booking sites such as Booking or Expedia. The merger, which took effect at the end of August, gives rise to a 110 million members. Loyal customers of Ritz-Carlton, Marriott's luxury brand, which until now has been the odd man out when it comes to loyalty, have also joined the programme.
Members with several accounts can now choose to group them together in their preferred accountThis eliminates the need to transfer points between programmes. The points system is thus unified around a single currency, with GSP points multiplied by three.
According to Marriott, these unified programmes are richer, with members earning an average of 20 % more points per dollar spent, and their Elite status is recognised at all participating hotels, i.e. 6,700 establishments in 130 countries and under 29 brands. The loyalty programme also offers new benefits, with no date restrictions on redemptions and the ability to earn points not just on room rates, but also on restaurant, beverage or spa services.
