Marriott Bonvoy Devaluation
Seemingly out of nowhere, a Marriott Bonvoy devaluation set in last week. Indeed, it seems points and travel enthusiasts were just as hurt by the lack of notice as the hike in award rates. I can somewhat identify, and it has nothing to do with our hobby. I’m still punch-drunk by the Luka trade. But alas, decision makers owe us no explanation in either of these situations, no matter how much we may want them.
But we can cope. I probably won’t watch an NBA game the rest of the season, and I’m not sure if or when I’ll return. With Marriott, I have more options. These are just a few.
Avoid
I must remember the Marriott Bonvoy devaluation doesn’t truly affect me until I book a property with a hiked award rate. Obviously, choosing a different one most easily avoids the devaluation. Of course, opting out can substantially limit a significant portion of properties from the program. But in my situation, that may not matter as much as I think. Based on our goals, travel-related and otherwise, we don’t currently have our hearts set on a single specific Marriott property. Opting into a devalued award stay isn’t absolutely necessary.
Earn
How can loyalists outrun this devaluation? Marriott has a variety of cobranded cards with Chase and American Express. We happily gave up on new cards with the former several years ago, and we prefer the flexibility of the latter. Amex provides four different Marriott card products for buckets of bonus points along the way via welcome offers. Bonvoy loyalists and savvy hobbyists have more ongoing opportunities here than they might imagine, also. I’m also a fan of the Bevy and its calendar-year big spend bonus. Two 50k free night awards and 120k Bonvoy points on one annual fee doesn’t necessarily intrigue everyone, but it works fine for us when the timing’s right.
Research
I’ll redouble my efforts to find value within the Bonvoy program. Of course, this comes with commitment of another resource – time. Fortunately, I find this Marriott value hunt entertainingly challenging, up to a TBD point. I’m confident we’ll find many redemptions with reliable returns compatible with our goals in acceptable research timeframes.
Stretch
Years ago, I recognized my value of time superseded that of money, and it drove one of the most important decisions of my life. Ever since, we’ve enjoyed more freedom, including when we travel. Consequently, we can visit destinations throughout the year, often when properties are cheaper. Some of my favorite times to visit particular areas are during low seasons, anyway. Perhaps I’ll need to be even more flexible here depending on the situation and if I must stay in a given Marriott property. I’m confident this will play a major role in how we mitigate this devaluation. But in a few instances, we may not be able to do so.
Accept
I realize that inevitably I’ll be booking Marriott stays at increased rates. Indeed, devaluations are just part of our hobby, and it’s on us to roll with them. I can keep my head up while booking a higher award rate knowing that I’m taking other steps to address it. And, again, if a trip – including the hotel I select – aligns with my travel goals, I know it’s a worthy redemption, regardless of cents-per-point value.
Diversify
Of course, Marriott is just one loyalty program. I minimize the effects of any given currency devaluation by diversifying across a variety of chains, even ones without official programs. And of those, I recognize each has their respective faults. But perfect is the enemy of good enough. By stacking up currencies with multiple satisfactory loyalty programs, I’m best equipped to absorb the blow from their inevitable, relatively-infrequent devaluations.
Marriott Bonvoy Devaluation – Conclusion
I’ve talked today through the prism of the Marriott Bonvoy program, but I can and do apply the above principles to handling the devaluation of most any loyalty program. The big brands are perfectly entitled to evolve their programs, often gutting them along the way. Likewise, consumers are allowed to make changes to improve their own situations. And certain hobbyists enjoy the challenge. You can’t win if you don’t play.
What are you doing to mitigate the Marriott Bonvoy devaluation?
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Whey when it’s a higher cost for cash it’s “inflation,” but when it’s points/miles, it’s “devaluation?” Click-bait. Today I can accumulate any type of points or miles many fold times easier than 20 years ago rendering all of my redemptions immediately far superior to them ones I did 5, 10, and even 20 years ago.
Glad you’re happy about the devaluation.
I found it vastly easier to book a well located hotel with Starwood at a more reasonable price than now. Hyatt was easy too. Oh, and chains honored elite benefits on Priceline bookings. How is an overpriced Marriott that loathes guests better these days?
The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless annual 35K free room night is pretty much useless. We looked at staying at a Fairfield Inn in areas that are not in major metro areas, and both places wanted over 45K a night. REALLY!!! We stayed at JW Marquis in Miami for that just a few short years ago. Marriott hotel prices in general have truly gone bonkers. Unfortunately we too are moving away from Marriott properties across the board. We are burning our points and moving on. I compare Marriott to Las Vegas, the price has gotten to insane for us to stick around any longer. BUH BYE Marriott!
First of all, and I realize this isn’t popular and I’ll get torched for it, but I frankly don’t consider what Marriott did (or any other hotel/airline program that dynamically increases the amount of points/miles needed) to be a “devaluation” IF the average value of the points/miles remains the same. In a time of inflation and increased travel demand all providers have increased their cash price so it is reasonable (at least for those not looking to always find a “sweet spot” in the programs) that the number of points/miles increases as well. Some will say “the cash price didn’t increase” and you are correct it didn’t overnight. However, if you go back to the last time the points were increases and compare THAT cash price I assure you it has increased over time. As long as I can get .7/cent per point (my Marriott value) I’m fine. Nothing you can do about it anyway so best to accept and adapt.
BTW, currently staying in the Sheraton Grand Taipei. Got 5 nights (5th free) for 160,000 points which was great value. Lifetime Titanium here and they upgraded me to a Diplomatic Suite (next to top level at this hotel). Also, the amazing lounge has great breakfast (Asian and Western), afternoon tea and a 3 hour happy hour in the evenings with enough food that we haven’t left for dinner any night. Value is there just have to look and also helps if you stay at a nicer property in Europe or Asia where higher elites are treated much better than in the US. Now off to to a stay at the Fairmont in Singapore.
Totally correct, the “devaluation” term needs to go. And no one mentioned the ease of earning points today – if you can earn 5 times more easily today than 10 years ago, your points inflow is far greater on the same level of spending, more in your “wallet,” is there really any net impact to factually cite?
This sort of action has always been referred to as a “devaluation” in the miles/points hobby. Not sure why you’re worked up about it now.
The ability to earn more points quicker these days is irrelevant to someone who was sitting on a pile of points already earned, and had their “buying power” drop overnight.
And yes, when cash (legal tender) buys less across a basket of pre-defined goods, that is “inflation”. It’s not directly attributable to any single company waving a magic wand and making reducing your cash buying power for other things that it doesn’t make or sell.
Miles/points is a “devaluation” because it’s a single-use “currency” only redeemable at the issuing company, and the company is in full control as to what the miles/points are worth on any given day.
My strategy is to get farther away from Marriott and Bonvoy. I just got my lifetime platinum so now I don’t have to stay with them to earn status anymore.
I wouldn’t be as unrelentingly angry with Marriott if they just didn’t loathe their guests quite as much. And they’re proud of it too. If Marriott had adulted when news came out about the impending devaluation and said: “Sorry folks, but the prior earnings rates at lower end hotels just wasn’t sustainable. We know it sucks but we have to realign them as a result, effective X date.” I could understand this. But they didn’t adult. They made up ridiculous lies that starkly illustrate that lack integrity because that’s the kind of thing that Marriott does. As a consequence I intend to use their services as little as reasonably possible.
Agreed…and for the loathing of guests…not all Marriott/Bonvoy properties but enough that it is more than a trend.
I am moving away from Marriott for the most part and staying most of my nights with WOH.
Right on, Christian.
All they needed to do was show a little transparency and give a little bit of notice, but it’s just too much to ask.
It’s true that for Bonvoy, the hotel owners are the real customers and the guests are simply the “product” sold by Bonvoy to those hotel owners.
Thanks to Bonvoy’s massive footprint and having historically more high-end hotels than competing loyalty programs, they’ve been able to get away with this.