All information about the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card has been collected independently by Miles to Memories.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Years ago, I recognized my value of time superseded that of money, and it drove one of the most important decisions of my life.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?
The post Mitigation with Marriott – How I’m Handling the Latest Bonvoy Devaluation appeared first on Miles to Memories.
