When Marriott International announced plans to acquire Starwood Hotels & Resorts for $12.2 billion this week, loyalty members on both sides of the equation began to question the fate of their respective rewards programs. Once the deal closes, two of the largest hotel industry loyalty programs—Marriott Rewards with 54 million members and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) with 21 million members—will eventually join forces. For now, the two programs will operate separately, which means travelers will experience no change to their reward member status, points, or existing reservations.
In an email to Marriott Rewards members sent Tuesday, Sorenson said the two loyalty programs should become even stronger once the companies merge. “Our programs and brands complement each other well, and we intend to draw upon the best of both programs to provide more value for our guests and hotels,” Sorenson said.
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