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Not Happy With Marriott Post-Merger? The Answer to Your Woes Is Simpler Than You Think

  • Joseph Hostetler

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    My personal outlook of the new Marriott program isn’t all that bleak.  There have been a few positive changes after their merger with Starwood.  Some Starwood hotels become much cheaper, and you can book top-notch hotels at a big discount through December 2018, etc.

    But there’s plenty to squawk about.  Transferring miles is a little more confusing.  It’s now MUCH harder to open Marriott and Starwood credit cards.  Marriott Gold Elite status isn’t worth nearly as much (no more free breakfast, no lounge access, no guaranteed late checkout).  Not to mention the number of technical issues Marriott has yet to fix, like occasional incorrect elite status listed on member account pages, and flawed migration of previous hotel stays.

    So what’s a loyal Marriott customer to do?

    The simple solution:   TAKE OFF THE HORSE BLINDERS, MAN.  Look around.  Marriott isn’t the only hotel chain you can reserve for free.

    I strongly suggest disgruntled Marriott customers consider diving into Hilton hotels.  Here’s why.

    Hilton Has Incredible Hotels All Over the World, Including Super Ritzy Ones in Singapore

    Why You Should Consider Switching To Hilton

    Hilton hotels are probably the BEST fit for someone previously invested in Marriott.

    Additionally, the points price range for both hotels is roughly the same.  A standard room at a Marriott hotel costs between 7,500 and 85,000 Marriott points per night.  And while Hilton has no award chart, rates at Hilton hotels are between 10,000 and 95,000 points per night.

    But here’s a big fat difference.  Hilton points are a million times easier to earn.

    Hilton Hotels Cost More Points – But They’re Still Cheaper

    Here’s an example.  It takes 85,000 Marriott points to stay at the W Maldives.  And it takes 95,000 Hilton points to stay at the Conrad Maldives.  Both are super highly-rated resorts.

    The Conrad Maldives Is On LOTS of Folks’ Hotel Paradise Bucket List

    Marriott looks to be the much better deal (by a hefty 10,000 points!)  But it’s not.  That’s because you can earn Hilton points in your sleep.  Here are 3 points that prove it.

    Point 1.   Hilton Cards Earn Points WAY Faster Than Marriott Cards for Spending

    For example, the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Credit Card earns 6 Marriott points per $1 spent at Marriott & Starwood hotels, and 2 Marriott points per $1 on everything else.

    But the comparable Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card earns 12 Hilton points per $1 at Hilton hotels (DOUBLE what the Marriott Premier Plus earns) and 3 Hilton points per $1 on everything else (50% more points than Marriott).  Not to mention 6 Hilton points per $1 at US restaurants, US supermarkets, and US gas stations.

    If you only used these cards for non-bonus spending, you would get a free night at a top-notch hotel after spending:

    So which hotel award night is actually cheaper?

    Point 2.   Hilton Cards Give You Elite Status to Rack Up Points

    With the AMEX Hilton Ascend, you’ll get automatic Gold Elite Status, which gives you an 80% bonus on base points you’ll earn for your hotel stay.  The Marriott Premier Plus gives you automatic Silver Elite Status, which comes with a 10% bonus on base points.

    Both Hilton and Marriott offer 10 base points per $1 for your stay.  So with these cards, if you spend $100 for your room, you’ll earn:

    That’s a huge difference!

    You’ll Get Lots More Points for Your Spending at Hilton Hotels

    Point 3.   Hilton Usually Gives Better Promotions Than Marriott

    In addition to the credit cards, Hilton gives folks tons of opportunities to earn bonus points for their hotel stays, much more than Marriott.  A good example is the current double points promotion, which they run almost constantly.

    Again, both Marriott and Hilton offer 10 base points per $1 on hotel stays.  But with Hilton’s current promotion, you’ll earn double the base points on your hotel stays (20 points per $1).

    So currently, if you have each of the hotel’s cards mentioned above and spend $100 for your room, you’ll earn:

    As you can see, Hilton is giving away points as fast as they can.  So don’t be discouraged by the amount of points it costs to reserve a free room.

    Hilton Credit Cards All Solid Options

    Apply Here:   Hilton Honors American Express Card

    Apply Here:   Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card

    Apply Here:   The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

    If you have a Hilton credit card, you are a ferocious Hilton points earning monster.  ALL of the cards come with large welcome offers.  And because these cards are considered different “products”, you can earn the bonus on them all.

    Each card has a unique quality about it.  Here’s a quick reminder of why you should open each card.

    Hilton Honors American Express Card

    The Hilton Honors American Express Card is the most vanilla of the group.  It comes with 75,000 Hilton bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.  You’ll also get things like:

    The best part of this card is that it has NO ANNUAL FEE (See Rates & Fees).  Yet it has better points earning rates and a more useful elite status than you’ll get with the $95 annual fee Marriott Premier Plus!

    You can read our review of the Hilton Honors American Express card here.

    AMEX Hilton Ascend Card

    We’ve already highlighted the power of the Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card.  But there’s way more.

    The card comes with 125,000 Hilton points after spending $2,000 in purchases with your new card within the first 3 months of account opening.

    100,000 Hilton Points Is Enough for a Free Night at the Pristine Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh

    The card comes with a $95 annual fee (See Rates & Fees).  But you’ll get benefits like:

    You’ll also get 10 free airport lounge visits each year once you enroll in your complimentary Priority Pass membership.  Can your $95 annual fee Marriott card do that?  (Hint:  No.)

    And don’t forget, Hilton Gold status comes with late checkout and free breakfast at all hotels – the stuff Marriott Gold Status discontinued.

    You can read our full review of the Hilton Honors Ascend card here.

    AMEX Hilton Small Business Card

    The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is very similar to the AMEX Hilton Ascend card.  You’ll earn 125,000 Hilton bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

    Use the Welcome Bonus for a Stay at The Reach, Key West Resort

    This card also has a $95 annual fee (See Rates & Fees).  But you’ll receive:

    With this card, you have the opportunity to earn a 2nd weekend night after spending an additional $45,000 in purchases on your card in the same calendar year.

    One of the absolute best features of this card is that it’s a small business card that does NOT appear on your personal credit report.  So it won’t count toward your Chase “5/24” limit!  That’s VERY important for all of us looking to earn lucrative Chase sign-up bonuses again.

    Bottom Line

    The best deals in travel are always changing.  For many of us, Starwood and Marriott were our favorite hotel chains.  But we’ve seen some devaluation of late.

    If you’re unhappy with the route Marriott is going, don’t get mad!  Get Hilton!  They can probably serve your Marriott travel patterns with comparable hotels in similar areas.  And earning Hilton points is SO easy with cards like the Hilton Honors American Express Card,  Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card, and Hilton Honors American Express Business Card.

    Let me know your hotel strategy after the Marriott Starwood merger.  Are you content with the changes, or do intend to abandon ship?

    For rates and fees of the Hilton Ascend Card, please click here.

    For rates and fees of the Hilton Business Card, please click here.

    For rates and fees of the Hilton Amex Card, please click here.

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)