Marriott Rewards got it right

[sparty]

I know many felt lost love when American Airlines was no longer part of the Marriott Rewards program.

However the news today of American's bankruptcy comes as no surprise. Hopefully they can reorganize and not suffer the same fate of other once great airlines that American took over like TWA.

However, as a Marriott Rewards member, very happy that United and the Star Alliance is part of the MR program

 

[BocaBoy]

I do not feel that this announcement in any way suggests that Marriott Rewards got it right. Neither the traveling public nor the AAdvantage Rewards program should be adversely affected in any way by this development. As an AA Lifetime Platinum I welcome this announcement. It would probably have happened a lot earlier if Gerard Arpey had not been the CEO. With him now gone, perhaps AA can get it right. A bankruptcy filing like this is exactly what Delta, Northwest, United and Continental did in the last several years to get themselves financially straightened out. In all of those cases, their rewards programs were either left untouched or even strengthened. Saying that this Chapter 11 filing shows that MR got it right must mean that they got it wrong when they did not part ways earlier with all of the other major legacy carriers.

 

[Mr. Vker]

MR carried many airlines in their program through bankruptcies. The separation of these two was likely due to contract details, not due to Marriott worries. United was in chapter 11 from 2002 through 2006 and in still part of MR.

The loss of AA in MR was huge. They cover the Caribbean quite well--a large destination for people using awards. Plus the US (Of course), Europe, and South America. In addition, as a member of One World, opened those options too. We used travel packages to get (2) first class tix through AA on JAL BWI-BKK in 2008.

AA is the LAST major airline to go through this. United, Delta, NWA, Continental, all have. They will emerge stronger. I regret not being able to use MR for AA flights. It has forced me to other choices.

 

[BocaBoy]

The loss of AA in MR was huge.

I totally agree. I am lifetime platinum with AA but will not be able to fly them very often now that I am retired, due to the inability to purchase new MR travel packages that include AA miles. Another reason the loss of AA in Marriott Rewards was huge is that AA and United are the only two legacy carriers that allow you to use miles to book one way tickets at half the mileage cost of a round trip ticket.

 

[Lv2Trvl]

I agree with you BocaBoy. I also am a AA Lifetime Plat - and am hoping they are able to get this done in an efficient and short order! We have several flights booked in 2012 on AA, although we have had to switch some schedules since they dropped SFO-HNL service.

We just retired this year also and will not be accumulating as many "miles" from business expense credit cards as before - it was nice to get miles when paying for operations! So we are now more careful with the miles - but have more time to be "spur of the moment" with trips, kind of a conflict.

We are actually leaving this Sat on UA to Kauai - ten days at Waiohai! Then returning on HA.

 

[chriskre]

Maybe now MR will bring back AA.

 

[winger]

Maybe now MR will bring back AA.

Now, THAT WILL BE Marriott getting it right!