Hotel provider Marriott International has signed new multi-year agreements with its co-brand credit card providers JPMorgan Chase and American Express with an eye on offering new products in the coming year.
The agreements with JPMorgan Chase cover three current cards: Marriot Rewards Premier, Marriott Rewards Premier Business and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards. The American Express agreement covers the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) credit card.
"Marriott's co-brand credit cards have been a meaningful contributor to the success of Marriott's loyalty programs and a sign of the extraordinary value of our portfolio of brands," said Arne Sorenson, Marriott International's president and chief executive officer, in a statement. "We are pleased to bring together the power of JPMorgan Chase and American Express with our global portfolio of brands to continue to provide consumers with choices. We expect our loyalty program members, owners and franchisees, and our shareholders will see significant incremental benefits from these new agreements."
Marriott also announced that it's planning to work with these two card issuers to introduce new products in 2018 for specific consumer segments, namely high-end and premium consumers. In a move that's likely to make sure it can play in the same pool as all of the existing super-premium and higher-end cards, it will offer American Express-branded products for super-premium consumers and small businesses. Its new JPMorgan Chase products will target mass consumers and premium consumers.
In the meantime, consumers can still hang onto or apply for Marriott's existing cards. The Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card and Premier Business Credit Card both have a tiered points-based rewards system, with five points per dollar spent at Marriott Rewards and SPG hotels; two points per dollar spent on select airline purchases, car rentals and restaurants--and Business card holders can get two points per dollar spent at office supply stores and on Internet, cable and phone service purchases--and one point per dollar spent elsewhere. Cardholders also get a free night hotel stay with every year they hold the card and credits toward Elite status. The current bonus point offer for both cards is 80,000 points for spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening the card account.
The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card has a similar point structure, though hotels points are earned through stays at the Ritz-Carlton and SPG hotels. It also has a $300 annual travel credit, a $100 hotel credit, automatic Gold Elite status for your first year--maintained if you spend $10,000 a year on the card--and an airport lounge Priority Pass. Its bonus offer is two free hotel nights after spending $4,000 on the card within the first three months of opening an account.
Fee-wise, the Marriot Rewards Premier Card has an $85 annual fee. The business card has a $99 annual fee. The Ritz-Carlton card has a $450 annual fee.
The American Express Starwood Preferred Guest card gives five points per dollar for Starwood hotels purchases, two points per dollar on Marriott Rewards hotels and one point per dollar for all other purchases. Cardholders also get nights credited toward higher SPG status and free in-room premium Internet at SPG hotels. The card's $95 annual fee is waived for the first year, and it has no foreign transaction fees.
"We'll continue to provide our Starwood Preferred Guest Card Members with the award-winning benefits, services and experiences they have come to enjoy on their existing product, while building our portfolio within the family of Marriott brands to serve affluent travelers and small businesses," said Glenda McNeal, president, Strategic Partnerships at American Express, in a statement."
Both card issuers have had long-term relationships with Marriott, with Amex's going back over 60 years.
