The Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Rewards Programs are Surprisingly Interchangeable, So Which One Should You Choose?
January 2017
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Marriott and Ritz-Carlton both have rewards programs and while they haven’t officially combined them, as a member of either program you can earn and redeem rewards points at all Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels and resorts and your Elite status and benefits span across both programs!
We are often asked by our trvlvip Members if they should change their Marriott Rewards membership over to Ritz-Carlton Rewards or vice versa. There is usually no need to switch from one program to the other since you enjoy equal Elite benefits at both hotel groups. The only time this is not true is when a great promotion specific to either Marriott or Ritz-Carlton is only for one group members, thereby making one program more valuable during that promotional period. And these do occur from time to time for both Marriott and Ritz-Carlton.
When members change their primary membership from one program to the other, the account number, Elite status, point balance and member profile will all remain the same. You can even switch back and forth between rewards programs at any time and as often as you wish by requesting the change through customer service at Marriott or Ritz-Carlton.
Here is a good Marriott FAQ on the topic!
And please remember to link your Marriott or Ritz-Carlton Rewards accounts with Starwood to transfer points between your accounts and Starwood’s SPG program and to enjoy Elite benefits in all three programs.
The Wrap-Up:
Which rewards program will you choose? It's no risk to go with your favorite because you can switch between programs as many times as you wish.
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