Feb 12 Update: Marriott’s Annual Category Changes, Targeted BW Free Night offer, 4x AAdvantage Miles for Hertz rentals

A busy day outside of my regular updates kept the bonus offers low but there is a decent amount of news to pass on to my readers!

News, Tips & Tricks

Posted to their Insiders forum yesterday and received in my email today is news that Marriott Rewards is once again adjusting many hotels in their category redemption levels and adding a new top level, Category 9. This new top level will require 45,000 points per night and only consists of 13 hotels primarily in Europe although a couple from the U.S. are in there as well. As to the rest of the changes,  Marriott states the following:
73% of the program’s properties will remain in Categories 1-4.

63% of the properties remain unchanged.

1% of the properties will decrease by one or more categories.

36% of the properties will increase by one or more categories.
Marriott has provided a PDF (see link here) of all the properties that are changing. A key thing to look at in these changes are the 300+ hotels moving from Category 4 to 5 as many of us receive free nights via Marriott’s MegaBonus promotion that are only good at Cat 1-4 and there are 175+ properties moving to Cat 6 from 5 which will affect Marriott Premier Rewards Visa cardholders annual free night benefit which is good up to Cat 5 hotels (they will also potentially lose out on the Cat 1-4 sign up free night offer).

There is a new credit card coming out tomorrow in the Canadian market. I’ll have
all the details posted at 5:30pm EST!

Speaking of credit cards, the increased sign up bonus for another card is still
yet to be seen despite being told it would be live this past Monday…..

Heads up on another Aeroplan and Home Hardware offer. You can earn 2x Aeroplan Miles on purchases once again from Feb 13 to 23.

If you hold an Aegean Airlines Gold Miles&Bonus Card (in particular those of you who used this to get to Star Alliance Gold faster!) you now have greater access to security fast track lanes at airports in Europe. For the complete list see here.

Bonus Offers

American AAdvantage

– Quadruple AAdvantage Miles when you rent any vehicle for one of more days from
Hertz in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France,
Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland and
the United Kingdom. More… Until Mar
31, 13

Best Western Gold Crown Club

– Receive a Free Night Voucher when you complete one (1) qualified stay at Best
Western branded hotel worldwide. More… Feb 11 –
Apr 14, 13 Targeted Offer – May not work for everyone

Etihad Guest

– Double Guest Miles for stays at the Constance Le Prince Maurice, Constance
Lemuria Seychelles and Constance Halaveli Maldives. More…
Until Mar 31, 13

– Earn up to 2,500 Guest Miles for stays at The Fairmont Hotel Washington, D.C.
Earn 500 Etihad Guest Miles per night and up to 2,500 Etihad Guest per stay. More…
Until Mar 31, 13

– 500 Bonus Guest Miles with the purchase of any Priority Pass lounge membership.
More… Until Feb 28, 13

Finnair Plus

– Double Plus Points on eligible flights and fares with Malaysia Airlines
Worldwide. More… Register by Feb 14 for travel Feb
15 – Apr 15, 13

Frontier Early Returns (on FrequentFlyerBonuses.com only)

– Double EarlyReturns Miles for every trip you take on Frontier Airlines between
Denver and Greensboro. More…
May 1 – 31, 13

Scandinavian EuroBonus

– Double EuroBonus points for SAS flights in Economy Extra or Business Class
between Copenhagen and Beijing or Shanghai. More…
Register by Feb 24 for travel Mar 16 – May 31, 13