all challenges are pretty easy, doesn't matter which chain....marriott, hilton, spg, hyatt will all offer you anywhere from 7 stays to 15 nights in order to get top status in their program....
Are all equally easy to repeat though?
I've been offered "fast track" to Diamond at Hilton HHonors now twice (without asking either time), and I understand I'm far from the only one. I've never ever gotten or requalified for HH Diamond the "normal" way (only HH Gold).
But I'm not sure that all these programs (including not sure about SPG) allow you to repeat challenges after dropping off of the top status tier (due to not having the "normal requalifcation" number of stays).
Programs: SPG Plat, PC RA, HH Gold, Taj IC Gold, 9W Plat, DL Silver
Posts: 18,664
Quote:
Originally Posted by sdsearch
Are all equally easy to repeat though?
I've been offered "fast track" to Diamond at Hilton HHonors now twice (without asking either time), and I understand I'm far from the only one. I've never ever gotten or requalified for HH Diamond the "normal" way (only HH Gold).
But I'm not sure that all these programs (including not sure about SPG) allow you to repeat challenges after dropping off of the top status tier (due to not having the "normal requalifcation" number of stays).
i know status matches can only be done once....not sure about challenges....
all challenges are pretty easy, doesn't matter which chain....marriott, hilton, spg, hyatt will all offer you anywhere from 7 stays to 15 nights in order to get top status in their program....
I don't know about other programs. i am mostly a Starwood guy. but i believe it is very easy to get SPG plat. it should not be that easy so maybe starwood is going to make a few changes to the Platinum challenge process
Programs: SPG Plat, PC RA, HH Gold, Taj IC Gold, 9W Plat, DL Silver
Posts: 18,664
Quote:
Originally Posted by KSA_USA
I don't know about other programs. i am mostly a Starwood guy. but i believe it is very easy to get SPG plat. it should not be that easy so maybe starwood is going to make a few changes to the Platinum challenge process
people like you & me travel a lot so it seems very easy....but i'm really not in favor of any changes to the program....after all, there will come a time when we won't be traveling as much as we used to....i guess what seems very easy now will be pretty tough then....
people like you & me travel a lot so it seems very easy....but i'm really not in favor of any changes to the program....after all, there will come a time when we won't be traveling as much as we used to....i guess what seems very easy now will be pretty tough then....
its not about traveling more or less. i am just trying to be fair. getting SPG plat benefits for just 15 nights is a big bargain. i doubt it will last for long time
Programs: SPG Plat, PC RA, HH Gold, Taj IC Gold, 9W Plat, DL Silver
Posts: 18,664
Quote:
Originally Posted by KSA_USA
its not about traveling more or less. i am just trying to be fair. getting SPG plat benefits for just 15 nights is a big bargain. i doubt it will last for long time
its better than offering it straight away as a status match....
its better than offering it straight away as a status match....
you are absolutely right. the problem is you only can status match once per life time while the current SPG Plat challenge policy allows you to repeat the process as much as you want ( unlimited).
Programs: SPG E Level; AA Pa Kettle; CO/UA Pa Kettle; PWP Plenipotentiary Ombudsman of :rolleyes:
Posts: 27,627
Quote:
Originally Posted by KSA_USA
you are absolutely right. the problem is you only can status match once per life time while the current SPG Plat challenge policy allows you to repeat the process as much as you want ( unlimited).
That would be news to me.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
the link below says "Additionally, you can enroll in this challenge as many times as you would like. However, if you currently have platinum status you are not able to go for the challenge."
"This is in place of a status match program we used to have whereby a
member could match his highest status with Hyatt, Marriott or Hilton and
get a Platinum status with Starwood.
*Members can do as many status challenges in a calendar year as they request.
*The member must wait until the end of the current status challenge offer before being eligible for a new status challenge.
*The status challenge offer will remain the same. Stay 15 nights in the next 90 days.
*Nights from a previous status challenge do not count towards the new status challenge.
Documentation via fax or email is no longer required to be sent by the
member showing the current level of the other hotel program.
William - The SPG agents are communicating that the challenge can be done multiple times, however, if you have platinum status you cannot go for the challenge to earn platinum for the following year. Please advise if this is not the case. Some agents were even communicating that free nights would count towards the challenge
Programs: SPG E Level; AA Pa Kettle; CO/UA Pa Kettle; PWP Plenipotentiary Ombudsman of :rolleyes:
Posts: 27,627
Quote:
Originally Posted by dealswelike
William - The SPG agents are communicating that the challenge can be done multiple times, however, if you have platinum status you cannot go for the challenge to earn platinum for the following year. Please advise if this is not the case. Some agents were even communicating that free nights would count towards the challenge
Platinum Concierge would be your best source of information on this, but it would surprise me greatly if it can be done more than once. I'm sure there might be a mistake made here or there that might allow for it to happen as a one-off, but not as a standard policy, so probably best to just say YMMV and leave it at that.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
Platinum Concierge would be your best source of information on this, but it would surprise me greatly if it can be done more than once. I'm sure there might be a mistake made here or there that might allow for it to happen as a one-off, but not as a standard policy, so probably best to just say YMMV and leave it at that.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
the link below says "Additionally, you can enroll in this challenge as many times as you would like. However, if you currently have platinum status you are not able to go for the challenge."
"This is in place of a status match program we used to have whereby a
member could match his highest status with Hyatt, Marriott or Hilton and
get a Platinum status with Starwood.
*Members can do as many status challenges in a calendar year as they request.
*The member must wait until the end of the current status challenge offer before being eligible for a new status challenge."
But none of the fits in to what I (and I think most others) mean by "repeat".
What I mean by "repeat" is:
Year 1, starting with no status or Gold status, do a challenge, get to Platinum.
Year 2, you can't do a challenge, since you still are aready Platinum (from the year 1 challenge), but you don't stay enough to requalify the normal way.
Year 3, you've dropped to at least Gold (does SPG have "soft landing" where you'll certainly drop no more than to Gold, or can you drop all the way to no status at all in one year?)
So once you've dropped to Gold or lower, can you repeat the challenge?
That's the big question.
Of course, the challenge has not been in effect nearly long enough for anyone to have possibly gotten to that year 3 yet! And the first question is whether the challenge will even be around in any form by the time anyone can have such a year 3...
So it's probably way premature a question to expect an answer from (unless of course the answer is negative because they already though of that and already put it in the T&Cs somewhere).
(That's the kind of "repeat" I've gotten from Hilton HHonors targeted "fast track" offers. They waited until I'd lost Diamond the first time before they offered me another "fast track" to Diamond.)
So once you've dropped to Gold or lower, can you repeat the challenge?
good question. from the information we have now it seems the answer is yes. hopefully we can get better informed when dealswelike post the platinum liaison response
good question. from the information we have now it seems the answer is yes. hopefully we can get better informed when dealswelike post the platinum liaison response
I would like to inform members that as of November 1, there will be some changes to the policy with regards to the status match challenge.
Do forgive me for not being able to provide more info at this point of time, but if you are still procastinating about participating in the status match challenge, don't!
