SPG to count award nights toward elite status [Now Confirmed]
Sep 27, 2011, 2:10 pm
#31
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1P, SPG Gold
Posts: 137
SPG Insider on Twitter: "Cool benefit news"
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We have some cool benefit news to share w/ our members this week, so stay tuned to our feed. #SPGInsider
Sep 27, 2011, 2:15 pm
#32
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: spg gold, CO Platinum, MR Gold
Posts: 619
Sep 27, 2011, 2:40 pm
#33
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: PHL
Programs: Marriott Lifetime PLT
Posts: 1,229
I don't really see earning elite points on award stays as a "new benefit", but more of an odd rule that someone might occasionally help someone.
Sep 27, 2011, 2:45 pm
#34
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: SFO
Posts: 886
Yeah, I really don't see the potential award-nights-count-for-elite-status benefit warranting any hype (except among FT-er types), or even an announcement on its own.
Breakfast, on the other hand, would be IMO a much bigger deal for most people.
As I said in the other thread, though, the addition of both of these enhancements would be divine.
Breakfast, on the other hand, would be IMO a much bigger deal for most people.
As I said in the other thread, though, the addition of both of these enhancements would be divine.
Sep 27, 2011, 2:53 pm
#35
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: AC E75, SPG Plat, HH peon-by-choice (ex Gold)
Posts: 8,090
Hey, it's great news to me! I was looking at "forcing" a couple of stays in BKK just to maintain status. ^
Sep 27, 2011, 3:01 pm
#36
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Europe now, used to be NA
Programs: SPG LTP
Posts: 154
my 2c
Well, trying not to get too excited as this may well be 'just a rumour', but would be a great benefit to leisure-only travellers like me (as others have indicated already).
Plat for almost 10y now (and will hit it this year as well), so as such not overly concerned about spending the $/EUR required, but just to give a view on what is a fairly typical year:
- currently 21stays / 28nights paid
- add 4 straight point redemption stays (8 nights)
- add 6 C+P stays (11 nights)
- (?) add 2 paid stays but because of silly situation not counted (no heavy feelings)
- (?) add 3 free stays, one to go
... and fairly easy to see how this would greatly facilitate requalification
Note that
- not US-based, so points are 'earned through stays', not CC spend)
- about half of the 25stays/year till now are 'discretionary'/MRs in my book: major joy in tripping around, but would probably not make as many trips if not for the purpose of re-qualifying as well
Most likely behavioural impacts ?
- 'what if' some room upgrades forgone as 'more Plat competition' ... not particularly concerned: whilst I love the upgrades not too big a deal as long as rooms are up to par with price/points paid (OK, to be honest need to note that my travel patterns are such that in most cases I wouldn't expect too many Plats staying at the same time as I do)
- (!!!) While my current practice is to only redeem points at AT THE VERY LEAST 3 Euro-cent per point, may re-consider this drastically knowing that whatever points stay actually 'saves' me a later paid stay. From an SPG perspective probably sensible overall to incite me to this, and would think that even from an individual property perspective the differential ('cash in' for paid stay vs. 'serious' points redemption from their view) is not too dramatic
Plat for almost 10y now (and will hit it this year as well), so as such not overly concerned about spending the $/EUR required, but just to give a view on what is a fairly typical year:
- currently 21stays / 28nights paid
- add 4 straight point redemption stays (8 nights)
- add 6 C+P stays (11 nights)
- (?) add 2 paid stays but because of silly situation not counted (no heavy feelings)
- (?) add 3 free stays, one to go
... and fairly easy to see how this would greatly facilitate requalification
Note that
- not US-based, so points are 'earned through stays', not CC spend)
- about half of the 25stays/year till now are 'discretionary'/MRs in my book: major joy in tripping around, but would probably not make as many trips if not for the purpose of re-qualifying as well
Most likely behavioural impacts ?
- 'what if' some room upgrades forgone as 'more Plat competition' ... not particularly concerned: whilst I love the upgrades not too big a deal as long as rooms are up to par with price/points paid (OK, to be honest need to note that my travel patterns are such that in most cases I wouldn't expect too many Plats staying at the same time as I do)
- (!!!) While my current practice is to only redeem points at AT THE VERY LEAST 3 Euro-cent per point, may re-consider this drastically knowing that whatever points stay actually 'saves' me a later paid stay. From an SPG perspective probably sensible overall to incite me to this, and would think that even from an individual property perspective the differential ('cash in' for paid stay vs. 'serious' points redemption from their view) is not too dramatic
Sep 27, 2011, 3:13 pm
#37
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,124
Sounds like free air conditioning.
Sep 27, 2011, 3:18 pm
#38
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA, WN, SPG, HGP, FPC
Posts: 113
Sep 27, 2011, 4:32 pm
#39
Join Date: Oct 2000
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, Marriott Ambassador/Lifetime Titanium, Accor Silver, Club Carlson Gold, BW Diamond
Posts: 2,432
Besides....if you've redeemed award nights at the Four Points LAX you've long been getting night/stay credits. This just legitimizes it.
Sep 27, 2011, 6:18 pm
#40
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Toronto, NYC, somewhere on planet Earth
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 8,289
Sep 27, 2011, 7:26 pm
#41
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: YUL
Programs: Aegean Gold/CX Gold/FyingBlue Silver/SPG Platinun/Hertz 5*/National Exec/HH Gold/ICH Plat
Posts: 18
+1 for the breakfast benefit 
Sep 27, 2011, 7:48 pm
#42
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: MCO-The Mouse House
Programs: AA EXPlt, SPG Plt, Nat EE
Posts: 1,542
Not to veer this too far off topic but aren't SPG Insider and William one and the same?
Sep 27, 2011, 7:52 pm
#43
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL
Programs: AA 4MM EXP; Starwood Lifetime Plt
Posts: 2,498
I was about to say "+1" when I looked at my stays so far for 2011 on spg.com and saw that with my particular travel pattens I got breakfast either as a voluntary Platinum benefit offered by the hotel, or explicitly included in the rate, or as lounge offering about 80% of the time (counting nights, not stays, and including award stays). However, I very rarely travel in the US.
Sep 27, 2011, 7:56 pm
#44
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Upcountry Maui, HI
Posts: 13,303
It's the award nights count thing ... starting Oct 1, effective for checkouts on Oct 2. Read the Q&A ...
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...ive-october-1/
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...ive-october-1/