Sorry, the thread is so massive I just can't find exactly what I want via search.
I am SPG gold and am 15 stays away from Plat or 28 nts away from Plat. If I were to use pts. at my local 2000 pt property to get to platinum (for this calendar year), how long would I then have platinum for? Stays needs to be within calendar year as per spg, but how long is the upgraded status then granted?
Programs: AA EXP (LTG), Hilton Silver (former Dia), Marriott Plat (LTG, former PP), SPG Gold (soon to be LTP)
Posts: 3,740
Quote:
Originally Posted by peters4n6
Sorry, the thread is so massive I just can't find exactly what I want via search.
I am SPG gold and am 15 stays away from Plat or 28 nts away from Plat. If I were to use pts. at my local 2000 pt property to get to platinum (for this calendar year), how long would I then have platinum for? Stays needs to be within calendar year as per spg, but how long is the upgraded status then granted?
Once you earn status, it is good the rest of the current year, through the following year, and till the end of February the year after that. So if you make Platinum this year, it will be good until 2/28/2014.
Most programs, like SPG, use a calendar year for qualification and a program year that goes until Feb or Mar for benefits. Some, not SPG, will use a rolling calendar for first time elites so if they make status within a 12-month period, they will be granted status and then must meet the calendar year requirements after that.
Once you earn status, it is good the rest of the current year, through the following year, and till the end of February the year after that. So if you make Platinum this year, it will be good until 2/28/2014.
Most programs use a calendar year for qualification and a program year that goes until Feb or Mar for benefits. Some will use a rolling calendar for first time elites so if they make status within a 12-month period, they will be granted status and then must meet the calendar year requirements after that.
So with SPG, is it your first statement (2/28/14) or your second (rolling calendar with needing same calendar year requirements in '13)?
Sounds like the first option may be a worthwhile expediture of points for me. I could book a 28-day stay with points and have Platinum for 14 subsequent months. Could I just check in the first night a simply never go back?
Programs: AA EXP (LTG), Hilton Silver (former Dia), Marriott Plat (LTG, former PP), SPG Gold (soon to be LTP)
Posts: 3,740
Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerD408
Once you earn status, it is good the rest of the current year, through the following year, and till the end of February the year after that. So if you make Platinum this year, it will be good until 2/28/2014.
Most programs use a calendar year for qualification and a program year that goes until Feb or Mar for benefits. Some will use a rolling calendar for first time elites so if they make status within a 12-month period, they will be granted status and then must meet the calendar year requirements after that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by peters4n6
So with SPG, is it your first statement (2/28/14) or your second (rolling calendar with needing same calendar year requirements in '13)?
Sounds like the first option may be a worthwhile expediture of points for me. I could book a 28-day stay with points and have Platinum for 14 subsequent months. Could I just check in the first night a simply never go back?
Sorry, the "SOME" does not include SPG, so no rolling calendar there. I should have made that clearer. Plus I stated "FIRST TIME" elites, so since you are Gold, you are not a first time elite anymore.
Yes, you can check-in and never stay in the room. However, a glitch that may mess up your plan is if housekeeping checks the room and it appears you are not there, they may check you out and you may end up short nights. If you have a place near your home, make a point to going by every day or so and make it looked lived in. Also, putting out the DND sign will not keep housekeeping out. Most properties insist upon doing a visual check of the room every few days checking for damage and/or dead bodies.
Sorry, the "SOME" does not include SPG, so no rolling calendar there. I should have made that clearer. Plus I stated "FIRST TIME" elites, so since you are Gold, you are not a first time elite anymore.
Yes, you can check-in and never stay in the room. However, a glitch that may mess up your plan is if housekeeping checks the room and it appears you are not there, they may check you out and you may end up short nights. If you have a place near your home, make a point to going by every day or so and make it looked lived in. Also, putting out the DND sign will not keep housekeeping out. Most properties insist upon doing a visual check of the room every few days checking for damage and/or dead bodies.
Sounds like you've done this before
Actually the location is near my office so I could swing by easily to mess the place up a bit, although I might not be around for a weekend. Hope that thing wouldn't screw things up.
Looking at the rates I could get the room for 1200 pts + $25 per night. Turns out my original estimate of 2K pts per night was wrong; that's only on weekends. It's 3K otherwise. Now I just have to assess the real question...will my SPG usage in the subsequent 14 months make this shenanigan worthwhile. I don't see how it wouldn't be.
Programs: AA EXP (LTG), Hilton Silver (former Dia), Marriott Plat (LTG, former PP), SPG Gold (soon to be LTP)
Posts: 3,740
Quote:
Originally Posted by peters4n6
Sounds like you've done this before
Actually the location is near my office so I could swing by easily to mess the place up a bit, although I might not be around for a weekend. Hope that thing wouldn't screw things up.
Looking at the rates I could get the room for 1200 pts + $25 per night. Turns out my original estimate of 2K pts per night was wrong; that's only on weekends. It's 3K otherwise. Now I just have to assess the real question...will my SPG usage in the subsequent 14 months make this shenanigan worthwhile. I don't see how it wouldn't be.
Actually, I've never done this... I do read most the FT posts about SPG and I have not had to stay at a Holiday Inn Express!
Given this is 11/30, I don't see you making Plat during the month of December. To get there by stays, you will need to change properties 15 times (or break up your stays with a night between stays) or check in for 28 nights! A bit excessive in my book.
Depending upon your expected travel for next year, you might want to think about padding your counts early next year to get Plat as soon as you can and then enjoy the benefits till 2/2015! I did this with AA and all the double and triple specials they offered. I was short in 2011 to maintain my status, but re-qualified by April this year and status is good until 2014! Only had two flights at lower status before getting back to EXP.
Actually, I've never done this... I do read most the FT posts about SPG and I have not had to stay at a Holiday Inn Express!
Given this is 11/30, I don't see you making Plat during the month of December. To get there by stays, you will need to change properties 15 times (or break up your stays with a night between stays) or check in for 28 nights! A bit excessive in my book.
Depending upon your expected travel for next year, you might want to think about padding your counts early next year to get Plat as soon as you can and then enjoy the benefits till 2/2015! I did this with AA and all the double and triple specials they offered. I was short in 2011 to maintain my status, but re-qualified by April this year and status is good until 2014! Only had two flights at lower status before getting back to EXP.
Yes, food for thought. I'm not sure why you don't think I can make platinum in Dec...I have 31 nights available to get 28 nts. which is what I need to get to 50 for the year. With that said, I am actually not a super-frequent traveler. Being at 10 stays and 22 night for a calendar year is a lot for me. I noticed my Plat possibilities only today. A 28-day stay would be about 34K pts plus about $700. Starting from zero at the new year would cost about the same for 25 non-consecutive stays. Although it seems the Plat status would be an additional year? Just have a chance to travel a fair bit more next year than I ever have.
Any other SPGers care to weigh in and help out this newb?
Yes, food for thought. I'm not sure why you don't think I can make platinum in Dec...I have 31 nights available to get 28 nts. which is what I need to get to 50 for the year. With that said, I am actually not a super-frequent traveler. Being at 10 stays and 22 night for a calendar year is a lot for me. I noticed my Plat possibilities only today. A 28-day stay would be about 34K pts plus about $700. Starting from zero at the new year would cost about the same for 25 non-consecutive stays. Although it seems the Plat status would be an additional year? Just have a chance to travel a fair bit more next year than I ever have.
Any other SPGers care to weigh in and help out this newb?
My travel dipped and I found myself 4 stays short of PLT. That, to me, is a reasonable usage of points to use in a mattress run to retain PLT status.
If you are 15 stays / 28 nights short, there's only one reason I would even consider doing what you are thinking of doing -- you *know* that your travel will increase dramatically next year to the point where you would benefit.
$700 would be too much for me to maintain status -- even only being 4 stays / nights short. If they didn't count award stays (like in the past), I wouldn't bother trying to requalify.
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you *know* that your travel will increase dramatically next year to the point where you would benefit.
I guess the answer to that would be yes. It will increase significantly. Unfortunately, my baseline of limited SPG travel and upgrade experience doesn't know what the hit-rate would be to get a really great room/suite upgrade. I guess I'll need to explore the specific hotels here at FT and see what other users experiences have been in getting PLT upgrades.
My travel dipped and I found myself 4 stays short of PLT. That, to me, is a reasonable usage of points to use in a mattress run to retain PLT status.
If you are 15 stays / 28 nights short, there's only one reason I would even consider doing what you are thinking of doing -- you *know* that your travel will increase dramatically next year to the point where you would benefit.
$700 would be too much for me to maintain status -- even only being 4 stays / nights short. If they didn't count award stays (like in the past), I wouldn't bother trying to requalify.
you mentioned " If they didn't count award stays (like in the past), I wouldn't bother trying to requalify."
what do you mean by "like in the past"? Is that meaning I can't stay one night to qualify a stay toward status right now? Are there any changes?
you mentioned " If they didn't count award stays (like in the past), I wouldn't bother trying to requalify."
what do you mean by "like in the past"? Is that meaning I can't stay one night to qualify a stay toward status right now? Are there any changes?
Previously award stays didn't count towards nights/stays towards elite status. So I would've had to buy the last 4 stays at the prevailing rate. Instead, I've simply used 3000 StarPoints 4 times.
If I'm going to be a PlatinumLite, after all, I'm really gonna do it right.
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Programs: SPG Platinum / Hyatt Diamond / UA Premier 1K / AA EXP
Posts: 136
Quote:
Originally Posted by peters4n6
Yes, food for thought. I'm not sure why you don't think I can make platinum in Dec...I have 31 nights available to get 28 nts. which is what I need to get to 50 for the year. With that said, I am actually not a super-frequent traveler. Being at 10 stays and 22 night for a calendar year is a lot for me. I noticed my Plat possibilities only today. A 28-day stay would be about 34K pts plus about $700. Starting from zero at the new year would cost about the same for 25 non-consecutive stays. Although it seems the Plat status would be an additional year? Just have a chance to travel a fair bit more next year than I ever have.
Any other SPGers care to weigh in and help out this newb?
My apologies but I am confused by this statement. Regardless where you end up this year (Gold or Plat) that status will be good until the end of Feb 2014, so making Plat would not give you an extra year.
I personally think that is a waste of points, you don't get an increase in earning rate (still 3 starpoints per dollar like gold), so I couldn't justify spending points on status when that status wouldn't earn me points faster.
There are the suite night awards if you get to plat by 50 nights, which is a significant benefit over gold, but I still don't think they are worth 34k points and $700.
They are your points and cash, so if you value platinum at 34k and $700, then forget what everyone else says and do it.
My apologies but I am confused by this statement. Regardless where you end up this year (Gold or Plat) that status will be good until the end of Feb 2014, so making Plat would not give you an extra year.
I personally think that is a waste of points, you don't get an increase in earning rate (still 3 starpoints per dollar like gold), so I couldn't justify spending points on status when that status wouldn't earn me points faster.
There are the suite night awards if you get to plat by 50 nights, which is a significant benefit over gold, but I still don't think they are worth 34k points and $700.
They are your points and cash, so if you value platinum at 34k and $700, then forget what everyone else says and do it.
Yes, I need to do my research real quick; even then I'll never know if I'll score for the locations and dates I'd be considering. FWIW, I'm looking at 5 nights in Barcelona in June, 1-2 nts each in Frankfurt and Zurich in July or Aug, 5 or so nights in NYC in the fall, and a night here and there on no specific dates in SD, SF, and LA.
Programs: AA EXP (LTG), Hilton Silver (former Dia), Marriott Plat (LTG, former PP), SPG Gold (soon to be LTP)
Posts: 3,740
Quote:
Originally Posted by DougDons
My apologies but I am confused by this statement. Regardless where you end up this year (Gold or Plat) that status will be good until the end of Feb 2014, so making Plat would not give you an extra year.
...
If OP makes Plat this year, he's good thru Feb 2014. If he makes Plat early next year, he'll be good thru Feb 2015.
Quote:
Originally Posted by peters4n6
Yes, I need to do my research real quick; even then I'll never know if I'll score for the locations and dates I'd be considering. FWIW, I'm looking at 5 nights in Barcelona in June, 1-2 nts each in Frankfurt and Zurich in July or Aug, 5 or so nights in NYC in the fall, and a night here and there on no specific dates in SD, SF, and LA.
Even Plats don't have a guarantee of upgrades, but I feel safe in saying your chances are better as a Plat, which should put you right behind property regulars and ahead of Golds.
Yes, I need to do my research real quick; even then I'll never know if I'll score for the locations and dates I'd be considering. FWIW, I'm looking at 5 nights in Barcelona in June, 1-2 nts each in Frankfurt and Zurich in July or Aug, 5 or so nights in NYC in the fall, and a night here and there on no specific dates in SD, SF, and LA.
Doesn't seem like much to make the push to Platinum worthwhile... IMO
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