Starwood Lurker II

Dear members,

We’re pleased to be announcing SPG Lifetime™ Gold and SPG Lifetime™ Platinum status. Members with 250 eligible nights and 5 years of elite SPG status will earn SPG Lifetime Gold eligible. Members with 500 eligible nights and 10 years of Platinum status will earn SPG Lifetime Platinum status.

The following can be found on our official website: spg.com/morepower

New! Starting March 1

SPG Lifetime Gold

You’re golden. Enjoy Gold membership status for life when you achieve 250 eligible nights total and any five years of elite SPG status since joining the program. If you’re currently Platinum, don’t worry — your Platinum benefits are still intact. Likewise, as an SPG Lifetime Gold member, you can still earn Platinum status each year. Just enjoy the comfort of knowing that the benefits of Gold status are yours, even if you have a light travel year.

SPG Lifetime Platinum

It doesn’t get any better than this. Enjoy Platinum membership status for life when you achieve 500 eligible nights total and any 10 years of Platinum SPG status since joining the program. Yes, it’s quite an accomplishment — and one that deserves to be recognized for life.

This thread is created for further discussions.

[email protected]

Thyetus Lee | Social Media Specialist
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd

Starwood Lurker II

FAQ at your convenience

1.What are the requirements to become SPG Lifetime™ Gold?

To earn SPG Lifetime Gold status, an SPG member must have a minimum of five years of elite status during his/her SPG tenure AND 250 eligible nights since joining the program.

2.What are the requirements to become SPG Lifetime™ Platinum?

To earn SPG Lifetime Platinum status, an SPG member must have a minimum of 10 years of Platinum status during his/her SPG tenure AND 500 eligible nights since joining the program.

3.What does SPG Lifetime status mean?

SPG Lifetime status means that as long as you are an active SPG member in good standing, you will receive the benefits of the designated SPG elite tier without having to achieve the minimum number of SPG eligible nights or eligible stay requirements every subsequent year. SPG benefits and amenities may change from year to year.

4.When will the SPG Lifetime designations go into effect?

SPG members are eligible to receive an SPG Lifetime designation starting March 1, 2012.

5.When does SPG Lifetime designation expire?

An SPG Lifetime designation may expire or be canceled if an SPG member violates the terms and conditions of the SPG program or for any other reason at the discretion of Starwood. In the event an SPG Lifetime membership account fails to remain active pursuant to the terms and conditions of the SPG program, Starpoints may be forfeited.

6.If I’m an SPG Lifetime member, does that mean my Starpoints will never expire?

Even as an SPG Lifetime member, Starpoints must be earned or redeemed at least once every 12 months. If this is not done, the SPG Lifetime member account will become inactive and the Starpoints will automatically be forfeited. You may contact SPG to reactivate your SPG program membership at the level of your SPG Lifetime designation; however, the forfeited Starpoints will not be returned.

7.I am currently a Platinum Preferred Guest member, but designated SPG Lifetime Gold. What benefits do I receive?

You will receive the Platinum Preferred Guest member benefits.

8.Can an SPG member have both SPG Lifetime Gold and SPG Lifetime Platinum designations?

No. Once the SPG member achieves SPG Lifetime Platinum status, this is the only SPG Lifetime designation that the SPG member will maintain.

9.Will my SPG Membership Card mention that I have a SPG Lifetime status?

Yes. Your SPG Membership Card will state SPG Lifetime Gold or SPG Lifetime Platinum if you have achieved this designation.

10.Do I get any additional benefits for being an SPG Lifetime Gold or SPG Lifetime Platinum member?

As an SPG Lifetime member, you will receive the same benefits and amenities that are provided to SPG members of that specific elite tier at that particular time. On occasion, Starwood may provide special offers or recognition gifts to SPG Lifetime members at its sole discretion. SPG member benefits and amenities may change from time to time.

11.If I’m an SPG Lifetime Platinum Preferred Guest member, will I automatically receive all the benefits that come with meeting certain SPG eligible night thresholds (e.g., Suite Night Awards, four Starpoints per eligible U.S. dollar)?

SPG Lifetime Platinum members will receive the basic Platinum-level benefits. Currently, those benefits include the option to earn additional awards by staying a particular number of eligible nights; therefore, you must meet the same eligible-night requirements to obtain those benefits.

12.Does elite status achieved through spend on a Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express count towards earning SPG Lifetime Gold status?

Yes. Achieving 1 year of elite status through spend on a Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express counts as 1 year of elite status towards obtaining SPG Lifetime Gold status.

13. How about nights earned for having the Amex SPG card? I see that status from having the Amex cards will count towards the "years of status" total, but will nights earned pre-Oct 1 2011 for having the card count as well, or like award nights, count only after that date?

William: Yes to AMEX card nights as far as helping to attain Platinum, but not as a factor in adding to the number of nights needed for Lifetime status. No to award stays pre-October 1, 2011.

[email protected]

Thyetus Lee | Social Media Specialist
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd

TrojanHorse

Thank you SPG

What a fantastic benefit to the program ^

bworrell

This is excellent. I've been a Platinum for 12 years (I think) and according to the web site have 472 days. I know there are some days that are missing from that accounting though... will we receive some head's up ahead of the March 1 date if we qualify or not?

Starwood Lurker

Emails and letters will be deployed to members to advise them of their status.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

cur

Annnnd here come the gripes about Platinum depreciation/dilution....

Awesome perk, however... I have a feeling this perk will be rescinded (but grandfathered) in 5-10 years.

karenkay

this is cool, even if it won't apply to me--probably ever, with my travel patterns. still, i think it's a nice benefit to the road warriors!

fireworksboy

So, going forward will award/C & P nights count towards this 500 night minimum? I would think so since they now count towards Plat status, they would count towards the "500 eligible nights total", right?

Thanks in advance Thy

Starwood Lurker

Yes. Since October 1, 2011 only.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

FlyMeHomeAA

What an incredible perk and truly unexpected. Platinum Lifetime, which I calculated last night that I qualify for, will be huge. It will be an immediately fundamental change to the way I book and stay at SPG properties, especially early on in the year. No more hotel hopping to try and get to 25 stays.

Thanks, SPG!!!

FlyMeHomeAA

Now all we need is a key made out of platinum that can be used to open our room door at any property we are checked in to.

fireworksboy

Thanks William! This is awesome and I'm regretting my stay last night in a HP already.

airoli

Thank you SPG - talk about aspirational benefits!

I did not see the wording suggesting such, but I just would like to be clear. For the Lifetime status to kick in, does one have to have held status for 5 / 10 consecutive years?

Also, will the "My account" page reflect a tier status history, instead of just total # of stays and nights? I am not exactly sure for how many years I was a Gold member...

Starwood Lurker

No. They do not need to be consecutive years.

Members will soon be receiving emails or letters advising them of their status towards any new benefits.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

jemctag

+1

Another round of kudos to SPG!!! What an outstanding benefit.

Although perhaps they should rename to it something like Titanium?