Jared Ito

Do we know what will be required to requalify for platinum in calendar year 2017? If not, does anyone know when we might know the requirements?

- will it be ones choice of 25 stays or 59 nihtts, or will it be 50 nights, or will it be 75 nights?

If it is unknown at present, I hope they let us know soon. Especially since many hotels are taking reservations practically up to Easter in 2018.

I understand of course that it does not have a clear meaning at present as there may be a new program in 2018, and the benefits of the program are likely not yet determined, let alone whether there will be a platinum status or what that status may offer. Still , i think that if they are accepting bookings now, they should let us know soon.

dannybhoy

Assuming I requal for Plat50 for 2016 (4 stays 7 nights short), I should need at most 28 nights next year to hit 500 lifetime nights for SPG Plat.

Assuming that 25 stays can still get Plat in 2017, I'll probably shoot for basic Plat and just enough nights to hit lifetime 500. Basic Plat for 2017 will also be my 10th year as Plat so maybe just in time as LTP in SPG's last year. Probably focus on Hyatt Diamond then.

conde

It is hard to know what policies or promotions for status qualification will exist next year, however it seems that SPG will be allowed to remain a separate program through 2017. Although change to the terms are possible, it seems likely that qualification in 2016 for 2017 status would remain the same.

Based on nights or stays in 2016, I won't requalify for SPG Platinum for 2017. My hope is that Marriott will have an option for status buyback, costing points. After transferring Starpoints to Marriott Rewards with a 1:3 (SPG:Marriott) ratio, it might not cost that many Starpoints to buyback Marriott Platinum, and therefore SPG Platinum. There is no guaranty that Marriott will offer that as they have in the past. It is my hope is that Marriott will keep Marriott Rewards benefits that were available in the past such as status buyback through 2017.

MSPeconomist

I think the question concerns requirements for nights and/or stays during 2017 for status in the year 2018, not nights/stays in 2016 for 2017 status.

craigthemif

Now that it has been confirmed that SPG will exist until 2018, I would expect no change to the current 25 stays / 50 nights. After all, it would be incredibly short sighted to give any SPG loyalists a reason to move their business away, right when Marriott needs to prove to the stock market that they made a good deal...

Once the two programs are merged for 2018, who knows... It will be a trade-off between not losing too many SPG elites, and the fact that a 5000+ hotel chain makes it relatively easier to reach status than a 1000 hotel chain, simply due to more options in more markets.

Yul_voyager

The question is more, will the MR and SPG 2017 nights / stays will be combined for status qualification in the new program in 2018 ? I would say yes but who knows...

Medved

+1. I don't think they backtrack on the announcement. Business as usual for 2017 (2018 qualification), including lifetime status. More interestingly how lifetime status match would be finalized beyond 2018.

Medved

I'd do the same if I were you. Qualified for LPT in 2014 though.

TravelinSperry

Unless they make a change/statement between now and December (mid Dec at the latest), I agree with this statement. They have to give some notice to us so we know how to plan. But I'd guess it will be status quo for qualification in 2017 for 2018 in both programs.

CPRich

I suspect anyone meeting the existing criteria in 2017, under the guidance that the current programs will exist through 2017, will gain/re-qualify for that level when reached.

I also suspect that anyone meeting those levels will move to an "equivalant" combined program in 2018.

So an SPG Gold member hitting 50 nights in July 2017 would be SPG PLT for the rest of the year, and the "new Platinum" in 2018, even if it jumps to 75 nights.

I'd also guess that anyone meeting the new program's criteria in their combined nights would qualify for it, even if they didn't meet any "previous" levels. But this is more of a guess/less certain.

E.g. If you have 55 MR nights and 30 SPG nights, you'd only be Gold in each. But if the new program has a 75 night Platinum status, you'd qualify for it.

supatight80

What if the merged programs start on March 1st, 2018. And you've requal'd for SPG Plat under the old program by having 25 stays from January - Feb 28, 2018?

What's your status for the remainder of 2018 after the program merges? Thoughts?

mahasamatman

And if you sneeze twice and hop on your left foot while waving your Chase Marriott Visa and SPG Amex, what will your status be?

I don't think the new program should even use Silver/Gold/Platinum as status tiers at all. They should come up with brand new terminology to completely avoid confusion from people trying to compare the past with the future.

username

My expectation is that they will announce the qualification criteria for the new (2018) program late this year. I would not be surprised if it goes into a Night, Stay or Dollar model.

What I wonder is if they will find a way to combine the numbers for 2016 for 2017 status.

craigthemif

That is an interesting point (i.e. Avios instead of miles to deal with the IB/BA merger), but since SPG also calls elites Gold and Platinum I doubt it will happen, unless they backtrack on the promise of Platinum = Platinum and destroy all the goodwill they just earned.

Why confuse millions of Marriott Rewards just so that SPG members are potentially less confused about a different status qualification requirement in the combined program?

What would be really intriguing is if they made the current Marriott requirements (i.e. 75 nights) easier to hit, as long as you stay in X different brands, sort of like what IHG used to do.

Sabai

Look at how parsimonious airline programs have become, and how much Wall St loves Delta. I think the takeaway from consolidation is that companies can blithely jettison customers as there are plenty more where they came from.