Originally Posted by
Rewards_Guy
swag,
You will be "soft-dropped" to Gold, even though you didn't stay the required amount of nights for that status. Thus, you will be able to buyback Platinum.
Cool, thanks.
Originally Posted by
general45
How long would status last? Renew in 2009-does the status expire in 2010, or run through until February 2011 as it normally would?
Nice try, but the page title and text both say "Buy Back Your Marriott Rewards Elite Status for 2009". I'm fairly certain the status extends you for 12 months, thru Feb 2010.
Points required to buy back Platinum status - 40,000
Points required to buy back Gold status - 25,000
Points required to buy back Silver status - 7,500
I think the point requirements are interesting. I think the big jump in status benefits is when you get from Silver to Gold. That's when you get the EEO's and the lounge access. Gold to Plat adds the 48 hour guarantee, the arrival gift, and some bonus points - nice to have for sure, but not as valuable as the EEO's and lounge access. Marriott would seem to agree, based on the qualification levels: it's 35 nights past silver to get gold, but only 25 nights after gold to get plat.
Yet, on the buyback, it's more expensive to buy back plat than gold.
If I retain gold, I'll probably be content with that.