Originally Posted by
tfong007
I disagree. If these companies want the business of the frequent traveller they will have no choice but to match. Without a status match there is little incentive for someone to leave their chain of choice. I was comped gold status on Marriott and find that for some resort properties it offers you no added benefits at all. Especially if there is no internet in the room and they don't have a lounge for breakfast.
This may be why they stopped giving it away, they found out that people would do like the OP wanted to and gain the benfits since their main program doesnt have a presence but once they are done no way would the person continue earning the status. Since the whole pt of getting it was to grab all the freebes that they could for the couple of reses they had no choice but to stay
There are people who have been able to yr in and yr out get Plat as a comp by getting a new acct#, dont know the #s maybe it was getting out of hand. Or that SPG saw they gave the comped Plat status and that most people didnt end up requalifying.
I like the idea why should someone who had never gotten any status with say SPG or even had 1 stay with them till now all of sudden get a nice Upgrade and when a Plat for many yrs checks in gets the dreeded Sorry no Ups are left for tonight