It seems that the only
platinum benefit that could be diluted by this program are upgrades. But that doesn't seem to be a problem if high-revenue plats are pre-upgraded first (which already seems to be the case).
If properties upgrade high-revenue, high-stay platinum members (you) before they upgrade (for example) me (with zero paid 2012 stays), your benefits are not being diluted at all, and we both still get free internet.
The only dilution might be to the
gold level. If you get the last select standard suite, and I get the “superior view” room, then a revenue-stay-based gold member might end up behind me. But that could just be an extra incentive for the gold member to spend their earned points on more SPG stays to make platinum. Then they're in front of me on the upgrade list again.
(Yes, there is a possibility that I'll check in on Monday and get the upgrade that you would have gotten on your Tuesday stay if I weren't platinum. But in that situation I could have just booked your suite with double Starpoints.)
Originally Posted by
ktjan
So technically, someone can spend as little as 37,500 points to retain his/her platinum status a year...
Only someone who spends a lot of weekends in Indonesia or backwater parts of Israel and Egypt. Most category 1 hotels only give a 250 point amenity.