Apologies if this has been asked/answered somewhere else. I have the Marriott Chase card, which gives 15 elite credit nights per year on the card anniversary. For me that is in early January. I will finish the year in the mid-high 40 night area, but I might have a chance to hit 50. It seems that the smart thing for me is to make sure that I don't hit 50, because then I carry all nights over 10 into 2016 as rollover nights, and then I get 15 more based on the credit card bonus, setting me up for Gold early in the year, with a good likelihood of hitting platinum.

Have I misunderstood a rule somewhere? Is there a reason that I want to strain to hit Gold by the end of 2015?

Thanks!