Originally Posted by
darthbimmer
It's awfully hard to buy top-tier MR status with credit card spend. After the initial 15 nights from carrying the MR Visa card you'd need to spend $180,000 on the card to earn the other 60 nights required to reach Platinum. Comping status for $180k spend is not a giveaway.
It was the RC card with $75K spent. It was not giveaway, but it does allow you to purchase top elite status. I don't really stay at RC, but Marriott is great. I bought both Hilton and Marriott top status so I could take vacations with credit card points getting room upgrade, free breakfast, free internet, etc... and with Marriott plat I am also now United Silver. And also Hertz and Avis elites.
I never travel for work so there is no way I could have gotten any status with anything travel related if not for credit cards.