Originally Posted by
sdsearch
The problem with base nights and $ based is that won't work if they haven't been keeping track of all of that at both Marriott Rewards and SPG for enough years.
Ie, this is lifetime status we're talking about, with
lifetime qualification, not annual status with annual qualifcation, so it needs to be based on metrics that they already have, going back many years. New metrics which they've never even used for annual status, how likely are they to have kept track of a total of those for decades?
... Meanwhile, another thing they
could do is offer a choice (between the current Marriott model and the current SPG model). For example:
NNN lifetime nights plus (either XXXXXXX lifetime ponts OR YY years in this status)
In that case, if you get to XXXXXXX lifetime points first (along with NNN lifetime nights), you're in. Or, if you get to YY yesrs in this status first (along with NNN lifetime nights), you're in.
I agree with you that whichever metric they choose must be trackable over the years in both systems. If we take that as a necessary condition for a metric to be chosen, then points and $ spent is out, because of SPG. That leaves years as elite in, but since MR decided at one point to get rid of this metric it's return is unlikely but not impossible. This metric also has another drawback since it becomes harder to segment current LTP and LTG in the both programs and if you introduce a tier above platinum it also constitute a problem. These two shortcomings can be addressed by discrimination based on nights in addition to years as elite. This leaves question why not go for base nights as the only metric it is tracked by both MR and SPG with the difference that SPG don't track bonus nights and don't have the concept of roll over nights. Another difference between MR and SPG is that award nights became qualifying nights much later for MR.
For instance if you could back out the number of MR award nights from the same date as they started to be qualifying for SPG you add those nights to the existing LT reward nights and LT paid nights you could compare MR and SPG accounts in the same metric.