Originally Posted by
MSPeconomist
NO, if one uses a match/challenge to get Gold, the requirements for Platinum are unchanged, 25 stays or 50 nights at SPG. It's not the case that you just need the incremental number of stays/nights.
My thought was that if one could get the SPG Gold comp, instantly match to Marriott Gold, sign up for the Marriott Plat challenge, do a quick 9 nights, match back to SPG Plat. Would work for someone who regularly does 1-nighters or is in a city where doing some hotel hopping is feasible.
Worthwhile to ask since some programs are a bit looser on comps to their low tier than they are their high tier. Or have programmatic ways to get the low tier straight out of the box with a premium credit card.
Without that, doing two challenges can't really speed things up for you...unless you know some of nights 10 through 18 are going to be in places where finding a Starwood might be tough.