The new information announced today makes it very clear that qualification for the new Diamond and Invited Statuses depend entirely on spending with number of nights being irrelevant.
Staying at Luxury brands seems to be the key here, at least in terms of speed of qualification. A lot of nights at economy and mid scale brands won't help much.
The FAQ state that Status Points earned this year can be used to attain Diamond status for 2020. However, the benefits have not been announced. That is a pity because it is still early enough in the year for enthusiastic people to aim for 26,000 points. Without knowing the benefits there may be less enthusiasm at this stage. Of course this won't matter for people who routinely do a lot of stays in Fairmont and Raffles hotels, or stay in more expensive markets.
I myself am unsure at the moment. I live and travel in cheaper markets, and am very happy with hotels which may not help me reach Diamond. Needs a bit of thought for me. Hope the list of Diamond benefits is released soon.
From the FAQ:
How do I earn Diamond status ?
Beginning in 2020, Diamond status can be earned by achieving 26,000 status points or more between the 1st of January and the 31st of December each year. Status points earned in 2019 will count for qualification of Diamond status in 2020.
Last edited by Kobetraveller; Mar 4, 2019 at 4:31 am