Originally Posted by Land-of-Miles

This just isn't true though is it that you need 75 nights. I have always hit Spire requalification well before coming anywhere near 75 nights because you only need $7500 qualifying spend. The only way to Marriott Titanium is via 75 nights of stay, which is why I never bothered to try in the old Marriott scheme and now as a Marriott Lifetime Plat (effectively old Gold), as a former Starwood LTP I rarely stay at Marriott's (even ex Starwood properties) because my on property benefits are a pale shadow of what I used to receive. I would say that 75 nights for what you actually seem to get at Marriott these days is a complete joke to me and whilst I could easily hit that level of stays with Marriott, I just won't.

On balance I think Hilton is a better overall programme if you are going to concentrate upon a single brand. I like to have options hence sticking with Marriott LTP, Hilton Diamond and IHG Spire/RA/IC. I then choose case by case based upon which of the chain best meets my needs or go independent if that is a better option.

I think the trick that both IHG and Marriott are missing is to deliver a single scheme that includes a brand stay/spend requirement for the very top level so that those staying at Kimpton, Six Senses, Regent, IC or RC, SR etc. get proper recognition at those properties rather than treating the bottom end 75 nights in a Moxy customer the same as 75 nights in a RC customer, that is simply insane. IHG has the right idea the execution should be simplified, be clear and consistent without discriminating across broadly equal upper end brands. I do think this is the direction that IHG will go because running several parallel programmes creates unnecessary expense.