It looks like RN has started giving the elite bonuses with after only 11 dines.

On my accounts which are not yet elite for 2006, if I presently have only 9 dines, it says I only need 2 more (9+2=11).

Also, on my accounts which I earned elite for the first time in 2005 (last year) I got an unexpected reward listed as TIER UPGRADE 2005. When I went back to look it up, it was my 12th dine of 2005, and the miles equalled 7 miles per dollar (the difference between 3 and 10 miles for elite). It look like they retroactively gave me elite credit for last year's 12 dine.

I wonder if they lost a lawsuit on their wording of the elite bonus? It does say you qualify with "12 or more qualifying transactions within a calendar year". I never noticed it before, but based on that wording, I guess I would expect to earn 10 miles per dollar on my 12th dine.