Same for my last 3 stays. Points instead of welcome gifts just is not working.

I submitted a status match request more than two weeks ago and haven't even heard so much as a peep from Choice Privileges 😒

Same for me too. I selected bonus points as welcome gift for my 3 stays at brands offering the welcome gift point option as of June 1, 2017, and have yet to see any of those bonus points post yet. I'm beginning to think that other than the ChoiceHotels rep here on FlyterTalk, Choice has a grand total of 1 untrained outsourced DBA and 1 untrained outsourced Customer Service Rep on their staff.

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Getting back on topic, I'm experiencing the same issue as mrstraveler. I submitted my Status Match request on July 5th but I haven't heard anything back yet. I followed the instructions exactly from their web page: https://www.choicehotels.com/choice-...s/status-match

It's been a lot longer than 9 business days....thankfully I don't have an immediate need for the longer points booking window right now so I guess I'll give it a little more time.

I'm also experiencing the same issue mrstraveler and dadofsix are experiencing. I submitted my status match July 5th and have yet to hear back regarding it. With a few stays coming up (thanks in part to the 1,000-per-stay Amtrak Guest Rewards bonus) I'd like to have that processed fairly soon.

I submitted my Status Match request July 1 and received confirmation Sunday July 30 that it had been approved. I matched Hilton Diamond to Choice Platinum.

Thanks for the heads-up, that's good to know. I ended up PM'ing ChoiceHotels last week and they responded saying it would be escalated, but I still have yet to hear anything.

I finally got status matched from IHG Platinum to Choice Platinum. It took a full month to get it processed.

Came through for me as well. Matched from Best Western Platinum to Choice Gold.

ABout the same for me - over one month for status match from Hilton Diamond to CHoice Platinum - not Choice Diamond. Such a status match isn't going to allow me to stay with Choice becasue only Choice Diamond gets room upgrades. Not going to give up my Hilton upgrade for Choice Platinum.

Missed opportunity for Choice IMO.

Same here finally received a response and status match about 30 days from sending initial email.

I think you're misinformed. Even Choice Diamond hardly ever gets upgrades. I keep flip-flopping between Choice Diamond and Choice Platinum, and I don't see any obvious difference in the (lack of) room upgrades I get with either. (Of course, half the Choice properties I stay at, there's nothing much to upgrade to anyway!)

So maybe Choice Diamond gets upgrades 2% of the time while Choice Platinum gets upgrades 0% of the time. While that would technically mean "only Choice Diamond gets upgrades", I don't see how that's a big enough difference to care about Choice Diamond? :confused:

It seems to me you're confused about how "budget" hotel programs work. There's hardly ever upgrades for top status in either Choice Privileges, or Best Western Rewards, or WynhdamRewards.

Choice is however the easiest program to get suites at no extra cost, but not because of upgrades, but because many Choice properties allow you to book suites on reward stays, using no extra points compared to the lowest-end rooms. But that has nothing to do with status, it has to do with accumulating enough Choice points to be able to book a suite with points when you really a want a suite.

I submitted a status match request on 8/17 and received a positive response today (8/21). FWIW, I matched IHG Platinum to Choice Platinum (valid until 12/31/18). The email also specifically states that this is the highest status awarded under the match program.

Any recent experiences with status matching into Choice elite status? Curious if this option is still available.