New Honors T&C 2013 downer: Increase in required points & stays for diamond & gold.
Dec 7, 2012, 1:25 pm
#196
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Hee, hee, hee
Starbucks has now jumped into the credit card with bennies fray by issuing a $450 steel card that comes with Gold Status. The card has $400 credit on it, so $50 to purchase it. Now all of the legit Golds get pushed aside by somebody with $450 to waste. Sounds familier doesn't it?
Starbucks has now jumped into the credit card with bennies fray by issuing a $450 steel card that comes with Gold Status. The card has $400 credit on it, so $50 to purchase it. Now all of the legit Golds get pushed aside by somebody with $450 to waste. Sounds familier doesn't it?
Dec 7, 2012, 1:45 pm
#197
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Minneapolis, originally from Cincinnati
Programs: Diamond with Delta, Hyatt and Hilton. 2 MM and Plat with America (thank you citi:))
Posts: 2,345
I checked into a Starwood two months ago and the clerk said "Sorry about the lack of a Suite...we're over 70% Platinum tonight." (There is no real end-around to Starwood Platinum except for a once-per-account-life challenge.) That is the bulk of hotel guests - always has been, always will be. People who really do the stays. If you've ever been a United 1K in 25th position on an upgrade list for 1 business class seat, you can see the same is true for airlines.
I wish SPG would jump on the credit card bandwagon and start allowing guests to earn PM status with $40,000 in spend. They would be getting more of my stays.
Dec 7, 2012, 1:56 pm
#200
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Minneapolis, originally from Cincinnati
Programs: Diamond with Delta, Hyatt and Hilton. 2 MM and Plat with America (thank you citi:))
Posts: 2,345
I could make someone that NEVER flies delta and doesn't have a credit card a gold very easilly by gifting the status, but would be a foolish use of one of my gifts.
She has either 1 or 2 million mile status with American as well and may have not have even flown American this year. American used to count credit card spending toward million mile status. Unfortunately they have either closed this loophole or are going to by year end
Dec 7, 2012, 1:57 pm
#201
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 1,413
Now, this Hilton change is an issue, but when they start messing with my Starbucks, we have a very serious problem.
This fake Starbuck's golds are going to come in, hog up the free wi-fi, and be constantly getting free refills of coffee. Then, a person like me that's earned Gold status the right way will have to wait in a longer line and when, I finally get up there, they'll be out of dark roast, forcing me drink that Pike Place swill. Not to mention that these fake golds will get the free food or drink items after just 12 purchases. They'll be no scones left when it's my turn.
What Starbucks needs to do is have a Diamond level for those of us who really drink their coffee. I'm struggling with the exact benefits for this -- maybe they'd open the store early for me or have some reserved parking spots. If not, I'm off to Dunkin' Donuts.
This fake Starbuck's golds are going to come in, hog up the free wi-fi, and be constantly getting free refills of coffee. Then, a person like me that's earned Gold status the right way will have to wait in a longer line and when, I finally get up there, they'll be out of dark roast, forcing me drink that Pike Place swill. Not to mention that these fake golds will get the free food or drink items after just 12 purchases. They'll be no scones left when it's my turn.
What Starbucks needs to do is have a Diamond level for those of us who really drink their coffee. I'm struggling with the exact benefits for this -- maybe they'd open the store early for me or have some reserved parking spots. If not, I'm off to Dunkin' Donuts.
Last edited by zachary; Dec 7, 2012 at 2:07 pm
Dec 7, 2012, 2:00 pm
#202
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Minneapolis, originally from Cincinnati
Programs: Diamond with Delta, Hyatt and Hilton. 2 MM and Plat with America (thank you citi:))
Posts: 2,345
The diamond credit card policy should be changed to be in line with other hotels where spend counts towards nights/stays or if they insist on giving the status out with no stays increase the spend to more reasonable level like $65,000 to $80,000 a year.
I really have no problems with the new requirements if they increase the benefits and also give suite upgrade priority to people staying with the most stays. Either have another higher tier above diamond or just have different levels of diamond based on number of nights stayed.
Dec 7, 2012, 2:03 pm
#203
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Minneapolis, originally from Cincinnati
Programs: Diamond with Delta, Hyatt and Hilton. 2 MM and Plat with America (thank you citi:))
Posts: 2,345
Hee, hee, hee
Starbucks has now jumped into the credit card with bennies fray by issuing a $450 steel card that comes with Gold Status. The card has $400 credit on it, so $50 to purchase it. Now all of the legit Golds get pushed aside by somebody with $450 to waste. Sounds familier doesn't it?
Starbucks has now jumped into the credit card with bennies fray by issuing a $450 steel card that comes with Gold Status. The card has $400 credit on it, so $50 to purchase it. Now all of the legit Golds get pushed aside by somebody with $450 to waste. Sounds familier doesn't it?
I wish Hyatt and SPG and Hilton would all allow me to buy Diamond for $450 a year.You can get gold status at SB for a lot less than $450 a year
Seeing you only need 30 drinks, that $450 equates to $15 a drink, pretty expensive way to get status. I am a gold member with Starbucks and am fine with this as a SB shareholder My benefits will remain the same at SB
Dec 7, 2012, 2:06 pm
#204
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO/SMF
Programs: Holder of six "persona non-grata" awards
Posts: 1,914
Now, this Hilton change is an issue, but when they start messing with my Starbucks, we have very serious problem.
This fake Starbuck's golds are going to come in, hog up the free wi-fi, and be constantly getting free refills of coffee. Then, a person like me that's earned Gold status the right way will have to wait in a longer line and when, I finally get up there, they'll be out of dark roast, forcing me drink that Pike Place swill. Not to mention that these fake golds will get the free food or drink items after just 12 purchases. They'll be no scones left when it's my turn.
What Starbucks needs to do is have a Diamond level for those of us who really drink their coffee. I'm struggling with the exact benefits for this -- maybe they'd open the store early for me or have some reserved parking spots. If not, I'm off to Dunkin' Donuts.
This fake Starbuck's golds are going to come in, hog up the free wi-fi, and be constantly getting free refills of coffee. Then, a person like me that's earned Gold status the right way will have to wait in a longer line and when, I finally get up there, they'll be out of dark roast, forcing me drink that Pike Place swill. Not to mention that these fake golds will get the free food or drink items after just 12 purchases. They'll be no scones left when it's my turn.
What Starbucks needs to do is have a Diamond level for those of us who really drink their coffee. I'm struggling with the exact benefits for this -- maybe they'd open the store early for me or have some reserved parking spots. If not, I'm off to Dunkin' Donuts.
I just show up once a year on my B'Day and grab my free drink.
Dec 7, 2012, 2:11 pm
#205
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Minneapolis, originally from Cincinnati
Programs: Diamond with Delta, Hyatt and Hilton. 2 MM and Plat with America (thank you citi:))
Posts: 2,345
I can understand the argument against the former, but what's the argument against the latter? Right now, I've requalified for Diamond. Given the crappy 4th Quarter promo, I've been staying at Marriotts, which offered me a 2 stays = 1 free night (but only at category 1-4 hotels). Because requalifying for me is usually more difficult than this year (I often have my 28th stay between Xmas and New Years' Eve), I would still be at Hilton if they had rollover nights.
I understand that there could be someone who has 120 nights one year and then doesn't have to stay at all the next year if you did rollover nights. But those people have to be few and far between (although they are far more common on FT).
Frankly, Hyatt has a better program, but it simply lacks the number of properties that my travel requires, especially since many of my stays are (way) outside of bigger cities. That's also true of SPG. If it wasn't for that, I'd be gone.
I understand that there could be someone who has 120 nights one year and then doesn't have to stay at all the next year if you did rollover nights. But those people have to be few and far between (although they are far more common on FT).
Frankly, Hyatt has a better program, but it simply lacks the number of properties that my travel requires, especially since many of my stays are (way) outside of bigger cities. That's also true of SPG. If it wasn't for that, I'd be gone.
There are a lot of people on the Delta board that hate rollover MQMs, but it gives them more of my business in my case. If I didn't get rollover MQMs I would give some of my business to a competitor hoping for low tier status on a second airline.
Dec 7, 2012, 3:18 pm
#206
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Random thoughts since I've been away for a while...
- The Starwood in question was the W Seattle. I've stayed there numerous times over the years and had more than one mention from the front desk about how elite-heavy they are. Much like Chicago is a strong Hilton town, Seattle has always been a good Starwood town with three FS properties right in downtown. (As opposed to 2 Marriotts, both a little less ideally located for business travelers, and 1 rather poor Hilton.) But I've also stayed at Marriotts and Hiltons where the elite load is probably just as high. I rarely get a big upgrade in Silicon Valley...I'd bet elite loads (plus people just outright booking suites) are high there.
- Spending a ton of money on the DL Amex sounds like a horrible way to get PM. If somebody wants to do that, effectively paying a buttload in the form of a very poor return on their raw CC earnings in the form of Skymiles, by all means go for it. Just like you could spend $180,000 on a Marriott Visa and get Platinum, who would really do that? The DL Amex is probably a nice card for someone who's already flying Delta and just needs a little bump to the next tier. But not a real great mechanism for a non-flier to easily jump into PM status. That non-flier would be better off simply earning Starpoints or cash back. Maybe Avios if they know they have a lot of EI or AA uses for Avios.
- GM, PM, DM...those are Flyertalk nomenclature for Delta status tiers, where the M means Medallion. (Right, Delta guys?) Guess it slipped in here when we thread-drifted earlier. I occasionally refer to Marriott Diamond or Hilton Platinum.
- I too would like SPG Plat for $40,000, although it probably wouldn't affect my stay pattern. It'd just be insurance against an off year as far as travel goes. But I'm guessing Amex still feels that the SPG Amex is the single premium travel card on the market and doesn't yet feel the need to boost the benefits.
- The Starwood in question was the W Seattle. I've stayed there numerous times over the years and had more than one mention from the front desk about how elite-heavy they are. Much like Chicago is a strong Hilton town, Seattle has always been a good Starwood town with three FS properties right in downtown. (As opposed to 2 Marriotts, both a little less ideally located for business travelers, and 1 rather poor Hilton.) But I've also stayed at Marriotts and Hiltons where the elite load is probably just as high. I rarely get a big upgrade in Silicon Valley...I'd bet elite loads (plus people just outright booking suites) are high there.
- Spending a ton of money on the DL Amex sounds like a horrible way to get PM. If somebody wants to do that, effectively paying a buttload in the form of a very poor return on their raw CC earnings in the form of Skymiles, by all means go for it. Just like you could spend $180,000 on a Marriott Visa and get Platinum, who would really do that? The DL Amex is probably a nice card for someone who's already flying Delta and just needs a little bump to the next tier. But not a real great mechanism for a non-flier to easily jump into PM status. That non-flier would be better off simply earning Starpoints or cash back. Maybe Avios if they know they have a lot of EI or AA uses for Avios.
- GM, PM, DM...those are Flyertalk nomenclature for Delta status tiers, where the M means Medallion. (Right, Delta guys?) Guess it slipped in here when we thread-drifted earlier. I occasionally refer to Marriott Diamond or Hilton Platinum.
- I too would like SPG Plat for $40,000, although it probably wouldn't affect my stay pattern. It'd just be insurance against an off year as far as travel goes. But I'm guessing Amex still feels that the SPG Amex is the single premium travel card on the market and doesn't yet feel the need to boost the benefits.
Dec 7, 2012, 6:50 pm
#207
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: UK
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Dec 7, 2012, 9:49 pm
#208
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Hhonors Diamond, AA Exec Plat, National Exec Elite
Posts: 152
Dec 7, 2012, 11:45 pm
#210
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Birmingham, England
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