onedog

With all the bonus offers reported here on FT, the points are just piling in and thanks to everyone's posts, I have reached Platinum even though I just started staying at PC properties this past November. I would have reached PC PLT in January except that I went on vacation. Thank you all very much. ^

When does my period as a PC PLT end? Am I PC PLT through the end of 2005 (Feb of 2006?) or is it since I earned PC PLT in 2005, am I PC PLT through the end of 2006 (Feb of 2007?).

The next question I have is what should I do next. I have about 10 or so nights tentatively scheduled for the rest of February through March or so (hotel lodging requirements is a bit random sometimes) which could be used to help me complete the latest X-days promotion, or should I start working on elite status on another program? I'd hate to pass up on all the PC bonus points out there, but on the odd chance that I end up not staying in hotels that much for the rest of 2005, I'd hate to miss SPG PLT by these 10 or so nights planned for the next month or so.

There is a SPG property that is a bit out of the way (25 minutes away from the job location instead of 2 minutes sway from the job site for the local HIX) but one that I could reasonably stay at if I wanted to work on SPG elite status. I am currently SPG Platinum, but since I didn't stay at hotels that much in 2004, I will be dropping down to SGP Gold for 2005. The not-so-local SPG hotel also costs my pocket about 70% more.

Shareholder

If you are just being promiscuous and trying to get elite status in every program you can, dump your other bookings and move them to another program. However, if you are serious about the PC program, keep them and bulk up on points, as it is clear you have registered for several of the "stay X nights..." promos. That way your account will have plenty of points for use as awards. Once these very lucrative promos are over, then you might reconsider your fidelity to the PC program.

With respect to your first question, if you earned your 60K points since January, then you'll get a new card shortly and the status will remain through next year. Status is generally issued on a calendar year basis, for earning Plat any time during 2005 gives you status through to the end of 2006.

I wonder if PC will realize that with all the bonuses, and the low required number of points to earn Plat, that they may be creating a rationale for elites not to stay with them for the rest of the year. While benefits at some properties are variable, status in itself may not be as valuable in this program than it is in some others. What is my incentive to continue staying at IC properties if I have re-earned my Plat status in the first quarter of the year, given the lucrative bonuses being offered? [This may well be the reason for having similar promos in the fall, to attract the more fickle among us back to IC hotels.]

I am not arguing for fewer promos or a higher Plat threshold, but I have memories of similarly generous airline programs that have had to face up to the same reality.

onedog

I hope my wife doesn't think I am being promiscuous when I am staying at hotels!

I don't have any goal of gaining elite status in every program. There is a HIX about 2 minutes away from my current job site and for the foreseable few years, I will be staying there on a semi regular basis.

That being said, when I go on vacation with the family, we often frequent locales where there aren't many PC properties but where SPG is extremely strong (Hawaii, Fiji, etc.). I am just trying to cover a few extra bases and not put all of my eggs into one basket. For a prior job, I use to stay at SPG properties almost exclusively and so I still have a bazillion SPG points stashed away.

Point taken. I guess I should load up right now while the points are being offerred (what's the saying, make hay while the sun is shining?) and worry about SPG PLT later.

Thanks,

Onedog