zipzip

There has been a lot of talk back and forth about re-qualification, but there isn't as much chatter about initial qualification for folks that haven't yet been RA's but are working towards it.

Two questions:

1. Is 50 still the magic number for Ambassadors to qualify as new RAs? (assuming you have the required IC stays)

2. If you Ambassador membership expires in March, does that mean your 12 months to reach 50 nights is from Feb 1, 2009 to March 1, 2010? Or is it March 31, or Feb 28?

Thanks so much!

midnight

I lost my RA status mid 2009.

This calender year I reached 55 nights in Q3.

RA status has been awarded again following 3 separate IC stays in the last couple of months (different regions).

why fly

glad to hear RA people at IC pay attention.^

SamsoniteBoy

Wow – I’m a happy boy!!

Here are my details………

Original RA expiry date: 31 Mar 2010
RA renewal date: 2nd Jan 2010
New RA expiry date: 31 Mar 2011
Qualifying Nights Towards Elite Status in 2009: 51 nights only
Total number of nights between 1st Jan 09 and 31st Dec 09 (12 months period before renewal): 51 nights

Total nights including non qualifying / reward (including free nights) – 75 nights

Paid & Qualifying Nights in ICs
Total number of Qualifying IC nights between 1st Jan 09 and 31st Dec 09 (12 months period before renewal): 5 nights
Total number of Qualifying IC stays between 1st Jan 09 and 31st Dec 09 (12 months period before renewal): 2 stays
Total number of Qualifying ICs between 1st Jan 09 and 31st Dec 09 (12 months period before renewal): only 2 different IC hotels

Rewards Nights in ICs
In addition to the above qualifying nights – I had an additional 12 reward nights in 3 different ICs (in 3 different countries)

The interesting thing is the importance of Reward Nights in the magic RA qualification calculation.
I definitely didn’t have 3 paid stays in 3 different ICs – so reward nights must play a part somehow.

3544quebec

Thanks for posting SamsoniteBoy - motivated me to check my own RA status also due to expire on 31.3.10 and now renewed to 31.3.11^

66 paid qualifying nights 1/1-31/12 but only 42 since qualifying for RA in late March including 12 nights in 4 different ICs.

navatwal

Im a happy boy too! just checked my account.

My RA Expiry was also March 2010, been extended to March 2011.

62 nights Qulifying Stays in 2010 alone of which 48 were at IC's in probably 10 differrent countries around the world.

20 - 25 Overlapping stays

6 reward nights.

Jaimito Cartero

Thanks for the link. I didn't have any stays between December 2008 and January 2009.

I did have quite a few award stays including a few booked for friends who were booked as the second guest. A total of 20 nights. Most were 5k PB nights.

My referred RA expired last May. I'm not sure if this new one will expire in May, as well.

edlin303

My 3/31 expiration has not yet been extended, but I am way behind the pace I need to be at. I only have 1 paid and one free IC night, and a total of 20-some nights since 4/1. Hopefully another dozen nights this month, but it doesn't look good for my odds. I will definitely get one more IC stay, just to test and see how low they might lower the bar on total nights. I did get the top 1% card earlier this fall, so they must still like me a little bit.

mmsalah

Dear FTers,

I am currently an RA with my status ending 28th Feb 2010, I have received a downgrade letter to Ambassador due to not staying much during 2009 at IHG properties.

I have a referral certificate from a friend expiring Jan 2010, can I use it to maintain RA status, even if the certificate validity is prior to my end of status date....

Thx in Advance.

Raffles

You would need to open a new account at a different address. If you voucher has a box for the name of the referrer to be filled in, you would also need the details of another RA to fill in here.

SamsoniteBoy

I know they're a bit "hit & miss" but have you tried the Ambassador Service Centre & asked them if you can just extend your RA status with the voucher? - It may be worth a try.

Good Luck!

mmsalah

Thanks Raffles and SamsoniteBoy for both your prompt response.

Raffles: by opening a new account is there a way to use the points I have on the old account, thx to Radioman, by transferring them to the new account? The New account shall be starting from scratch, will I be given the Platinum RA status as a start? Shall I need to pay US$ 150?

SamsoniteBoy: shall I scan the referral certificate and send to Ambassador CS an email describing the case?

If I try SamsoniteBoy's suggestion and it doesn't work out, can I defer to Raffles suggestion.

Thx in advance.

SamsoniteBoy

I think you can purchase Amb status with points (24k - I believe) but I'm sure it would be better for everybody is you were able to get the Service Centre to extend your status with the referral. I'm sure they will need the details of who referred you.

Unfortunately my experience of the Amb Service Centre varies from ..... really helpful & efficient to ..... pretty useless - so you may want to request a Supervisor if the agent you speak to isn't too obliging.

I think you're right to protect your precious RA referral cert by making a copy of it.

Good Luck^

ajnz

I just got home from Christmas vacation to a letter that says I did not make RA for 2010.

RA Expiry: 28 Feb 2010
Letter received: some time between Dec 22 and Jan 7.
Qualifying nights in 2009: 50
Total nights in 2009: 53 (3 award nights)
ICs stayed at: 7, 41 nights, across many stays.

Pity. I'll probably do another 50-100 nights this year but the majority will be in the Crowne Plaza Gurgaon. I'm now annoyed I stayed at another brand in Gurgaon previously for ~60 nights this year .

fred8ab

I just tried to follow this thread and maybe somebody can make clear to me.
To archieve the RA status you need to stay min 50 night in different hotels and also some different countries. Not only US or Germany what ever is good enough.

It is also requiered to have a specific number of stays in IC Hotels, corrrect?

It is nott good enough to have a specific number of points like 60K/year to get this status? (It was posted somewhere in the forum).

Can make somebody very clear what is needed to gain the RA status? Or is this depending on where you are located for example?

Thanks!