nacho

If you want to buy a status, take a look at IHG's IC Ambassador programme, you can buy status there and build your spending and then become their Royal Ambassador. Like others suggested, Hyatt can definitely be a possibility if you are staying at mostly luxury properties. You may want to try Bonvoy lurker to see if they can get you something more special than everyone else. Accor might also be an option as Fairmont is now part of them too, and they also have lifetime status.

NoviceFT

Did any one successfully enrolled in Taste of Platinum challenge...i see in ebay, there are multiple feedback on successful enrolment based on the description.

goodgirl

DP
Contacted Marriott about a Platinum Elite Status Challenge towards the end of May 2023.
Received an email reply from Marriott Bonvoy® Customer Care the next day with an offer to join and to let them know when I want the challenge to begin.
I replied that I would like to start on June 1st.
On June 3 I received an e-mail "You’re Officially Registered" "Stay 16 eligible nights by September 30, 2023 to be upgraded to Platinum Elite status for up to one year." So it looks like by starting at the beginning of the month, I would have had 4 full months, not just 90 days to stay the required 16 nights.
I did not need that much time and completed the 16 nights already. About two days after my last check-out my status is now Platinum Elite. I was a Member before with less than 3 nights before starting. Earned double points on the stays due to the promo that earns double points on stays that include a Fri/Sat night.

I had the idea after completing the Bilt promotion to reach Hyatt Globalist status by staying just 20 nights, also starting without any status.

Freqcorptravel

I had 3 nights to go to meet the plat elite challenge requirement and booked 3 nights via chase travel. I ended up not getting credit for those 3 nights and seems like because I booked via third party. Pretty frustrating that terms didn't say anything about this being a hindrance. I'm thinking of taking my loyalty elsewhere. Anyone else have this problem?

ftrichard

Welcome to Flyertalk and to Marriott Bonvoy. You've just learned your first crucial lesson about hotel loyalty programme T&Cs: nights are only eligible if you book direct with Marriott's own booking channels (the app, online, by phone, direct with the hotel etc.). This is the case for any activity on your Bonvoy account such as accruing regular points, qualifying nights, or promo points, and - as you've discovered - being an eligible night for a Platinum Challenge.

So Bonvoy hotels booked through online travel agents (OTAs) like Expedia and Booking.com definitely do not qualify. There are some anomalies to this rule but it seems your travel agent Chase Travel must have used such a non-qualifying channel to make your booking. This isn't unique to Bonvoy. Most hotel loyalty programmes have the same T&C because the point of them is not just to get you to stay in the company's hotels but to get you to make your bookings direct thereby saving them the commission they would otherwise pay to the agent (which can be considerable). It's this saving that pays for your elite benefits like breakfast and lounge access when you stay.

If you've run out of time for your Challenge then the only thing you could do is plead with customer service for an extension. I'm not saying it will be successful as I have no experience of this myself but I would guess that it's more likely you'll get an extension or a band new Challenge if you explain that you didn't know this T&C than getting those three unqualifying nights credited.

iknowthings

Nearly zero percent chance on both.

The challenge extension is virtually impossible, and the elite credits would require falsifying the rate code booked, which is technically "possible" but near enough to zero percent chance that someone would knowingly do that.

pdisme

I think you'll find almost every rewards program for travel works in a similar manner where third party bookings do not count. That being said, for the cost of room nights, I'd just get the Amex for $650/yr (minus $300/yr in restaurant credits) and get automatic platinum; probably would have cost you less and you wouldn't have needed the challenge. I've found platinum status to be mostly meaningless though; at any high demand property I rarely get a late checkout beyond an hour or two, and a 'better' room is hit or miss given how many platinums there are.

I focus mostly on Hyatt because of how much more value I get from globalist status. On the Marriott side, I'll book direct when I need to, but I've found that Southwest often has the same Marriott properties with the rapid rewards super bonus points that help me easily maintain companion pass, which is more valuable to me personally than Marriott status.

aikitect

If I have a FHR stay at the Cosmopolitan, will that count towards the Platinum Challenge?

Diamondkellen

YMMV but in general FHR reservation count, as long as you can see the stay in your Bonvoy account at time of check-in

semtex1871

This question from SocialAdept wasn’t answered so thought I’d repost.

Once the platinum challenge is successfully completed, how long does the status last?

Thanks

Nitin Moryani

If you complete the challenge by say March 2023, you will hold Platinum status for the entirety of 2023, all 12 months of 2024 and the first 2 months of 2025 as well. (Till February end 2025).

If you complete your status challenge by December 2023, you still get to be Platinum till February end 2025.

So the later in the year you complete your challenge the lesser months you get to stay as a Platinum member.

semtex1871

Hi,

Thanks for your response. That too was my understanding. However, this text was quoted by SocialAdept as apparently being from the T&Cs of the platinum challenge:

Upon making 16 Qualifying Paid Nights within 90 days of date of registration, participant will receive Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite Status for up to one year, based on their loyalty program affiliation.

My takeaway from this quoted text is that the status will remain for the rest of the year in which you complete the challenge, but will then be lost on Dec 31.

Any ideas?

iknowthings

You will receive status for the rest of the current year and the entirety of the next year, just like anyone else that achieves status without a challenge.

aussielori

I am lifetime gold with 7 yrs of plat
so if I do challenge starting 3 dec I have jan feb mar to do 16 nights and get plat for 2 yrs
then only need one more year for lifetime is that correct I have 566 nights so far

iknowthings

I am not 100% sure what you're asking, but I'm fairly certain the answer is no, it will not work out how you think it will.
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