t1c

No and never...

Jaunts

I agree with t1c. Loyalty programs are getting worse now, not better. Unless there is a major economic downturn that makes them desperate for business, I doubt things will get better.

CCIE_Flyer

I think that if some number of years into the future an outside data analytics firm (or a completely reinvented IT department) determines that a significant number of members are drastically reducing or eliminating their stay activity after reaching LT Plat, presumably while they're off chasing LT status elsewhere, then Marriott will reconsider current policy. I would expect the criteria to be quite high if that ever comes to pass.

What I also ponder is whether or not a LT Amb program will ever be introduced. Many will scoff at the notion, but I never thought I'd see the day when one could attain LT Global Services w/ United, but a "mere" 4MM will get you there today...

(And the above is precisely why I remain interested in my LT years counter in spite of already holding LTTE.)

iflyjetz

^ I'm also a LTTit, but have zero doubt that LT Tit will be attainable at some point in the future for everyone.

friscotrvlr

Can someone tell me what the value of Lifetime Titanium over Lifetime Platinum is other than the higher earning multiplier? It's not like you get SNAs or Free Nights without annual stays. And, from my experience as a Lifetime Platinum/Annual Titanium, I don't see any treatment difference this year other than the person behind the desk saying "thank you for your loyalty". Perhaps I am missing something.

hhoope01

The only thing I can think of is the 48 hr Reservation Guarantee Titanium has that Plat doesn't. I will say that is a good benefit and I have made use of it more than a few times over the years.

RogerD408

The biggest difference is you can't earn LTT anymore. It was only available to those that met the qualifications as of 12/31 (or thereabouts once accounts were current). Also, as with all things Marriott, there is only value when/if they choose to deliver the benefit.

swag

For now at least, there's also UA silver status.

But for me, at least, the motivation wasn't the current difference in benefits. Rather, I wanted to be locked into the higher tier looking into the future, when Marriott may enhance the benefits or Titanium, or devalue the benefits of Platinum.

Years ago, AA used to award LT status based on all points earned. Then they announced that going forward, only flown miles would increase the lifetime counter. They did give ample notice of this change, so there was a period of many months to cross the next threshold under the old rules. At the time, I was lifetime Gold, about 500K away from LT Platinum. I could have gotten to LT Platinum, or at least very close, if I had liquidated my other accounts including MR and SPG and transferred everything to AA. But I valued hotel points more, so for me this would be a sacrifice. I looked at the differences between AA Gold & Plat, and at the time, the main difference was Plat got lounge access internationally, earned a higher bonus on flights, and was higer on the upgrade lists. At the time, though, I was rarely flying internationally, had plenty of redeemable miles banked, and I was clearing as many upgrades as I could pay for, so I didn't strive for lifetime plat.

In the years since then, AA has devalued Gold, increasing the benefits gap to platinum. I only get one checked bag instead of two, I can't select an extra-legroom seat at time of booking, and upgrades have gotten a lot harder at the bottom of the totem pole. So every time I fly AA, I have some regrets that I didn't make the effort for platinum. And I didn't want to go through the same thing with Marriott.

Fighton

Is anyone else here still in this situation? Is it time to call, or will

swag

Under current rules for the combined Bonvoy program, LT platinum required 600 nights, so you haven't met that yet.

If you had 500 nights and 10 years all on the Starwood side by Aug 18, then that should have given you LT SPG platinum, and lifetime Bonvoy platinum as a result. If that's your sitiuation, when you contact to have this investigated, make sure you are clear that it's the legacy SPG rules that you should qualify under.

Fighton

I did reach 500 nights and 10 years in 2018 maybe even the end of 2017.In January of 2019 this year my Status was platinum lifetime a month later it disappeared and turned into gold lifetime and last night it said that I'm silver lifetime and Now it says I have 551 nights 0 years platinum

dtremit

As a datapoint in favor, both Hilton and Hyatt offer top tier LT status, though both with higher requirements than Marriott's (now-retired) LT Titanium.

Hilton: 10 years Diamond, plus either 1,000 nights OR 2M base points ($200k LT spend)
Hyatt: 10 years membership, plus 1M base points ($200k LT spend)

EXPLAT

Christina,

I just sent you a couple of emails.
I was Platinum in 2018. I was changed to lifetime Platinum 01/01/19. By definition shouldn't, I have been changed to lifetime Titanium as this was the only year that was going to happen? I think this is acknowledged by the fact that my status was changed to lifetime meaning I met the qualifications.

Magic Pickles

Jailer

Although a bit of an unstudied position, despite Hilton being my main go-to and being a steady diamond for 15+ years between Starwood and Marriott I’m three years out from LT Bonvoy Platinum, while Hilton LT status is somewhere between unobtainable and non-understandable. Accordingly, I am migrating like stays to Marriott. More than just being wooed by a token economy, I see in the not too distant future work travel tapering off and only being “somebody” due to either legacy status or credit card spending: I can spend for Hilton and rest on my laurels for Bonvoy. And while I mislike Bonvoy’s back office and tech, I trust that they will, at some point, get their act together.