skywalkerLAX

Bit too late to the party. Marriott's waiver has expired on December 31st and since then the benefits have been reinstated.

Doppy

Globalist right now requires 30 nights, and stays for the next few weeks count double through a promo = only 15 nights required to secure Globalist for 2021 and 2022. Point redemption nights count as well, and you get a 25% rebate on whatever you redeem on another current promotion.

If you have the WOH credit card then you already have 5 of the 30, and if you stayed at any Hyatt properties in the last month or two of December, then those nights counted towards Globalist this year as well.

It has never been easier, and it's certainly easier and provides better benefits than securing Marriott Plat.

anteater

If you’ve been monitoring the suspension of benefits threads it’s a very loosely worded resumption of the guest guarantees in that hotels can offer whatever they want based on ‘current conditions’ in lieu of traditional offerings. It’s not a true return to normal, nor are many hotels providing standard benefits again.

NYC Flyer

It's the Chase Boundless that offers Platinum for apps through 2/1. One strategy is to pick that up now, see how far you get during the year, and potentially pick up the Amex Business card down the road. Between the business and personal cards, you'll have 30 nights toward next year.

On balance, agree that the WoH opportunity is more attractive if their footprint meets your needs.

pixelrogue

Yes, it is just that Globalist is gone as quick or faster than it took to earn....and w/little travel I would be aiming for a longer term plan of lifetime. Lifetime globalist, however, takes serious
green dollars.

pixelrogue

Currently have two Marriott business cards (chase/amex, which was pre-bonvoy days). Need a personal.

If I get the Chase Boundless, then that promotion comes along for Amex w/Plat for Brilliant, will the fact I recently got Boundless disqualify the application from being accepted or being granted the sub?

NYC Flyer

Not sure, but your current/past holdings with Chase may DQ you on the Boundless offer.

It's not clear where you are or what your strategy is to get to lifetime (total room nights, Platinum for 10 years), or why the Brilliant is particularly useful vs others (including ability to product change to the Ritz card?), but IMHO betting on a "long term" plan seems risky.

Mergers, divestitures, bankruptcies, etc, all happen and could easily impede your status progress and/or reduce the utility of your status even beyond the inevitable "organic" devaluation that takes place. Elite credit conferred by holding/spending on one or more cards adds another dimension of risk. Marriott could drop Chase, Amex or both and/or the benefits of holding any of the cards might be reworked.

SPN Lifer

Yet loyalty programs don't usually revoke earned benefits retroactively.

I agree, the optimal strategy or tactical approach depends on how close one is to the 10-year / 600-night qualification threshold for Marriott Bonv°y Lifetime Platinum Elite status.

I currently have fewer than 100 nights to go — fewer than 62 once the Titanium 38-night Head Start posts. After reaching that goal, I will probably shift stays to the name of my wife (who has less than 250 nights and one year of Platinum).

pixelrogue

Yes, read in one post where holding a personal Bonvoy card could disqualify from being approved for another w/another provider. Brilliant isn't 'critical.' The idea behind brilliant is that I will be spending a bit of cash already for mattress runs... might as well use that through the Brilliant credit and then the card is only costing 150.... minus 95 you'd pay for a card w/a free cert ... seems to make sense.

Doppy

Lifetime Platinum takes 600 nights and 10 years as Platinum. So unless you're already really close, getting there will take a long time and "serious green dollars."

I thought about going for Marriott Platinum this year with the promos that make it easier, but the number of nights required (even with double earnings) is more than twice what it took to get to Globalist for the next two years.

SPN Lifer

If you get two Marriott Bonv°y credit cards, one business and one personal, that will give you credit for 15 nights each, or 30 nights per year, short-cutting the Lifetime Platinum Elite process (if you live in the USA, or other select countries) of 50 nights in at least 10 years.

The personal Chase Marriott Visa costs $95 per year, while the business Marriott AmEx is $125.

Your "business" could be an informal sole proprietorship, such as selling things occasionally on the internet, mowing lawns, or exporting clothing or such on trips abroad. The application process does not require a copy of a business license.

NYC Flyer

Betting on this trick to get to Platinium for the next 2-3 years carries much better odds than betting it will continue to work for 10, though.

SPN Lifer

Similar to getting 10 years of Hilton Honors Diamond status through holding the $450 annual Aspire AmEx card, the only avenues Marriott Bonv°y members can take advantage of are those that are offered.

Credit cards seem to have a significant role in the U.S. hospitality industry with respect to loyalty.

stuartpig

Don’t bother. The party ended about 5 or 6 years ago. If you had a problem in the old days, you got compensation. Nowadays you get a weak sorry or dismissed totally. But they will thank you for being Lifetime Titanium.

craigthemif

Not sure the reference to 10 years, since Hilton LT Diamond requires 1,000 nights as well.


"Loyalty" is of course nothing more than $$$. So if a bank is willing to pay Marriott or Hilton or whoever enough to hand out elite status to credit card holders, then it's going to happen. Not enough people walk away from a hotel chain because of credit card elites taking priority over 40+ night members to make the "we'll annoy our most important VIPs" argument stand up.