Proof of failed upgrade
Feb 14, 2019 | 5:15 am
#16
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: EDI/GLA
Programs: DL 2.3 MM Unobtainum | UA 1.2MM Gold | AS 0.5MM |MR Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 2,813
Nowhere in Bonvoy materials is it published that upgrades are prioritized according to elite levels. It has never been like that with SPG and it does not appear to be the case with Bonvoy as well. If the number of upgradeable elites arriving on a given day exceeds that of available suites,the property has a tremendous leeway in deciding who gets upgraded, and it will most certainly prioritize according to loyalty to the property itself (not the program), duration of stay and rate rather that elite tier or number of nights stayed with Bonvoy.
Feb 14, 2019 | 5:35 am
#17
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Bounding Around The Good 'Ole USA In My Chevrolet
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 386
Feb 14, 2019 | 5:37 am
#18
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Bounding Around The Good 'Ole USA In My Chevrolet
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 386
Nowhere in Bonvoy materials is it published that upgrades are prioritized according to elite levels. It has never been like that with SPG and it does not appear to be the case with Bonvoy as well. If the number of upgradeable elites arriving on a given day exceeds that of available suites,the property has a tremendous leeway in deciding who gets upgraded, and it will most certainly prioritize according to loyalty to the property itself (not the program), duration of stay and rate rather that elite tier or number of nights stayed with Bonvoy.
Feb 14, 2019 | 5:54 am
#19
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 102,617
Nowhere in Bonvoy materials is it published that upgrades are prioritized according to elite levels. It has never been like that with SPG and it does not appear to be the case with Bonvoy as well. If the number of upgradeable elites arriving on a given day exceeds that of available suites,the property has a tremendous leeway in deciding who gets upgraded, and it will most certainly prioritize according to loyalty to the property itself (not the program), duration of stay and rate rather that elite tier or number of nights stayed with Bonvoy.
SPG sent each hotel a suggested priority ordering for upgrades, but the property was free to ignore the list ot inject their own criteria such as stays/nights/revenue at then property. The prioritization was proprietary but rumored to depend on 23 factors of which elite tier certainly would have been a prominent determinant.
Feb 14, 2019 | 6:12 am
#20
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,777
SPG sent each hotel a suggested priority ordering for upgrades, but the property was free to ignore the list ot inject their own criteria such as stays/nights/revenue at then property. The prioritization was proprietary but rumored to depend on 23 factors of which elite tier certainly would have been a prominent determinant.
Feb 14, 2019 | 6:16 am
#21
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 102,617
Did SPG run off a universal CRM system? I would doubt that individual properties were manually considering 23 factors or writing their own models to weight said factors. I would think anything with that many inputs would have been baked into a CRM platform (with option for manual override of course).
Please read the post you quoted. SPG sent the priority list to the hotels. Therefore SPG had some system to rank elites. This was not done by the individual property, but individual properties were free to adjust it if they wanted to do so.
Feb 14, 2019 | 6:32 am
#22
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,777
I read the post - it could be interpreted multiple ways. Do you mean that they sent a list of names, daily, or would that be hourly? Would the list change in real time as guests checked in? Did they email it, or was it pushed through a CRM? Or was this list not one of specific guests but rather a list of criteria, against which a property could map guests? Numerous ways the post could be understood, hence my curiosity.
Feb 14, 2019 | 6:34 am
#23
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: UA MM, MB LifeTit
Posts: 1,866
Sometimes it's hard to tell why upgrades don't happen. Suppose I (a LifeTit!) have a reservation but I've not yet arrived. Maybe the hotel blocks me a suite but that shouldn't take that room off the market if someone wants to pay for it, so the suite shows as available. Now a Plat comes along to check in and sees that he doesn't get an upgrade but doesn't know that the hotel is holding the upgrade for me but still hoping to sell the room. Is the Plat right to be angry about being denied? Would I be right to be angry if they upgrade the Plat because he arrived first?
Feb 14, 2019 | 6:51 am
#24
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,253
So, bottom line is that the t&c of the program itself, the guidance issued to properties, and common sense, all mean that status level is not a mandatory determinant.
There are a lot of good reasons for a property to prioritize based on revenue, but that is irrelevant because even if it is a bad idea, it is the individual property's decision.
If it is important to you, deal directly with the property and book away from those which upgrade away from your preference.
Or, WSBS "Want Suite - Book Suite"
There are a lot of good reasons for a property to prioritize based on revenue, but that is irrelevant because even if it is a bad idea, it is the individual property's decision.
If it is important to you, deal directly with the property and book away from those which upgrade away from your preference.
Or, WSBS "Want Suite - Book Suite"
Feb 14, 2019 | 6:55 am
#25
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 102,617
I read the post - it could be interpreted multiple ways. Do you mean that they sent a list of names, daily, or would that be hourly? Would the list change in real time as guests checked in? Did they email it, or was it pushed through a CRM? Or was this list not one of specific guests but rather a list of criteria, against which a property could map guests? Numerous ways the post could be understood, hence my curiosity.
The list was sent daily with the idea that hotels would use it to reassign rooms.
I have no idea how it was sent, perhaps by telegram or carrier pigeon after the Starriott merger started.
I have no idea how it was sent, perhaps by telegram or carrier pigeon after the Starriott merger started.
Feb 14, 2019 | 7:52 am
#26
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,332
But the terms do state an upgrade is based on the best room or suite available at the time of check-in, which is why I check-in 48 hours before arrival as soon as the mobile application lets me.
Feb 14, 2019 | 8:28 am
#27
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Bonvoy :Ambassador , ALL :Diamond, Skywards :Silver, Krisflyer :Silver
Posts: 3,237
What would happen if say you did OLCI 48 hrs before your actual arrival time got assigned the best room at that time due to no suite availablity, then an eligible suite becomes available on your arrival?
Feb 14, 2019 | 8:42 am
#28
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,332
Will this make the hotel check for the availability of eligible suite when you do the olci and assign one for you?
What would happen if say you did OLCI 48 hrs before your actual arrival time got assigned the best room at that time due to no suite availablity, then an eligible suite becomes available on your arrival?
What would happen if say you did OLCI 48 hrs before your actual arrival time got assigned the best room at that time due to no suite availablity, then an eligible suite becomes available on your arrival?
You raise an interesting question. I look at the check-in time as a tiebreaker as much as anything else.
Feb 14, 2019 | 10:14 am
#29
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,777