christoman

This is exactly right and basically the impetus for my question. I had originally thought I would need to get to 50 nights to get the additional elite year until seeing The Points Guy thread. Getting both a status extension and the additional year made me think there's fairly limited value in trying to achieve status this year.

SPN Lifer

My post was written solely based upon my plain reading of the Terms and Conditions. Yes, I am a lawyer admitted in California, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands, but, no, my comments should not be construed as legal advice.

I am happy to be proven wrong through a direct inquiry by The Points Guy to Marriott Bonv°y (presuming this response is accurate and can be trusted to apply to all of us), and have edited my Post # 2 accordingly, by adding the underscored text.

I am currently at ~ 450 nights lifetime, 9 years at Platinum, and ~ 30 nights this year, including the annual 15 nights from my Chase Marriott Bonv°y Visa.

Intl359Widget

I am currently on-track to cross over 50 nights for 2020 and based on projections for the rest of the year I most likely will be at 90 nights though I am focused on minimizing my leisure trips this year so that I can save for 2021.

There is honestly no incentive except perhaps the SNAs at 50 and the FNA at 75. I do wish Marriott offered more elite choices at 100/125/150.

DELee

Depends on your perspective. If you're heritage MR, those additional nights pushed you to Platinum Premier status and rollovers. At this time, MB wants you to shoot for 100 nights + $20K spend to get to something called Ambassador which they've apparently gutted. What would _you_ want as incentives for having stayed 100/125/150 nights with Marriott properties but not hit $20K spend? And/or also hit $20K+ spend?

David

Intl359Widget

I think more Elite Choices at every 25 Night above 75 Nights would be reasonable i.e FNAs or SNAs.

ftrichard

Ah, there you go. Thanks. That's what I was asking for. (Though whether the outcome of an enquiry by TPG is entirely reliable is another, off topic, matter.)

craigthemif

Actually I would say that is quite on topic.

Apart from whether you have any preference for the "Marriott spokesperson" likely to talk to TPG vs. Gary Leff or Lucky or whoever... unfortunately even the normally reliable FT lurkers have been known to confirm things that subsequently weren't delivered.

ftrichard

Well, ok, fine. We are in agreement. There's no black and white statement direct from Marriott that confirms the extension year will count to lifetime therefore whichever other source can be viewed as unreliable given our experience of statements from spokespeople which were made in good faith at the time but ultimately turned out to be false.

I personally wouldn't make critical decisions based on a blog entry. I also don't get upset when hotels give me the bare bones basics according to the T&Cs based on my elite status. The only thing that can be relied upon ("in court") is the published T&Cs and official statements direct from Marriott,

My reason for questioning the OP's statement is that something quite interesting was presented as fact and I wanted to know the source of that. Assumption is one thing. Black and White statement direct from Marriott is another thing. Second hand report from a blogger is yet another thing. They all carry different weights and enable us to make our own determination.

Whether the extension year ultimately turns out to be a lifetime year depends on one of two scenarios: (1) Marriott intends this as a policy and executes it successfully in its IT (in which case, Marriott can just say so publicly which it hasn't apart from a second hand statement to a blogger); or (2) it is executed as a side effect of the status extension because that's how the IT is already programmed but nobody at Marriott dares try to correct it to the original intention which was just a status extension.

Facts, side effects, intentions, and policies all get mixed up. I won't rely on it. I may benefit from it.

DELee

If folks are concerned, there is a FT practice that works: ask one of the Lurkers:

Marriott Bonvoy Lurker , Marriott Bonvoy Lurker II , Marriott Bonvoy Lurker III :

Will this year's extension of existing Marriott Bonvoy status count toward achieving lifetime elite status?

David

UA-NYC

Remember, none of the Rewards Plus status years (conferred via UA status) were supposed to count for lifetime years IIRC...but, hypothetically, they may have...

craigthemif

The lurkers promised that soft landings would continue as normal, until they didn't...

Have you never wondered why the consensus best FT lurker left Marriott to go to Hilton?

DELee

I have some faith in Christina and the other MB lurkers since this is a harder question to get a corporate answer.

David

Marriott Bonvoy Lurker

Hey David,

Marriott Bonvoy Members who earned Elite Status in 2019 will receive the extension of Elite Status and Elite benefits through February 2022.
For Members who received the Elite Status extension, 2020 and 2021 will be considered an Eligible Status Year toward Lifetime Elite status.

Please let us know if you have any other questions for us, and have a great weekend!

Best regards,

Riley E.
Social Media Specialist
Marriott International

[email protected]

DELee

Riley:

Thanks!

David

christoman

Riley, what does eligible status year mean? That it still must be earned or is automatically granted as part of the extension? Thank you.