Bonvoy - How close are you to requalifying?
Jun 27, 2022, 11:21 am
#16
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: Marriott Titanium (Lifetime Gold), Caesars Diamond
Posts: 1,392
41 nights. It’s theoretically possible for me to hit 50 but it would require a considerable cash outlay over current spending plans with Hotels.com. Like on the order of $1000-2000 to get comparable rooms/locations. That’s a hard no. Platinum was nice for 2021-2022 but it’s not that nice.
I’ll slip back to earned Gold and my plans for 2023 have me keeping a Charles Schwab Platinum card and ditching the Bonvoy Brilliant (downgrade to $95 AMEX or cancel without a compelling retention offer), so I will basically become pretty agnostic between Hotels.com (current Gold status), Marriott (Gold), Hilton (Diamond with Aspire) and Hyatt (Explorist via MGM tick-tock status match).
I’ll slip back to earned Gold and my plans for 2023 have me keeping a Charles Schwab Platinum card and ditching the Bonvoy Brilliant (downgrade to $95 AMEX or cancel without a compelling retention offer), so I will basically become pretty agnostic between Hotels.com (current Gold status), Marriott (Gold), Hilton (Diamond with Aspire) and Hyatt (Explorist via MGM tick-tock status match).
Jun 27, 2022, 12:09 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,381
I don’t really have a legitimate business. (Yes, I know, everyone and their cousin has a “business” that sells $24.62 of gift cards or used socks on eBay every year and AMEX probably won’t care. I get it. I’m still reluctant to basically lie to a bank.)
Jun 27, 2022, 12:10 pm
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Programs: MB Ambassador, WOH Globalist, HH Diamond (Aspire), AA Gold, UA (*G) Gold
Posts: 5,102
Don't worry - I'm in the same boat, which is why I also don't have the card (no matter how many times Amex emails me to apply) :-)
Jun 27, 2022, 1:24 pm
#21
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: BA GGL & GfL, AA LTP, Marriott (sigh) Ambassador, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,229
78nts, many of which were thanks to the double night promo...and sitting on 18k spend. i will qualify for ambassador again this year but only because i am staying at some properties i enjoy on various holidays this late summer/fall. i did not set out to go for ambassador again this year, it just happened and will not fight for it next year given how watered down it even is.
Jun 27, 2022, 1:38 pm
#22
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, DL Diamond, NK Gold, Mariott LT Plat/Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 925
Sitting at 72 nights and around $8K in spend (the number is high due to the gift at the beginning of the year and credit card nights). I have about 30 more nights booked for the rest of the year and about $7K more in spend. I'm debating whether I book more nights with Marriott to retain Ambassador. I've had it every year since it began with SPG but see next to no value from it (above Titanium) since there is no dedicated ambassador, Your24 is a joke, and I feel like upgrades are meh in the US. I will requalify for Hyatt Globalist in the next two months and will likely continue to hit milestones there for the added benefits those bring.
Jun 27, 2022, 1:52 pm
#23
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Marriott LTT, DL FO
Posts: 185
Nowhere near close. I'll be losing my Ambassador status at the end of the year, and then riding off into the sunset with Lifetime Titanium. Job change took me off the road, and I'll be a free agent once my points balance dries up. Ambassador was basically worthless for the few months I had it before Covid hit, and hasn't done anything for me since.
Jun 27, 2022, 2:02 pm
#24
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Kuwait (KW)
Programs: Qatar Airways, Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 2,708
I have nine nights this year, and those are nine too many - I wish I could've racked them up with Hyatt, but alas, between Montréal in February and no footprint for them at that point, no availability in Paris when I was there last month and some points poking about...
I echo MotelRomeo's comment above; my Ambassador status is a carryover from 2020, I finally made LTP in November 2021 and this is the year I let my useless Ambassador membership expire. I've already gone off building status with Hyatt and Hilton over 2021 and with Hyatt in 2022, and while they aren't perfect, they are leaps and bounds ahead of Marriott. Ambassador is a masterpiece of overpromising and underdelivering, and Marriott would do everyone [especially themselves] a service by finally killing it off.
khabah
I echo MotelRomeo's comment above; my Ambassador status is a carryover from 2020, I finally made LTP in November 2021 and this is the year I let my useless Ambassador membership expire. I've already gone off building status with Hyatt and Hilton over 2021 and with Hyatt in 2022, and while they aren't perfect, they are leaps and bounds ahead of Marriott. Ambassador is a masterpiece of overpromising and underdelivering, and Marriott would do everyone [especially themselves] a service by finally killing it off.
khabah
Jun 27, 2022, 2:06 pm
#25
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
125 nights and 12.500 spend (hotels are getting expensive - haven't seen a sub $100 night yet) but also requalified Diamond at Hilton already as well
Should have no trouble maintaining ambassador
Should have no trouble maintaining ambassador
Jun 27, 2022, 3:00 pm
#26
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: FLR/HPN/JFK/GRR
Programs: AA EXP, United 1k, ITA CE, Marriott Ambr, Hertz Pres, Sixt Diamond, Avis Pres
Posts: 41
I am at 101 nights and $18,604. At 100 nights I got a message in app that said congrats on re qualifying for Ambassador, not worried either way as I will easily clear 20k. Would imagine I end up closer to 150 nights and $30k in spend this year.
Jun 27, 2022, 6:44 pm
#28
Join Date: May 2016
Location: ATL
Programs: DL GM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,240
Currently at 41 nights and will easily get to 50 in the next couple months of Platinum next year will be fairly easy for me. I’m currently trying to figure out if I have enough travel to push myself to 75 nights (or 70 + the 5 EQN gift) and renew Titanium, or if I should attempt to go for low level status at Hilton or Hyatt.
Jun 27, 2022, 7:46 pm
#29
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ATL
Programs: DL PM 2 Mil Miler, HZ PC, Marriott LT TI, AMB, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 552
Jun 27, 2022, 7:50 pm
#30
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Redondo Beach, CA USA
Programs: UA 1KMM, Bonvoy LTE+A, HH D, Nat'l EE, Hertz Plat, Avis PC
Posts: 3,710
Sitting at 87 nights (26 actual butt-in-bed) and $19,616 in spend. Ambassador won't be a problem, and already requalified for Hilton diamond as well.