chongl

The problem I see is this sentence, specifically the language "in the NEW combined program" which could imply combined nights are for achieving lifetime based on the new criteria ONLY:

Also, in August, when members combine Rewards and SPG accounts, their lifetime nights across both programs count toward Lifetime Elite status in the new combined program.

GoPhils

Agreed. The Lurker contradicts himself because he cites "existing criteria," but technically the "existing criteria" is only Marriott nights.

rny321

B8 asks about combined SPG and MR nights.

"B8. Do Marriott members with 2MM uncombined lifetime MR points and with 750 combined lifetime MR nights and lifetime SPG nights qualify for LTPP?"

sdsearch

I know that. In fact, I was the one who added B8 to the wiki of that Starwood thread. (Someone else was asking the question but in a more confusing manner, so I cleaned it up and posted it as B8.)

So what was your point of replying with that to my explanation of why I don't think the paragraph that Lurker quoted justifies a "yes" answer to B8?

The problem is that Lurker didn't give a standalone "yes" answer to B8. He said "yes [because]" and then posted a paragraph that not only I but several other people think doesn't prove "yes" at all.

Btw, the original "confused" version got into the wiki too, and got a "no" answer (though I think the reason he gives was not the correct one):

The correct reason would have been that converting points from SPG to MR (which the OP of this question had talked about in earlier posts) does not count toward MR lifetime points. It never has, since transfers form SPG to Marriott started.

This got a "no", but all I did in redoing B6b as B8 was:
1. Replaced SPG member with Marriott member.
2. Got rid of "SPG" in the phrase "combined 750 nights", and added "lfietime" in front of nights.
3. Got rid of "after conversion", and clarified that the 2MM is uncombined lifetime MR points.
4. Got rid of any mention of what someone is "not yet"

Btw, even though I now know that B6b was in there, at the time I added B8 I hadn't realized it. I had seen B6b in a post previously, and had suggested cleaning it up, and when I didn't see a reply, I decided to clean it up myself. It was only later that I found that the original version had been put in there as well, as B6b.

rny321

B6b and B8 are completely different questions. In B6b, William stated that converted SPG points can't be used to meet the 2MM MR points criteria. B8 asks the question if someone with 2MM MR points can utilize combined nights to qualify for LTPP. Once a company representative with real or apparent authority answered "yes" to B8, the explanation doesn't matter. Since the question referenced combined nights, I am not sure why the answer would need to separately mention combined nights. To clarify, I asked William if I could ignore the explanation, and he seemed confused with the need to even ask. At this point, I spent additional money to make sure that I would qualify based on the statements of multiple company representatives that combined nights would count.

sdsearch

Me, I d't rather know that an answer is correct (by understanding how it was reached), rather than assume that it "must be" correct just because the person who gave it is a "real or apparent authority". Such authority improves the chances of a correct answer, certainly, but it doesn't guarantee it.

So I'm researching what I could do whether the answer turns out to be yes or no, and taking actions that push me toward multiple possible paths to LTPP. Are you putting all your eggs in the answer to B8 being yes?

rny321

I am not assuming it must be correct because someone with real or apparent authority makes it. On the other hand, if a company rep. makes a statement that a customer relies on when making a purchase, the company has at least a moral obligation to honor it. It's irrelevant how or why a marketing decision was reached. In contrast, MR is not obligated to honor what bloggers summarize.

It was worth spending some money to hit a combined 750 based on the assurances I had from members of Marriott's loyalty department, including one in writing, and Starwood Lurker's answer. Without some assurance from someone who had the authority that MR and SPG nights could be combined towards LTPP, my Marriot spending would have been less than it has been It would cost more than was willing to spend for the upgrade to LTPP if I needed to have 750 MR nights.

sdsearch

So are you already at 2MM lifetime Marriott points (or very close to it)? If that's the case, I'm curious, what was the balance between your Marriott nights and SPG nights? In my case, I'm far from 2MM (though possibly achievable by Dec), and yet i was at 670ish Marriott LT nights (but only about 60 SPG LT nights). Thus I've been doing a few Rewarding Events meetings to not only get to 750 combined (in fact, overshoot it) but also to get close enough to 750 Marriott alone so that if 8b turns out to be "no" after all then I won't have a ridiculous number of Marriott nights to do the rest of the year.

But your focus on the "yes" answer to B8 implies that you're even further away from 750 on the Marriott-only side than I was perhaps?

dayone

As it relates to a loyalty program, good luck with that.

rny321

Over 2MM points and between 650 and 700 MR nights and well over 100 SPG nights. Although I have personal and business MR and SPG credit cards, I don't know if I will receive more than 15 nights of lifetime credit for them. To be absolutely sure that I would end up with 750 MR nights, I would need 9 or 10 meetings before August 1. I simply decided that the cost to remove any uncertainty wasn't worth it. If LTPP meant more to me or if I thought the odds that nights couldn't be combined was higher, I would take the same approach as you are and push for 750 MR nights. I appreciate the discussion and the fact that you were the one who posted my question about combining MR and SPG nights.

GoPhils

MR and SPG nights can be combined towards LTPP in the new program. But LTPP in the new program requires 750 nights and 10 years of status, not points.

What many would argue is still up for debate is if MR and SPG nights can be combined towards "existing requirements for MR LTP," which will then convert to LTPP.

WillTravel4Food

I'm relieved to know this is no longer a worry for me. I achieved MR LTP (future LTPP) this week with my last stay posting. I'm now at 764 nights and 2,032,277 points. Time to update my signature block. :-)

RogerD408

Congrats, I am close too. 10 nights in MR or 6 nights in SPG. Thinking of going for both just for the hell of it.

I'd hold off on updating the profile until we know what name they are going to be using...

bosman

And, if I'm reading these with a microscope on the B8 question, it appears that the website has similar, but critically different, info.

From https://members.marriott.com/benefits/
In addition, members that achieve Marriott Rewards Lifetime Platinum under the legacy requirements by year end will also be grandfathered into Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite status. And, don’t forget that we’ll combine Lifetime activity across both Rewards and SPG toward qualification when members combine accounts in August

From https://members.marriott.com/marriottrewards/
In addition, when you combine Rewards and SPG accounts, we will combine your lifetime activity across both toward Lifetime Elite status in the new combined program.

Note that one references the "new combined program" whereas the other one doesn't.

rny321

Looking only at Marriott's website, there is the same ambiguity about the ability to qualify using combined nights and years of status. I might have missed it, but I don't believe there is additional public confirmation by anyone from Marriott or Starwood, except the Starwood Lurker, that confirmed that nights can be combined for LTPP status. I don't count bloggers comments as they don't represent Marriott and they sometimes get things wrong. Although I am not questioning the ability of members of both programs to utilize combined years and status, I wish the language used by Marriott was more precise.