USirritated

From the limited amount of information that we SEEM to have, personally, I would not make that assumption at this time. Also speaking for myself, I hope they are not now going to allow people who have NEVER attained Plat, not even for one year, to become lifetime PLAT. I do not really have any issues with the rest of it, because anyone who has 750 nights history with Marriott is CLEARLY LOYAL.



I do not see 750 lifetime nights as being small, although it would be more meaningful if those nights had to be true BIB nights, rather than CC or even rollover nights. Rollover nights should only be meaningful for someone who still has to keep up their nights totals year after year to maintain status before LT is earned. In other words, why shouldn't someone who stayed 155 nights in 2012 earn Plat for both 2013 and 2014, instead of just for 2013 (like it used to be, before rollover)?

Also, if LT Plat has already been earned, Marriott is PROBABLY thinking/hoping that once most (or at least many) people who've achieved that level (and who don't have LT with other chains) will give up the hunt elsewhere since they have guaranteed benefits with Marriott.

For those people, and certainly for me, why stay in another hotel when benefits are not available to them there? For me personally, now that I'm generally no longer traveling for business, once I attain LT Plat (which seems to be beginning in January 2013, from what I'm reading on this thread), I'd never stay with another chain, since I'd get no benefits there. Even in the past, I only stayed with other chains when I had a conference at that hotel, such as my last visit to HNL, when I was attending a conference at Hilton Hawaiian Village, and it was way too inconvenient to stay anywhere else.

I think that 750 BIB, 2 million points, and at least one year at Plat is a good level for attaining LT, and I hope they basically stop tinkering with it going forward. IMHO, less than those requirements would really start to seriously cheapen the value of attainment.

FWIW, I had a record of 836 BIB, over 2.5 million points, and over 12 years in Plat status, so even though I was unable to travel during 2012, it seems I'll be staying Plat, and that is good news. No more worries for me, and no need to pay for 8 "conferences" for the 80 nights I would have gained from that to regain my Plat status for the travel I expect to start doing again in 2013.

USirritated

It does seem that way! Thanks for the new info guys, and hopefully, thanks to Marriott too!

goldarm

My stats are 830 nights, 12 yrs and exactly 2m pts......so I feel good (I think) about being bumped up to LT Plat, but not so much when I think about how unique my LT Gold achievement was eariier this year under the old requirements. The old rules LT Plat chase would have taken me about 2+ more years to achieve.

I wonder what negative news will be coming out shortly after this improvement to loyalty is put in place in early January......don't take your eye off the ball.

^

hhoope01

Starwood does offer 2 stays and 5 nights for their branded CC. And they will count stays/nights from up to 2 different CCs. So one can possibly earn 4 stays and 10 nights with CCs at Starwood each year.

Note that the 10 nights is about 1/5th of the nights needed for SPG Plat status. Marriott's 15 nights is also about 1/5th the number of nights needed for Plat status. Though with Starwood one can't earn more stays/nights by charges to the CC nor does Starwood have any roll-over nights at the moment either.

welookgood.com

Actually, you have it wrong. SPG CC nights DO NOT count toward Lifetime totals.

SPG doesn't also have rollover and meeting rewards. If you have 400 (40 events) nights in one year, you now have 750 nights.

400 nights
325 rollover(subtracting 75)
725 nights!


750 nights if fair (75/yr) if they don't count CC or Meeting rewards.

MNAudiS4

As someone who has devoted the past 10 yrs to Marriott and going out of the way to stay with them. I see this as swelling the ranks. I am currently at 1200 nights. 1050 BIB nights. 3 Mil points in 10 yrs. I wish they would keep it or make a PP level.

I think i am going to start to mix in other brands in 2013.

USirritated

Other brands where you will not be receiving benefits such as lounge access and 50% PLAT points bonus for $$$ spent? Seems to me that would be cutting off nose to spite your face.

mooper

If they add breakfast benefits at all properties to match Hilton, and especially if they add suite upgrades or some form of advanced guaranteed upgrade, I think you're correct.


Those nights count towards annual status, not lifetime. Even if they did, Marriott gives 15 nights for one card, plus another night per $3K spent. 10 nights can be readily had for $80 meetings. And these and all other nights (less the first 10) can be made to count twice via rollover.


The fact they've kept the points requirement the same will prevent much of that. Those who go hardcore with the Chase Visa card spending can pump up both points and nights, but there aren't many who choose to spend six or seven figures annually on that card. When you exclude them, earning 2MIL points isn't easily accomplished by someone who doesn't stay many times over many years.

USirritated

That is certainly the case with me. I never had a Marriott Visa (I had a high limit Chase credit card since 1999 already, and they steadfastly refused to switch it over to the Chase Marriott Visa every time I asked, with a variety of silly excuses, and then they cancelled that card as part of some of the wholesale cancellations in 2010/2011, even though I had never missed a payment.) So I collected my points the hard way!

welookgood.com

You then are the exception with points.

So many people can get the 2 sapphire cards (50k each), the Marriott, Marriott Business, and Ritz card (175k or so) and have close to 300k points.

Over a few years with 20X pts earning at Marriots, Sapphire promotions, etc... 2 million isn't that hard..

How many AA golds were created by Citibank after all.

FYI:
Hyatt only counts spending at Hyatt hotels.
Starwood only counts nights actually stayed
AA only counts miles flown now
Marriott counts anything?

fmkgb

Those who choose to get miles over MR points are royally screwed. No chance of ever making LT elite no matter how many nights they rack up. Doesn't seem fair.

SacTownGuy

This is great news. Thanks for posting the info about the reduced nights requirements. I'll hit LT gold in 2013! I need to contact MR to make sure I have the requisite points.

I stopped using the MR Visa card much, however, as the rewards just aren't as good as so many other cards. I love the 100,000 points ($1,000) I got by switching to Capital One. I think I learned about that on FT also.

mooper

That's an extreme case for CC bonuses that most people don't engage in, but even with that headstart, and presuming you're also willing to purchase 50K points/year (the max allowed), plus aggressive use of bonuses and promos, it would take quite a few years of intense activity to run up 2 million points. And again, when you exclude the hardcore credit card crowd, it is very challenging. It's logical that Marriott gave the edge to the point-purchasers (which is really what you're doing with credit card use, partner activity, etc), as those points are high-margin and go right to Marriott's bottom line.

illinidad

[Dupe]

Mr. Vker

FYI: Marriott Insiders just said the link in their post is not active yet. It will be when the new requirements are in effect.