I no longer travel like I used to ... I have UA 1K for Life, but only Marriott Silver, and only because I have their credit card. Any of you savvy travellers know the easiest way to get to Gold before the family vacation in August?

I appreciate any insight.

This is probably the quickest way.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...-required.html

Great tip!

You could also just call the service desk and ask for a gold challenge. Gold status would be valid for almost 4 months (through 8/31 if you called tomorrow), and if you stay 12 nights in that time period, you would keep the status through all of next year.

Wow -- I knew I could count on this group -- keep those tips coming!

+1

You can also sign up for The Ritz-Carlton Visa Signature card. The annual fee is high, but you get Ritz-Carlton Rewards (also, Marriott Rewards) Gold status the first year and simply need to meet the minimum spend annually ($10,000) to keep Gold every year. The card does have some good benefits if you stay at Ritz-Carlton properties, but at minimum, it will ensure you have Gold with Marriott.

http://www.theritzcarltonrewardscard.com/

Or a platinum challenge. 18 nights vs 12. I just called in. Took less than 5 minutes including hold time. 30 seconds talking to a person.

Thanks all for your great advice ...

Signed up yesterday. I have 9 known stay dates ... any strategies on how to inexpensively acquire the additional 3 nights needed to qualify by the end of September?

Learn how to search for and obtain Look No Further (LNF) rates and do three cheap mattress runs.

Search the archives for "LNF" (in quotes).

Mahalo FlyinHawaiian!

3 nights should not be that hard. If work travel won't get you there, you can always do a "mattress run," at a nearby Marriott. Marriott's E Breaks can offer some decent rates (Rate code MEB). Around Washington, DC weekend rates can some times be as low as $59 per night in the outlying 'burbs. (Just make sure your book on Marriott.com so you get properly credited for the nights you stay. You can look at other booking sites and use any lower rates you find to file a LNF claim to lower your rate even further.) You don't even need to stay overnight at the hotel (but friends or family may enjoy a mini stacation).

Others may do it differently, but when I do a mattress run, I check-in on my arrival night (you must show up at the hotel), go to the room and hang the, "Do not disturb," sign on the door. Call the front desk on the morning I am supposed to check out and tell them I forgot to drop the keys at the FD and the DND is still on the door, etc. They will check you out, with out any issues.

Regards,

RIP...

Thanks OU812!

Was in Detroit at the Detroit Marriott at Renaissance Center to support the recent Veterans Hiring Fair, and while checking in saw a colleague whose CC was maxed out. I stepped in, paid with my CC (which will be reimbursed), added my number to his room and BAM -- 4 extra nights! No mattress runs required!