Two thoughts come to mind. First, I'm not sure your assertion of more PPs than before is a correct one. Yes, it might be true, but it might also be true that what ever it takes to be in the top 3% of Plats came down last year due to less travel in general. And therefore, those of us here who may have been able to keep a similar level of travel compared to past years, made PP where we didn't before.

Second, PPs don't really get much in the way of "extra" benefits that Plats don't already get. So there really isn't much "dilution" of benefits. As you state in your example with United's Global Services program, it truly gave more benefits. So until we start hearing about the better service, upgrades, free meals, etc from PPs, I'm not too worried.

Finally, while it is possible that Marriott is or has thought about an "official" tier higher than Plat, as others have mentioned, Marriott already has the most restrictive requirements for their top two tiers. So I'm not sure they could put in another "higher" tier without some major revamping of their existing requirements.

As a multi-year PP, I don't think it's $$$ that they set, but rather the top 2% of the Platinum membership. I'm not positive, but I seem to recall a thread a couple years back (or more) when we were first discovering the existence of PPs that confirmed this.

That would also cover why we see more PP's. Two percent of "more Platinum members" means more PPs.

Also, I do about 220 nights per year (yeah, I know I travel WAY too much) but not at high $$$ hotels. That also aligns with the percentage qualifier instead of $$$...

Steve

I see no evidence to support your hypothesis.

It's the $$$$....not the nights
 

It's the $$$$....not the nights.

I stayed over 200 nights at FS last year but used a Bonus Bucks (multiple BB on longer stays) on every stay and negotiated rates that were very low when I didn’t use the BBs.

Keep speculating, based on my info I can guarantee it's not $$$, it's not nights.

Top 2-3% of what? How do you determine the top 2-3% of Plats? Circular logic back to the nights and $$$'s.

My guess would be it involves consistency over a period of time. To many stories of 'I stayed 200 nights' or 'I paid $300 per night all year' that didn't translate to PP.

If it's any help, I qualified for PP in 2002 by getting a residentail rate at a Reniuassance in NJ around $175, and never checking out even though I was only actually in the hotel 4-5 nights per week.

As an aside--I only realized I had PP several years later when I looked at an old card!! It was before I found out about FT. But that explained in hindsight why I had so many suite upgrades in the ensuing 1-2 years.....

1 hour over is unacceptable!

I did a search and found the following from a Marriott Concierge poster back in 2005.
"cloud8eleet,

Platinum Premier level consists of the top 3% of Platinum members. This level entitles you to all the benefits of Platinum status as well as an exclusive customer service line for reservations and Marriott Rewards related assistance.

Congratulations on your achievement!

Chris"

Could it be any more clear? This seems pretty clear to me, unless things have changed.

Yes it could be more clear. Top 3% in revenue? In stays last year? In lifetime stays?

Haha okay you're right. So it could be stays, nights, revenue, or whatever Marriott deems. But... I think the "benefits" were made clear. But you're right about clarity.
FT, speculate on... :D

delete

I'm not sure how it's determined if a person qualifies for PP (I've had it for the past 4 years) but when I got my credentials for this year I noticed that I had been bumped "down" to Platinum. It was my understanding when I called the elite line when I first reached PP that as long as I qualified for Platinum status (min 75 nights) that my PP status would remain in effect. Obviously that's not the case since my current card says Platinum on it and not PP. I'll probably give the elite line a call to find out about my change is status but IMHO I really didn't see a difference in being PP. The only difference I say was for the separate phone number to call for customer service.

Just got off the phone with the Platinum line and the person I spoke with said it's all determined by corporate and that it's people who are in the top 3% of stays for the previous year. That being said, I'm not sure if there are other factors that go into awarding this elite level or not since I had it for four years in a row and I'm pretty sure that I wasn't in the top 3% for a couple of those years. Perhaps I just got lucky and Marriott kept me at that level for the years where I might not have otherwise qualified. I was told that just by qualifying as Platinum for the prior year wasn't enough to keep me at PP. Oh well, until there are some more definitive perks out there for the PP I guess I'll have to "settle" for being a normal Platinum member :p

"Just got off the phone with the Platinum line and the person I spoke with said it's all determined by corporate and that it's people who are in the top 3% of stays for the previous year."

This just proves the point. The most nights I've ever stayed in a year was 150, usually between 100-150.

As many have pointed out they have stayed 200 nights and not gotten PP.

The requirements for PP seem to be tightly controlled and it would seem only a few Marriott employees might actually know what it is. Which is strange since they are not really giving our tangible defined benefits for reaching the level.

Or not so strange as it isn't a tangible level to reach, and therefore doesn't have a tangible benefit :D

There are numerous threads on this forum discussing it... in general it may seem arbitrary, but, doesn't really matter as all it gets you is another phone number and a higher chance of an upgrade....

However, as I always enjoy some speculation (and going off topic from the initial question), my thoughts are that Marriott would award it based on an arbitrary formula/mix of;

• Number of nights stayed
• Amount of revenue (room rate only)
• Amount of revenue (incidentals / extras)
• Number of different hotels stayed in
• Length of time in program / at platinum
• Taken over the past 3 years of stays
• Perhaps also the geographical spread of stays (i.e. not all within a 200 mile radius, or worldwide stayers)

That would reward people who not only stay with Marriott a lot, but bring in higher revenue (i.e. tend to stay at better properties or spend more on the highly profitable incidentals). However imho I also think the number of properties stayed at is important. After all many of us tend to stay at one hotel for a long time if we're on a long term project - so we get better benefits anyway from that one hotel (until we switch onto the next). Those who stay 1 or 2 nights, at a different Marriott each week might need to get that 'extra special' treatment from being PP as they don't have a single hotel they are loyal to, just the chain. With regards to the the length of the program there have always been rumours that plat premier is viewed over 3 years, rather than the normal 1. After all - you'd rather reward a long time guest who has stayed for 5 years at Marriott s than someone who joins and gets to plat premier very quickly.

This also ties in with the aim of plat premier, driving revenue; Long term guests at a single hotel are less likely to switch, whereas those in a different city each night have more choice and opportunity to be disloyal...

However, I'm sure there are exceptions to this, and its only speculation and rumour :), now if only socrates ever felt like revealing it... :D

PS: Everyone is ignoring the other, even higher status, platinum 5* (I've forgotten the name of the very top top level of service, where you're a friend of, or closely related to, Mr Marriott)

PPS: At least Marriott hasn't gone down the Hertz route of selling their top levels for about $1200 (Platinum - above Presidents circle, the previous top level of hertz, close to the Marriott list equivalent which used to be invite only is now for sale)