Long time lurker, first time poster.
Saw the 2012 thread on this subject but it hadn't been updated for 2013. Thought I'd post the new link for those who are interested.

Points required to buy back Platinum status - 40,000
Points required to buy back Gold status - 25,000
Points required to buy back Silver status - 7,500

Got this offer via email:
http://www.marriott.com/marriott/elitebuyback.mi

If you didn't already have points they can be purchased @ $12.50 per thousand.
https://buy.points.com/PointsPartner...mp;product=BUY


My dilemma is this: I only plan to stay at Marriott in 2013 to take advantage of their MegaBonus Promotions. I still have six free nights from Fall/Winter that haven't been used yet, and could still earn up to nine more this year. (I know of two nearby FS Marriotts often >$50/weekend night)

I already have 300,000+ Marriott points banked that don't expire, so I can easily afford to spend 40,000 (= 2 nights of stays) to keep the status. And I've had about 70% success rate sweet talking my way to available free suite upgrades even using the free night certificates. Free internet/ breakfast/ lounge access are nice Platinum perks, But is getting more 10-15 nights of them REALLY worth spending 40,000 points???

Does anyone know if these buy back offers are extended to members with non-US addresses? A friend in Thailand is trying to book enough nights this year to remain gold for 2014 but would wait for a buy back offer if she thought she would get one.

Although its been several years since I needed to buy back status when I did it I was outside of the US...
Question is will it continue to be offered??

I dropped from Plat to Gold in January this year and was offered the buy back, the 40,000 points were worth more to me at the time so I declined.

I live in Hong Kong.

It's interesting that Marriott seems to think that the difference between kettle and Platinum is worth $500.

Will buy back option be available this year?

you'll have to wait and see..............
anyone who gives you an answer will ONLY be speculating......

I just went through an interesting thought experiment on this. I have been Plat for several years. This year I may narrowly miss requalifying, racking up only 70 nights, and drop to Gold. The numbers at the top of this thread are no guarantee of what will be offered for 2014 but they did prompt me to ask myself: what would I pay to upgrade from Gold to Plat?

I can tell you right now, there is no way I would ever spend 40,000 points to upgrade from Gold to Plat. Those 40k points are worth anywhere from $320 to $500 to me, and the almost imperceptible difference in treatment I get as a Plat from what Gold colleagues of mine receive isn't worth even a fraction of that. The only firm differences I see between Gold and Plat are the extra 25% bonus on base points and the platinum arrival points. These are certainly worth points, but 40,000? I don't think so....

Assuming a $150 rate per night, the buy back will pay for itself within about 60 nights, for most people. If your room rate average is more it will pay for itself in a shorter time and you would end up with more points than if you didn't do the buyback. Remember as well they have tightened up on Platinum challenges so there isn't an easy way back. So it depends on how many nights you plan to stay in '14/

I wouldn't be surprised if they comp you plat, especially if you've been plat for a few years and are just a couple nights short. Year before last (I think) I was at 73 and the "renewed for next year" message popped up. I think in December they start looking at people to comp the higher status to.

I am waiting to see if I drop to gold- I will not requalify for Platinum this year- and we still don't know if the partnership with United will continue. Our contract at work for most of my travel has shifted from United to AA- so that partnership is not as valuable to me as it once was.

Unless someone is paying a high rate for the 75 nights BIB on the path to organic Plat, that $500 isn't even close to worth it.

And if you are expensing meals, it makes the lounge perk even less valuable as well.

No way I'd spend a penny more to get Pt over Au.

I estimated the break-even point a bit farther out than that. 60 nights at $150 yields 22,500 more points as plat than gold. Add in arrival bonuses-- say 30 arrivals at an average of 400 points each-- and you're only to 34,500. Also, I would discount the value of these future points relative to the points available in my account today. I'd want to forecast a difference of 50k points over the next year to justify spending 40k now.

wait a minute, hold your breath, first post written by this guy I ever could agree with......