Just wondering what real world benefits there really are to the platinum status, I have had 7 or 8 stays this year and I don't see any benefit or change, upgrades etc. since being upgraded from lowly gold last year, aside from the occasional snack upon check in, what am I missing? I do like the United status but I don't fly them too often. All of my stays are through work, but last year I did have 25-30 from holiday.

Where are you traveling? Frankly, upgrades are not the thing that does much for me. They don't happen often. I only ask on holiday when traveling with family. I do like the 50% point earning bonus when traveling for work. The lounge access and breakfasts. Platinum booking guarantees.

We are treated EXCEPTIONALLY well in Asia.

At limited service properties, elite status does not get you much. As a platinum, you should at least get the points/snack (and not just "occasionally," it's guaranteed). At full service properties, upgrades will usually be to the concierge floor but occasionally you may score something nicer.

Yes, do be aware here, Marriott, Hilton and IHG get a bad rap on upgrades, as most of their inventory has only a few suites. As opposed to Hyatt and Starwood who build more suites into their properties and therefore have more suites to upgrade to.

At Marriott FS I find I'm upgraded virtually without exception, usually being "concierge floor", "exec rooms", "larger guest rooms" and "corner rooms". Now admittedly my 500 nights have been mostly EMEA but of the 3 stays (10 nights) in North American Marriotts I have been upgraded every time, at the Marriott YYZ to a corner room, the Marriott Philadelphia a concierge floor room and the Marriott Ottawa an exec room. And of course I received lounge access at all 3.

In reality the only uptick in benefits as a plat are the arrival gift ($10F&B or 500points), the 25% extra platinum bonus points and the 48 hour availability. It's not a great step up from Gold, hence when I failed to make the numbers a few years ago I didn't mind the bust, but I certainly have been determined to make the stays to keep gold, no matter what. I don't want to lose those room upgrades, breakfast and exec lounge access.

Thanks. I don't do much international travel, mainly west coast trips for work and the occasional trip to Hawaii and the east coast. Most of the time I arrive late at night and usually just get the standard substituted point arrival gift and of course the bonus points on checkout. I can't complain too much, it's more then I got with my old Hilton status. I don't think I will go out of my way to achieve platinum but I am already halfway there this year through work trips. The nicest thing I like is the dedicated phone line, still a short wait but I have had everything taken care of I needed with ease. Thanks for the replies.

You do get extra points for the stay, as well as the Platinum arrival gift. I do notice a higher upgrade rate than from when I was Gold, but that was some years ago and the upgrade rate is much higher on shorter stays.

Probably the most significant difference, in my opinion, is the Platinum override, which will often let you book a room at hotels that will show no rooms available to Gold and below. You get rack rate, but you can usually get a room.

I have used the override a couple of times, but I would probably not do a mattress run to get from Gold to Platinum if I still had to worry about that.

Used to be. Free Breakfast is now Gone throughout Asia (resorts).

Pretty sure this is more property specific then a blanket reduction.

Quick reply: No, Plat isn't worth it. No major difference from Gold. I've been Plat since 2008 and probably get upgraded 10-20% of the time, at best. I haven't even hit the required nights for Plat the last 2 years, but Marriott keeps renewing my status. Hell, I didn't even have enough to qualify for Gold last year, and they still sent me the Plat pamphlet in the mail. Been spending more time at Hilton properties. I'm finding them much nicer and with better rates. Marriott has been going downhill for years, in my opinion... Of course, your experience may differ.

over the past 9-days have received breakfast at 2 Marriott asian properties designated as resorts.

nvm..

I have PP and it is completely worthless, so plat IMO is junk too. The only benefit I see if the PAG and additional base points at check out. They definitely add up. Other than that, I struggle a lot with getting late check outs, upgrades, or them handling basic issues. The key difference comes at gold when you get lounge access and free wifi (since I don't book through Marriott.com).

I have had the opposite reaction. For me I only really car about benefits on vacation travel and there it has been great. Upgrade from garden view to ocean view. Suites. At one hotel the manager came out to escort me personally to my villa etc...

Add in the Platinum override which is nice when you are meeting with a customer and no being stuck in the burbs because the downtown hotel was sold out.

I find it useful when booking weekend reward stays for me or family members. Usually some kind of upgrade. Don't really care if I get upgrades when on business.

Also, I am not sure if Gold uses the same customer service as Platinum. But I find the CS to be very helpful on the Platinum line.

Yes it is. Worth it, that is.

Billy