How early for status challenge?
 

Hi all, checking in again given the last post I had was VERY helpful!

I recently was given silver status through a company program and a VERY helpful MR customer service agent. I recently had a post about the fastest way to gold/platinum status and people seemed to say that the challenge is a good idea. Would you recommend waiting until I reach the required 10 nights (I'm at 4 now and will most likely hit 10 in the next 2-3 weeks) prior to asking for the challenge? Or should I wait even longer? I don't want to waste my time or the customer service agents time if I need to wait to hit a certain threshold of nights. Thanks!

Nah, I asked for the challenge with just 6 nights and got the Gold Status challenge offer no problem.

Should I wait until 2016 starts?

I'm not sure why you're being hesitant about starting a challenge. If you're already travelling, I would get on a challenge ASAP, otherwise you're missing out on potential points when waiting.

Check your upcoming travel schedule. Oftentimes challenges are for stays, not nights. So you need to ask for the challenge when you know you'll have X amount of stays during the timeframe given for the challenge. If you think you'll hit the # of stays required, no need to wait until 2016.

Cheers.

If I were to do the status challenge and get gold status this year, how long would that be good for? Expire 2016 or 2017? I am anticipating 12 more hotel nights in 2015, and I could (painfully) turn that into 12 stays given there are multiple Marriott's right near where I'll be.

It would expire January 2017. It should also be just 6 stays for the Gold Challenge - at least that was what was offered to me.