To Plat or Not to Plat....that is the question
 

Ultimately, the question is .... "Is is really worth it?"

To reach Platinum level for Marriott, $75K spending is required on the Ritz Card. The main benefit being is that you get automatic Platinum statuses on Marriott AND SPG. Since SPG doesn't have a way to reach platinum through spending, Ritz seems like the only option if spending is the only way you can get there.

So, spending $75K on Ritz Card (with $450 AF) gives you 75,000 Marriott points, whereas spending $75K on SPG card, gives you 225,000 Marriott points. Is the cost of letting go 150,000 Marriotts (with $450 AF) worth the Platinum status for BOTH brands really worth it?

would appreciate any thoughts on this from the FT community.

THANK YOU!

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marriott-rewards/1121221-platinum-status-eight-days-800-no-stays-required.html

And my advice is for less than $800, one can currently obtain Platinum status. Given that, why would anyone spend $75k on a credit card?

Without more information it is difficult to give you a recommendation. How many nights will you stay at the hotels properties? If you are only staying a few nights per year, use the AMEX card and use SPG points to upgrade to better rooms. If you stay multiple nights, then how far are you from qualifying for Plat based on nights?

SPG only requires 25 stays to qualify for plat.

$800 on meeting space I dont plan on using versus $75k on a card which I was going to spend anyways, that is one reason. Doesnt matter though since the thread isnt about that debate......

I tend to shuffle between brands (SPG/Marriott/Hilton) depending on the availability of hotels in the area Im visiting and the best value I can get for points. I rarely have paid nights, so the biggest benefit I tend to cherish is the free breakfast and suite upgrades that comes with platinum.

As "MCGAHAT" correctly noted, I dont want to reach my pockets for $800plus tax of unused meeting rooms since reaching the 75K limit is not an issue for me. But the "cost" of platinum status for both Marriott and SPG, per se, is 150,000 Marriott points (or 50,000 SPG points), plus $450 annual fee, is that a fair trade?

I say no.

Also, just because you're going to spend $75K on the card anyway doesn't mean there's not opportunity cost. That $75K could go on a 2%+ cash back card, which would get you $1500+ cash back, whereas I only value Marriott points at about a cent per point (at most). Even spending that money on the SPG card and getting 225K Marriott points, then spending the $800 on meeting rooms, would be better money spent IMO since you're getting an extra $1500 in point value on top of what you would have gotten going with Ritz card to begin with. And the real cost of those extra points (while still getting plat) is only $350 since you'll also save the $450 AF.

Thanks for the reply back. You mentioned "while still getting plat", i thought the only way to get SPG plat (via spending) was thru the Ritz card. Are you saying there is another way?

150k Marriott points is worth ~$3500-4000 to me. What is it worth to you? Compare that to what the double Plat is worth to you.
For me, I would take the 150k points, but this is a personal decision (just giving you how I would look at it).

How do you get that kind of return?

I have to chuckle at the use of the word "cherish". Strong word! ;) Any free (or pay to upgrade breakfast) I've cherished was quickly carved out & taken away (Monterey Marriott) for instance - otherwise lounge breakfasts are pedestrian at best. While I've cherished some Marriott suites, they've come as PP and after a lot of begging and advance work.

I have pretty specific usage - Scottsdale in spring, so 80k for 5 nights of a $400-500 room is typical, in fact, just booked it for March '18 last week (getting 5x$480 for 80k points).
Like I said, everyone has their own usage for points, so have to evaluate it personally.

I was defending the poster who mentioned booking meetings to get elite qualifying nights, which would get you platinum as well. Those 8 meetings would cost $800, but since you would be saving the $450 fee from the Ritz card, they would only cost an excess of $350. Then you could still get the SPG card and do your spend there, getting an overall greater value out of those points (even with spending the extra $350) than you would have with the Ritz card. In either scenario, you would be earning plat status.

Yes, those are homeruns when able to snag rooms before the Spring Training or Big Concert crowd catches on and pays through the nose.

The real question is whether you would be willing to pay $500 per night cash for 5 nights for a Cat 4 room irregardless. If so, then those values are legit to you.

I'm a veteran of 10+ FL spring training trips and have never paid or would pay those prices and would not tout & consider my redemptions a 3 cent per point being a isolated abnormality that you wouldn't normally see.

But we're all different.