Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite Credentials Arrived Today...
 

I received a form letter from Bill Marriott last summer welcoming me as a Lifetime Marriott Platinum. But, other than that letter, I had nothing tangible to prove the status. Marriott's website still shows me as Platinum even though I fell short of the 75 nights in 2004 so I wasn't too worried about hard credentials.
Today another form letter arrives from Bill Marriott along with a Platinum Elite card. Same card as I'd received in the past but where the date normally goes, it's embossed LIFET. I guess the date field is limited to five characters.
If anybody else is awaiting a similar hard copy of their Lifetime status,it's probably in the mail.

Great news, Cholula! I wondered why I got a letter last year granting me lifetime platinum status, yet my card came with an expiration date in early 2005. It's nice to know we'll actually have a lifetime card.

That's consistent with my experience

In the course of another coversation I had w/Platinum Guest Relations some time ago I was told that the new Lifetime Platinum Cards would carry no expiration date.

Congrats on this achievement, I was wondering how many stays u need to earn that lifetime status?

Direct from Marriott customer service:

So to earn lifetime platinum, you need to have been a member of MR for 12+ years, you need 1,000 personal nights, you must have earned at least 3,000,000 total points in the program, and you must have earned platinum level at least once.

You're correct that the above is the traditional manner of earning lifetime status....grind it out the old fashioned way.
But last year, Bill Marriott waved his magic wand and granted lifetime status to a number of people who didn't qualify the traditional way. It seems the number one criteria was that you needed to be an original member of the Marriott Rewards program, i.e. having signed up in 1984 when it first started. There were also some other factors that came into play here but they weren't specified in the letter....and I didn't question Bill as to exactly why I was selected. I didn't want to look the proverbial gift horse in the mouth....;).
I believe the original members had to have been Platinum for at least a couple years and had to have earned X total points. But again I'm not sure of the exact criteria.
I would have earned Lifetime Platinum the traditional way sooner or later.....but sooner is better! :)

As would I, eventually, but as you say, sooner is better. Much better. I guess you missed my notice from last week in the Permanent Status thread that these cards had started coming and we could throw away our letters from last year. Congratulations.

Monitor...I hadn't seen that comment and, if I had, this thread would not have been necessary,
Congrat's to you and Franny as well! Time to enjoy the fruits of our travels I guess....

I think the charter member thing must have been the number one reason. my father just got his lifetime plat card as you all did. while he's been a member since 84, he was never anything higher than silver, never spent more than 15 nights/year EVER in a marriott, BUT he did purchase a MVC timeshare a few years ago. maybe that combo got him in. he's not complaining.

I'm pretty sure it was the charter member thing above all. I was a member of the old loyalty program which predated Honored Guest. I've logged at least a few stays every year but have only been Gold maybe 3 or 4 years. Nevertheless managed to accumulate a few hundred thousand points.

Ever since getting platinum I have upped my number of stay.

Requalified as Plat? Nice Surprise
 

I stopped travelling for work in 2004, so did not even come close to the 75 nights for Plat.

But on Sat, I received a new Plat card and a letter congratulating me on my Plat status for another year (through Feb 2006)!

Is it possible MR redemptions are considered? My only major transaction in 2004 was to redeem 250K points. Otherwise, I have to wonder why my status was extended.

Ditto for me. I just received the Plat card, but I had only 50 stays in 2004. I'm not complaining! And, no, I had no MR redemptions at all in 2004.

Does Lifetime status offer any other benefits than regular platinum, other than not having to re-qualify each year?

I think the benefits are the same; just don't have to re-qualify. I was one that was gifted by Bill M (thank you!) as I'd been in the program when it originated (and the one before that).

Cheers.

No.