Mar 9, 2016, 12:19 pm
Last edit by: controller1
For those with questions regarding the best timing for applying for a Platinum or Gold status match, this is the policy to keep in mind for your individual determination:
Elite Expiration: The Elite Status Challenge entitles members to one full year of elite status, from one renewal period to the next (i.e. the end of February one year to the end of February the next year) and only carries over if they are upgraded on or after March 1st (whereas earning status naturally* gives members elite status for the remainder of the current year, carries over for the entirety of the following year, and expires at the end of February in the third year)
Elite Status Challenge Expiration Example: If a member is upgraded via the challenge on or before February 28th, 2017 they retain status until February 28th, 2018, the following year. If they are upgraded on or after March 1st, 2017 they retain status for the remainder of the year, all of 2018, up until February 28th, 2019.
Elite Expiration: The Elite Status Challenge entitles members to one full year of elite status, from one renewal period to the next (i.e. the end of February one year to the end of February the next year) and only carries over if they are upgraded on or after March 1st (whereas earning status naturally* gives members elite status for the remainder of the current year, carries over for the entirety of the following year, and expires at the end of February in the third year)
Elite Status Challenge Expiration Example: If a member is upgraded via the challenge on or before February 28th, 2017 they retain status until February 28th, 2018, the following year. If they are upgraded on or after March 1st, 2017 they retain status for the remainder of the year, all of 2018, up until February 28th, 2019.
SPG Status Match Request and Challenge Policy : Discussion Master Thread
Feb 1, 2012, 11:42 am
#211
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
2. Marriott is unusual in that it only has nights as a means for qualification. No way to qualify on stays (or base points). SPG lets you qualify "normally" for Platinum on 25 stays (23 with one SPG card, 21 with two SPG cards) or 50 nights (45 with one SPG card, 40 with two SPG cards).
(Then SPG also lets you "challenge" for Platinum with 18 nights within a 90 day period. That, in fact, is what this thread is all about. Marriott has a similar "challenge", by the way, and in Marriott's case you get to "try out" the status level you're challenging for immediately, while at SPG you have to wait until you complete the challenge successfully to get the new status.)
For those of us used to changing hotels every night, "hotel hopping" (staying in a different hotel on alternate nights) allows every night to be a stay, and thus for 25 (or 23 or 21) stays to be achieved in just 25 (or 23 or 21) nights. If you can't or won't "hotel hop" though, then you need a lot more than 25/23/21 nights to get to 25/23/21 stays.
In SPG as well as in every other program (including Marriott which uses stays for promos even if not for elite stays), a stay is defined as "any number of consecutive nights at the same hotel, no matter how many times you check in or check out". Thus the only way to have consecutive nights be separate stays is to change hotels every night. You only need two hotels, though, since you can change back and forth, as long as each hotel sees a gap of one night between stays.
Feb 1, 2012, 10:50 pm
#212
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,653
1. Staying in one hotel continuously for two months may not earn you 60 nights in all programs. I'm not sure of whether there's any limit in either Marriott or SPG, but I do seem to recall that at least hotel programs put a limit on something like 30 nights per stay, no matter how long your stay is. So perhaps this is what you ran into? While Marriott does require 75 for what they call Platinum, you cross Silver at 10 nights and Gold at 50 nights. So if all 60ish nights of the 2-month stay did count, you should have been Gold after it. (But that's the other issue: Stay/night credits don't tend to post until you check out, so unless perhaps you make special arrangements, you don't get any benfits from crossing an elite status threshold in the middle of a long stay.)
Feb 1, 2012, 10:54 pm
#213
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: ORD / MDW / FLL
Programs: DL DM/1MM, AA EXP, SPG Platinum, Hyatt Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 2,295
I got some clarification after emailing Plat concierge (again). I was told that if start the challenge after February, i.e., March 1, you will be Plat (once you complete the challenge) for the rest of 2012, 2013, and until Feb. 2014. So, I guess it makes sense to hold off on doing to challenge until after March 1. If you start before March 1, the Plat status only lasts until Feb. 2013.
I will be out of the country on 3/1 and would like to start my challenge on that day. Can you request the challenge in advance and ask that it start on 3/1? I want to make sure I maintain Platinum until 2014 as I will have NO problem hitting the challenge requirements.
Feb 2, 2012, 8:35 am
#214
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: ORD-DTW
Programs: UA, AA, NWA, Hilton, Starwood, Marriott
Posts: 174
Plat Challenge not available for previous Plat?
My request for a Plat Challenge was denied yesterday. Here is the response I got from platinum.liaison:
"In reviewing your account, I show that you have been at the Platinum level in the past. The purpose of the status challenge is to allow our members who have never been at the Platinum level a way to quickly reach it and get a taste of the benefits that we offer our top tier members."
I had an impression that challenge is good for everyone, am I wrong? btw, my previous plat status was earned, not from status match.
"In reviewing your account, I show that you have been at the Platinum level in the past. The purpose of the status challenge is to allow our members who have never been at the Platinum level a way to quickly reach it and get a taste of the benefits that we offer our top tier members."
I had an impression that challenge is good for everyone, am I wrong? btw, my previous plat status was earned, not from status match.
Feb 2, 2012, 8:50 am
#215
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 381
1. Staying in one hotel continuously for two months may not earn you 60 nights in all programs. I'm not sure of whether there's any limit in either Marriott or SPG, but I do seem to recall that at least hotel programs put a limit on something like 30 nights per stay, no matter how long your stay is. So perhaps this is what you ran into? While Marriott does require 75 for what they call Platinum, you cross Silver at 10 nights and Gold at 50 nights. So if all 60ish nights of the 2-month stay did count, you should have been Gold after it. (But that's the other issue: Stay/night credits don't tend to post until you check out, so unless perhaps you make special arrangements, you don't get any benfits from crossing an elite status threshold in the middle of a long stay.)
2. Marriott is unusual in that it only has nights as a means for qualification. No way to qualify on stays (or base points). SPG lets you qualify "normally" for Platinum on 25 stays (23 with one SPG card, 21 with two SPG cards) or 50 nights (45 with one SPG card, 40 with two SPG cards).
(Then SPG also lets you "challenge" for Platinum with 18 nights within a 90 day period. That, in fact, is what this thread is all about. Marriott has a similar "challenge", by the way, and in Marriott's case you get to "try out" the status level you're challenging for immediately, while at SPG you have to wait until you complete the challenge successfully to get the new status.)
For those of us used to changing hotels every night, "hotel hopping" (staying in a different hotel on alternate nights) allows every night to be a stay, and thus for 25 (or 23 or 21) stays to be achieved in just 25 (or 23 or 21) nights. If you can't or won't "hotel hop" though, then you need a lot more than 25/23/21 nights to get to 25/23/21 stays.
In SPG as well as in every other program (including Marriott which uses stays for promos even if not for elite stays), a stay is defined as "any number of consecutive nights at the same hotel, no matter how many times you check in or check out". Thus the only way to have consecutive nights be separate stays is to change hotels every night. You only need two hotels, though, since you can change back and forth, as long as each hotel sees a gap of one night between stays.
2. Marriott is unusual in that it only has nights as a means for qualification. No way to qualify on stays (or base points). SPG lets you qualify "normally" for Platinum on 25 stays (23 with one SPG card, 21 with two SPG cards) or 50 nights (45 with one SPG card, 40 with two SPG cards).
(Then SPG also lets you "challenge" for Platinum with 18 nights within a 90 day period. That, in fact, is what this thread is all about. Marriott has a similar "challenge", by the way, and in Marriott's case you get to "try out" the status level you're challenging for immediately, while at SPG you have to wait until you complete the challenge successfully to get the new status.)
For those of us used to changing hotels every night, "hotel hopping" (staying in a different hotel on alternate nights) allows every night to be a stay, and thus for 25 (or 23 or 21) stays to be achieved in just 25 (or 23 or 21) nights. If you can't or won't "hotel hop" though, then you need a lot more than 25/23/21 nights to get to 25/23/21 stays.
In SPG as well as in every other program (including Marriott which uses stays for promos even if not for elite stays), a stay is defined as "any number of consecutive nights at the same hotel, no matter how many times you check in or check out". Thus the only way to have consecutive nights be separate stays is to change hotels every night. You only need two hotels, though, since you can change back and forth, as long as each hotel sees a gap of one night between stays.
Feb 2, 2012, 3:32 pm
#216
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Germany
Programs: KiwiCollection VIP, A|Club Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 17
I read most of this thread but couldnt really find a list of the full requirements for the 18 nights Platinum Challenge. Basically I have 2 questions:
1. Can I start the challenge right after I created a SPG account or do I have to be Gold Status already?
2. Can I spend 18 consecutive nights in this hotel (http://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefer...ropertyID=1904) (about 1400 USD for 18 nights) and beat the challenge?
1. Can I start the challenge right after I created a SPG account or do I have to be Gold Status already?
2. Can I spend 18 consecutive nights in this hotel (http://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefer...ropertyID=1904) (about 1400 USD for 18 nights) and beat the challenge?
Feb 2, 2012, 4:11 pm
#217
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: spg gold, CO Platinum, MR Gold
Posts: 619
I read most of this thread but couldnt really find a list of the full requirements for the 18 nights Platinum Challenge. Basically I have 2 questions:
1. Can I start the challenge right after I created a SPG account or do I have to be Gold Status already?
2. Can I spend 18 consecutive nights in this hotel (http://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefer...ropertyID=1904) (about 1400 USD for 18 nights) and beat the challenge?
1. Can I start the challenge right after I created a SPG account or do I have to be Gold Status already?
2. Can I spend 18 consecutive nights in this hotel (http://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefer...ropertyID=1904) (about 1400 USD for 18 nights) and beat the challenge?
Feb 3, 2012, 2:44 am
#218
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,653
yes....
no....
yes....
no....
2. Can I spend 18 consecutive nights in this hotel (http://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefer...ropertyID=1904) (about 1400 USD for 18 nights) and beat the challenge?
Feb 3, 2012, 8:06 am
#219
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Germany
Programs: KiwiCollection VIP, A|Club Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 17
Sweet,... thanks for the answers 
Feb 9, 2012, 4:10 am
#220
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: MH Enrich, VS FC, HH Gold, PC, SPG Gold, Marco Polo Gold, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,104
Hi All,
Sorry if this has been answered already, can we be status matched from Hilton Honors Gold to SPG Gold? If yes how do I do it?
Thanks,
K.
Sorry if this has been answered already, can we be status matched from Hilton Honors Gold to SPG Gold? If yes how do I do it?
Thanks,
K.
Feb 9, 2012, 6:41 am
#221
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: spg gold, CO Platinum, MR Gold
Posts: 619
Feb 9, 2012, 1:36 pm
#222
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: MH Enrich, VS FC, HH Gold, PC, SPG Gold, Marco Polo Gold, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,104
thanks. can I do the plat challenge with HH gold?
Unfortunately no gold status matches, but there is a plat challenge. If interested contact [email protected]
Feb 10, 2012, 2:39 pm
#224
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,324
are you given temporary SPG Platinum status during the 90 day challenge??
Last edited by HHonors OUTSIDER; Feb 11, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Feb 10, 2012, 2:42 pm
#225
Join Date: May 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: AA PLAT, Marriot Plat, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 280