How long is Elite Status valid till? SPG seems confused
Apr 8, 2015, 7:36 am
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
I would expect if someone did actually qualify in the first two months, doing the same again during the next ten months was probably a cake walk too. Now HAVING to do it was not acceptable in my view.
Thanks again Lurker for digging in and getting other views.
Thanks again Lurker for digging in and getting other views.
Apr 8, 2015, 7:56 am
#32
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,783
That would be true for people in corporate roles, but not those in professional services or events management whose travel often comes heavy and unevenly.
Apr 8, 2015, 8:06 am
#33
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: UAE
Programs: Hyatt, Starwood, Ritz, Accor, Hilton, Etihad, Emirates
Posts: 66
Got bunch of more calls from Corporate and they said they agree completely now with my initial interpretation of the rules and mentioned they are aware of this thread on FT. They reiterated they will do their best to ensure all SPG agents are on the same page on this.
Colour me impressed with the speed with which they changed their incorrect stance. That was exactly the intent of the thread but I did not expect a resolution this quickly...
Every employee from Level 2 and above (Supervisor on duty, Team leader, Supervisor) was very willing to hear the customer's side claiming that they might be wrong in understanding their own T&C and were willing to walk through reading them and discussing them.
Level 1 of course made up a lot of rules on the fly...
Colour me impressed with the speed with which they changed their incorrect stance. That was exactly the intent of the thread but I did not expect a resolution this quickly...
Every employee from Level 2 and above (Supervisor on duty, Team leader, Supervisor) was very willing to hear the customer's side claiming that they might be wrong in understanding their own T&C and were willing to walk through reading them and discussing them.
Level 1 of course made up a lot of rules on the fly...
Apr 8, 2015, 8:26 am
#34
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,466
we'd have to go back to the original discussion for the apology. 
don't really want to go there, but what I got out of it was that if you qualified in Jan/Feb, initially your status would only reflect the 1 year/12 months thing showing an expiration date at the end of the following Feb, however at the end of the year (or some point during the year), the program would notice you requalified with 50 nights or 25 stays during the calendar year (your stay and night count isn't reset at the end of Feb/beginning of March) and consider that requalification met and extend your status for another year.
It was very odd the way you were explaining it, but it was probably the way it was implemented IIRC.
At the end of the day (if you ignore the weird implementation bits) I believe it always worked the way from an end user perspective, but there might have been a period of time where your online status showed an earlier end date than it should have if you (re)qualified in Jan/Feb, but that ended up being adjusted later.
-David
don't really want to go there, but what I got out of it was that if you qualified in Jan/Feb, initially your status would only reflect the 1 year/12 months thing showing an expiration date at the end of the following Feb, however at the end of the year (or some point during the year), the program would notice you requalified with 50 nights or 25 stays during the calendar year (your stay and night count isn't reset at the end of Feb/beginning of March) and consider that requalification met and extend your status for another year.
It was very odd the way you were explaining it, but it was probably the way it was implemented IIRC.
At the end of the day (if you ignore the weird implementation bits) I believe it always worked the way from an end user perspective, but there might have been a period of time where your online status showed an earlier end date than it should have if you (re)qualified in Jan/Feb, but that ended up being adjusted later.
-David
Apr 8, 2015, 9:59 am
#35
formerly known as 2lovelife
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: ORF : UA_Premier_Gold4Life, Bonvoy_titanium, Accor_Plat
Posts: 6,952
I have no idea why this concept is so foreign to SPG staff.
I have always understood it to be like this:
* Qualify anytime in any year (year 1) for status in the following year (year 2).
* The instant you qualify in year 1, you immediately have the benefits to use.
* Extra time is granted in year 3 to cover a) the time it takes to calculate that year's status, late and missing stays to be added b) administrative processing, and c) the new membership package/card to be mailed out.
It's benefits in one year, based on consumer purchases from the previous year, with the privilege of getting the benefits immediately as an extra encouragement to spend/stay/fly.
Pretty simple to me!
I have always understood it to be like this:
* Qualify anytime in any year (year 1) for status in the following year (year 2).
* The instant you qualify in year 1, you immediately have the benefits to use.
* Extra time is granted in year 3 to cover a) the time it takes to calculate that year's status, late and missing stays to be added b) administrative processing, and c) the new membership package/card to be mailed out.
It's benefits in one year, based on consumer purchases from the previous year, with the privilege of getting the benefits immediately as an extra encouragement to spend/stay/fly.
Pretty simple to me!
Apr 8, 2015, 10:44 am
#36
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: CEB - primary/YVR -secondary
Programs: AC*Super Elite (100K) / PR*Elite / AY*Platinum (OWE) / SPG*Bonvoy Titanium (LTT)
Posts: 2,275
Well kodus to William who immediately corrected the ambiguity. Unlike flyertalk reps of a certain frequent flyer program (aka Air Canada) who think they're infallible..
Apr 8, 2015, 8:15 pm
#37
formerly known as 2lovelife
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: ORF : UA_Premier_Gold4Life, Bonvoy_titanium, Accor_Plat
Posts: 6,952
My comment was more of surprise at the extent of the confusion of what, to us, is as fundamental as why we breathe; Surprise at how widespread it likely is in the other hotel/airline programs too.
We know because it's important to us. But, to employees, qualification details may never register as a high priority for performing their day to day duties.
Mar 2, 2017, 1:21 am
#38
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SIN
Programs: KF, MPC, BAEC // Bonvoy, WoH, Honors
Posts: 1,467
Waking up an ancient thread here -- but seems to be the best place to ask. I became Gold in May 2015, and assumed my status would be valid until 1st March 2017. However when I checked my account today, it still says I am Gold. Does anyone know how long I'll be able to keep it? Or is it a bug in the system?
Mar 2, 2017, 6:32 am
#39
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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Posts: 100,466
HOW did you become SPG Gold in May 2015? By 25 stays or 50 nights during 2015? Or was it some sort of status match or challenge?
Mar 2, 2017, 1:36 pm
#40
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,783
Waking up an ancient thread here -- but seems to be the best place to ask. I became Gold in May 2015, and assumed my status would be valid until 1st March 2017. However when I checked my account today, it still says I am Gold. Does anyone know how long I'll be able to keep it? Or is it a bug in the system?
One more stay next weekend and I'm back up to Platinum
Mar 2, 2017, 9:27 pm
#41
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SIN
Programs: KF, MPC, BAEC // Bonvoy, WoH, Honors
Posts: 1,467
SPG Gold status is a benefit for World Mastercard holders (cards issued in Asia-Pacific), so I got the status when I registered my credit card at that time.
Mar 3, 2017, 7:24 am
#42
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,466
Then wouldn't you expect to keep your SPG Gold status as long as you have that credit card and the account is (I hope) in good standing. It doesn't sound like this would have been a one time promo offer.
Mar 3, 2017, 11:54 am
#43
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
"The upgrade is valid for only one year after which the cardholder must maintain their status as per the standard SPG Program guidelines."
If the OP likes, he/she can send us their SPG account number and we can look into why the account may have been kept at the Gold level longer than anticipated, but it could result in a downgrade of the account, so it might be best to just celebrate his/her good fortune and move on.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, LLC
[email protected]
Mar 3, 2017, 9:10 pm
#44
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SIN
Programs: KF, MPC, BAEC // Bonvoy, WoH, Honors
Posts: 1,467
@Starwood Lurker is of course right -- the complimentary Gold status is valid for "one year" (i.e. I assume if earned now it would be valid until 28 Feb 2019).
Mar 4, 2017, 12:41 am
#45
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,273
It's not an SPG-branded card offer, but rather a Mastercard-branded "fast track"-type offer. So unlike the SPG-branded cards, there is no ongoing entitlement to elevated status.