Choice benefits (SPG50) : Four new reasons to reach 50 nights with Starwood.
Jan 23, 2018, 6:37 am
#166
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
BTW if you read your email carefully, you’ll see the 5 nights would have been applied to 2017 not 2018! So you dodged a bullet. 
Jan 23, 2018, 6:41 am
#167
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,700
Well, I didn't get that email in early December as I qualified in late December, 4 days before Jan 1st. The only I got was "You've earned a new benefit [SPG50]" email with no indication that there was a deadline to select whatsoever. But I did call and yes, the associate confirmed what was stated above: Jan 15th.
Jan 23, 2018, 6:45 am
#168
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,700
"Eligible Nights that are awarded to an eligible Platinum Member as the Platinum Member's Platinum 50 Eligible Nights Benefit will be awarded in the 2018 Qualifying Period, regardless of when the Platinum Member selects the Five Elite Qualifying Nights as his/her Platinum 50 Eligible Nights Benefit."
Jan 23, 2018, 6:50 am
#169
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
They must have been updated for 2018. They are applied to the year in which they were earned. So really only of value if you are trying to reach 75 or 100 nights.
Jan 23, 2018, 7:33 am
#170
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 37
I contacted SPG support late last week, after the deadline I didn't know about had passed, but they wouldn't do anything.
I received the unwanted SNAs today
Jan 23, 2018, 7:53 am
#171
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
Here is the lead page:
Stay 50 eligible nights with SPG® in 2018 and you’ll earn a benefit of your choice from the following options:
If you haven’t reached 50 eligible nights yet this year, keep booking. We’ll notify you when you’re eligible to select your benefit.
And here are the T&Cs.
The Lurkers have also confirmed this multiple times in the master thread.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star...-starwood.html
Stay 50 nights — get rewarded
Stay 50 eligible nights with SPG® in 2018 and you’ll earn a benefit of your choice from the following options:
- 10 Suite Night Awards™
- The gift of Gold status for a friend or family member
- One Free Night Award
- Five Elite-Qualifying Nights
- SPG donation to UNICEF
- 40% off your favorite hotel bed
If you haven’t reached 50 eligible nights yet this year, keep booking. We’ll notify you when you’re eligible to select your benefit.
Five Elite Qualifying Nights — Terms and Conditions:Please see the SPG Terms and Conditions for full details regarding Platinum 50 Eligible Nights Benefits. To the extent that terms are capitalized in these Five Elite Qualifying Nights terms and conditions, the terms have the meanings specified in the SPG Terms and Conditions.
Upon an eligible Platinum Member selecting the Five Elite Qualifying Nights as his/her Platinum 50 Eligible Nights Benefit, the Platinum Member will have his/her SPG Member account credited with five (5) bonus Eligible Nights which count toward earning Elite Preferred Guest Membership Status only. These bonus Eligible Nights do not count toward SPG Lifetime™ status. Eligible Nights and Elite Preferred Guest Membership Status are subject to the SPG Terms and Conditions.
Eligible Nights that are awarded to an eligible Platinum Member as the Platinum Member's Platinum 50 Eligible Nights Benefit will be awarded in the 2018 Qualifying Period, regardless of when the Platinum Member selects the Five Elite Qualifying Nights as his/her Platinum 50 Eligible Nights Benefit. For the avoidance of doubt, the Eligible Nights that are awarded will not be credited toward earning Elite Preferred Guest Membership Status in any Qualifying Period other than the 2018 Qualifying Period.
Eligible Nights awarded as the Five Elite Qualifying Nights as an eligible Platinum Member's Platinum 50 Eligible Nights Benefit will not apply toward Lifetime status as further described in the SPG Terms and Conditions.
Upon an eligible Platinum Member selecting the Five Elite Qualifying Nights as his/her Platinum 50 Eligible Nights Benefit, the Platinum Member will have his/her SPG Member account credited with five (5) bonus Eligible Nights which count toward earning Elite Preferred Guest Membership Status only. These bonus Eligible Nights do not count toward SPG Lifetime™ status. Eligible Nights and Elite Preferred Guest Membership Status are subject to the SPG Terms and Conditions.
Eligible Nights that are awarded to an eligible Platinum Member as the Platinum Member's Platinum 50 Eligible Nights Benefit will be awarded in the 2018 Qualifying Period, regardless of when the Platinum Member selects the Five Elite Qualifying Nights as his/her Platinum 50 Eligible Nights Benefit. For the avoidance of doubt, the Eligible Nights that are awarded will not be credited toward earning Elite Preferred Guest Membership Status in any Qualifying Period other than the 2018 Qualifying Period.
Eligible Nights awarded as the Five Elite Qualifying Nights as an eligible Platinum Member's Platinum 50 Eligible Nights Benefit will not apply toward Lifetime status as further described in the SPG Terms and Conditions.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star...-starwood.html
Jan 23, 2018, 8:00 am
#172
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,416
I believe - if I accurately recall my conversation with a cheerful SPG Platinum associate over the phone - that you have until January 15th of the year to choose your benefit or else the default benefit is 10 SNAs. Therefore, if you fail to make a selection between when you made SPG50 and the next January 15th, you'll automatically get the SNAs as your Plat benefit.
khabah
khabah
I got an email in early December that said "When you stayed 50 nights with us this year, you earned an additional SPG® benefit. Select the benefit that suits you best by January 15, 2018.*" and the footnote says "*Benefit must be selected by 11:59 p.m. ET." The email doesn't say anything about what happens if you don't select a choice, but I thought I remembered seeing on the page to select an option that if you don't select an option, the default was the upgrades.
Here's where it's formally stated: https://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefe...erplat_en_US#9
Under section 9.4.a
In the event that an eligible Platinum Preferred Guest fails to select a Platinum 50 Eligible Nights Benefit by January 14th of the year following the applicable Qualifying Period, such Platinum Preferred Guest will receive 10 Suite Night Awards as his/her Platinum 50 Eligible Nights Benefit.
Jan 23, 2018, 11:20 am
#173
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: YXT
Programs: AC*E50, SPG Plat,
Posts: 575
I'm in the same boat. I'd been keeping an eye out for the email notification for selecting the 50 night benefit but hadn't seen it. I was a little bit disappointed when I noticed the SNA were automatically awarded, but when reviewing my emails, I was invited to select the benefit and simply missed it. My fault...but I'll try find a way to use the SNAs this year.
Jan 23, 2018, 1:58 pm
#174
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Depends on the day!
Programs: Marriott/Lifetime Titanium Hyatt/Explorist, Hilton/Silver, IHG Spire,UA Gold
Posts: 17,832
A little bit off topic here...but hopefully someone can help me out. I haven't been staying much with SPG the last few years, but since the World of Hyatt disaster was rolled out, I'm coming back. I have 10 nights in my account year to date from having an SPG Amex...do these count towards the SPG50, or do they have to be actual nights spent?
Jan 23, 2018, 4:39 pm
#175
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: MR-Amb, Hyatt-Globalist, AA-EXP
Posts: 1,744
A little bit off topic here...but hopefully someone can help me out. I haven't been staying much with SPG the last few years, but since the World of Hyatt disaster was rolled out, I'm coming back. I have 10 nights in my account year to date from having an SPG Amex...do these count towards the SPG50, or do they have to be actual nights spent?
Jan 25, 2018, 8:29 am
#176
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,040
So, my wife also qualified very late in December (technically beginning of January) and we got bit by this as well (auto selection of SNAs). Does anyone know if this can be reversed by calling in? I assume it cannot, but want to check if anyone has experience otherwise.
Regards
Regards
Jun 30, 2018, 7:57 am
#177
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,016
Just got an email which stated
"New! Enjoy a Free Night Award.
Starting in August, Platinum Premier Elite members with at least 75 nights in 2018 can choose a Free Night Award as their additional Annual Choice Benefit."
So it looks as though we get 5 SNAs at 50 nights... and then a choice of 5 SNAs at 75 or a Free night. I surely will be taking the free night!
"New! Enjoy a Free Night Award.
Starting in August, Platinum Premier Elite members with at least 75 nights in 2018 can choose a Free Night Award as their additional Annual Choice Benefit."
So it looks as though we get 5 SNAs at 50 nights... and then a choice of 5 SNAs at 75 or a Free night. I surely will be taking the free night!
Jun 30, 2018, 8:24 am
#178
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Europe/SEA
Programs: TK E+, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Dusit Gold
Posts: 1,714
Or this year the last time a free night at 50 nights and then at 75 x) or 10 sna at 50 and free night at 75
Jun 30, 2018, 9:35 am
#179
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,016
Jul 1, 2018, 7:28 am
#180
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Ambassador, AA Platinum, Avis Pres Club, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 564
Just got an email which stated
"New! Enjoy a Free Night Award.
Starting in August, Platinum Premier Elite members with at least 75 nights in 2018 can choose a Free Night Award as their additional Annual Choice Benefit."
So it looks as though we get 5 SNAs at 50 nights... and then a choice of 5 SNAs at 75 or a Free night. I surely will be taking the free night!
"New! Enjoy a Free Night Award.
Starting in August, Platinum Premier Elite members with at least 75 nights in 2018 can choose a Free Night Award as their additional Annual Choice Benefit."
So it looks as though we get 5 SNAs at 50 nights... and then a choice of 5 SNAs at 75 or a Free night. I surely will be taking the free night!