Invest 56 Nights To Make Lifetime Plat, worth it or not?
May 15, 2018, 9:38 am
#16
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I'm not sure whether it's been officially verified that for LTPP, the 750 nights can be combined MR and SPG nights. Also, AFAIK the nights credit for three rooms at SPG ends on August 1.
However, if OP wants LTPP, here is a low risk way to do it:
There are about 75 nights between now and August 1. Book three rooms per night in the same SPG hotel for every night (it doesn't matter much whether it's one stay or 75 stays, but doing separate stays and hotel hopping could make some sense depending on current bonus offers). Total nights from this before August1: 75 X 3 = 225.
For the remaining 306 - 225 = 81 nights, book this many nights in SPG hotels for August through December. Again, for LTPP, it dsoesn't matter whether it's one stay or 81 stays or something in between, but OP could maximize bonus points here.
Just be sure that no single stay is 90 days or more, so you cannot do the 75 X 3 and the 81 nights as one continuous stay in the same hotel, regardless of whether there are separate reservations.
However, if OP wants LTPP, here is a low risk way to do it:
There are about 75 nights between now and August 1. Book three rooms per night in the same SPG hotel for every night (it doesn't matter much whether it's one stay or 75 stays, but doing separate stays and hotel hopping could make some sense depending on current bonus offers). Total nights from this before August1: 75 X 3 = 225.
For the remaining 306 - 225 = 81 nights, book this many nights in SPG hotels for August through December. Again, for LTPP, it dsoesn't matter whether it's one stay or 81 stays or something in between, but OP could maximize bonus points here.
Just be sure that no single stay is 90 days or more, so you cannot do the 75 X 3 and the 81 nights as one continuous stay in the same hotel, regardless of whether there are separate reservations.
May 15, 2018, 9:38 am
#17
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Albany, NY
Programs: SPG LTP, Hyatt Globalist, HH Gold, IHGPlat, RadGold, Marriott Plat, BW Diamond
Posts: 172
I wonder if 3 rooms per night stays at SPG legacy brands between Aug 1 and Dec 31 2018 will count as 3 elite night credits? I hope it would. OP to be clear if you want to hit LTP with 500 nights only SPG legacy brands count until Dec 31. You cannot use Marriott brands or combine your lifetime MR nights. You would need 600 nights if you combine.
May 15, 2018, 9:46 am
#18
Join Date: May 2013
Location: New York
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott LTPP, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 1,079
Originally Posted by Starwood Lurker / Wikipost
B1. Will members be able to earn LT status under the criteria of the previous SPG and Marriott programs until 31-Dec-2018?Members will have until year-end 2018 to achieve Lifetime status under the current, separate policies. Beginning August 2018, members can also achieve based on their combined nights and tenure the new Lifetime criteria threshold beginning August 2018. <added by Starwood Lurker 19Apr18>
Originally Posted by Marriott
NOTE: Members that reach 750 nights and 10 years at Platinum by December 31, 2018 will be grandfathered into Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite status (notified January 2019). In addition, members that achieve Marriott Rewards Lifetime Platinum under the legacy requirements by year end will also be grandfathered into Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite status. And, don’t forget that we’ll combine Lifetime activity across both Rewards and SPG toward qualification when members combine accounts in August. Beginning in 2019, qualification into Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite status will not be available. See FAQs for details.
So between those two, it seems pretty unambiguous that LTPP qualification from August - December 31st will be combined nights and years tenure.
With only 444 nights OP would have a difficult time qualifying. Even IF he booked a stay from today to August 1st, that's 77 nights, if he booked 3 rooms at SPG properties (And received 3 nights credit each day), that would be 77 * 3 = 231, plus the 444 existing OP is at 675 or still 75 nights short. Now he could from august 1st to December 31st rack up another 75 nights (there are 152 nights between those dates), but this would cost a ton. Assuming OP had a room rate of a mere $100, that's 306 room nights * $100 per room per night = $30,600.
Now if he racks up the nights at $100/meeting instead under legacy MR before August 1st (1 meeting = 10 nights, effective price $10 per elite night), then he could qualify in 31 meetings (* 10 nights per meeting under Marriott Rewarding Events = 310 nights, 310 MR nights + 444 SPG nights = 754 combined), and at $100 per meeting (some MR members get it for closer to half that, and the price of the meeting is irrelevant to the number of nights, it's 10 nights per meeting regardless of cost) that would be only $3,100 - or closer to a tenth of the price.
EDIT: If OP wanted to hit LTP instead of LTPP in 2018 based off the combined criteria, he could also buy it in as little as 16 meetings (160 nights + 444 legacy SPG nights = 604 nights combined), at $100 a meeting that would be $1600. If OP stayed the 56 days in SPG only in 2018 to hit the 500 nights criteria and the nights averaged a cost of $100/night, then that would cost $5,600 - or more than three times as much. So even if OP doesn't chase LTPP @ 750 but merely LTP @ combined 600 nights total, the meetings may be a substantially cheaper way to buy it.
Of course, that has to be measured against the utility/enjoyment of the stays, versus the meetings (which are most likely devoid of purpose other than making the nights cheaply).
Last edited by phltraveler; May 15, 2018 at 10:33 am
May 15, 2018, 10:04 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Ecuador
Programs: plat, aa. spg.
Posts: 49
Ummm...what?
OP, please ignore any discussions of 750 nights.
You are correct that you would need 500 nights by 12/31/2018 or 600 combined nights at any point in the future (barring changes to the announced rules), to go with your 10 years.
Should should also be able to qualify with 25 stays in 2018 under the current program rules.
Unless you have a property that will allow you to check-in and leave for $10/night, 56 nights and the thousands of dollars that it would cost seem like a very bad idea to me.
OP, please ignore any discussions of 750 nights.
You are correct that you would need 500 nights by 12/31/2018 or 600 combined nights at any point in the future (barring changes to the announced rules), to go with your 10 years.
Should should also be able to qualify with 25 stays in 2018 under the current program rules.
Unless you have a property that will allow you to check-in and leave for $10/night, 56 nights and the thousands of dollars that it would cost seem like a very bad idea to me.
May 15, 2018, 10:16 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Ecuador
Programs: plat, aa. spg.
Posts: 49
Yes. Starting August 1st, according to the new info in this thread your combined MR + SPG night totals will count towards the 750 night + 10 years as plat requirement to get old Marriott Platinum/new Marriott Lifetime Platinum Premier. The meeting nights would not count until August 1st as well, however any nights earned in MR (whether via stays or meetings) would be eligible in the combined total for 750 effective August 1st.
OP has three possibilities. One of which is 750 night relevant.
1) OP chooses to earn lifetime SPG platinum under the old rules (10 years at Plat + 500 nights). This would require him to mattress run 56 nights before the end of 2018 to hit 500 nights total. This would get him lifetime status at the level that current elites qualify for at 50 nights/year.
2) OP chooses to earn lifetime Platinum in the combined program after the merger. This would not require him to get all the nights this year, but it would require him to get 600 nights total (combined legacy Marriott + SPG). This would get him lifetime status at the level that current elites get at 50 nights/year.
3) OP goes for a huge stretch goal and tries to earn old Marriott Lifetime Platinum, which is Premier Platinum (75 nights) before the end of the year. This was originally impossible for SPG elites, but Marriott relented and now SPG elites have ONE shot in 2018 to earn lifetime Premier Platinum. This would require OP to earn 750 nights + 2 million points in Marriott alone before end of 2018, or to earn 750 nights + 10 years of Plat in combined activity between the Marriott and SPG programs before the end of 2018. This will get OP lifetime status at the level that current elites earn in 75 nights/year, a grandfathered status that won't be possible to achieve in 2019 and beyond.
Option #3 is a huge stretch for OP on his Starwood nights alone, because at 444 SPG nights, he would require 306 more elite nights in 2018. This would be physically impossible to earn butt-in-bed as Marriott will only credit one elite night per room (no credit for up to three rooms like SPG) and there aren't 306 nights left in 2018.
However, OP would get credit for any Marriott legacy activity he had (could be 0 nights, could be 200) AND under the rewarding events structure, OP gets 10 nights credit for every meeting booked at eligible properties. People on the MR board on FT have booked $60 meetings for one hour, many were able to no-show them (pay for the meeting, not show up to the meeting, and still get the 10 elite night credit), and essentially "buy" the nights at $6-$10 per elite night, which is way cheaper and easier than earning them via stays. Even if you had to show to the meetings, nothing would stop you from having a legitimate meeting once a week, or having one hour meetings where you merely hopped on the wifi and did some work or browsed the web casually. See later posts in the thread [Marriott] Platinum Status in Eight Days and $800 - No Stays Required
Assuming OP averaged $90 a meeting and wanted to "buy" his way to Lifetime Platinum Premier this year, it would require anywhere from no meetings (if he had 306 nights, but OP calls his legacy Marriott activity "not so many stays") and $0 to 31 meetings (OP has no MR legacy activity, 31 meetings * 10 elite nights per meeting = 310 MR elite nights + 444 legacy SPG elite nights = 754 nights combined effective August 1st + his existing 10 years = Grandfathered LT Premier Platinum in new MR - at $90/meeting, this would cost $2,790).
Personally I would not spend the latter amount, but I might spend up to $1500 to lock in a discontinued higher elite tier. MR has made minimal difference between Plat and Plat Premier in the combined August 1st program at this point, but others have pointed out how as airlines consolidated and time passed, airlines created more of a difference between their elite tiers, leading some to regret that they didn't chase a higher lifetime status earlier (when they were traveling more or while it was still possible). Marriott may choose to make a greater difference between LTP and LTPP in the future, and I strongly believe they will.
The rub is that Marriott may change their rules on Rewarding Events come August 1st. Existing night totals (including Rewarding Events nights given @ 1 meeting = 10 elite nights) will count towards the lifetime qualification totals and MR + SPG combined night totals will count for this, but meetings after August 1st may no longer universally earn 10 elite night credit (no crystal ball, but rumor mill is MR will only give 10 elite night credit for the account's first meeting in a year, and then only 1 elite night per meeting thereafter).
OP has three possibilities. One of which is 750 night relevant.
1) OP chooses to earn lifetime SPG platinum under the old rules (10 years at Plat + 500 nights). This would require him to mattress run 56 nights before the end of 2018 to hit 500 nights total. This would get him lifetime status at the level that current elites qualify for at 50 nights/year.
2) OP chooses to earn lifetime Platinum in the combined program after the merger. This would not require him to get all the nights this year, but it would require him to get 600 nights total (combined legacy Marriott + SPG). This would get him lifetime status at the level that current elites get at 50 nights/year.
3) OP goes for a huge stretch goal and tries to earn old Marriott Lifetime Platinum, which is Premier Platinum (75 nights) before the end of the year. This was originally impossible for SPG elites, but Marriott relented and now SPG elites have ONE shot in 2018 to earn lifetime Premier Platinum. This would require OP to earn 750 nights + 2 million points in Marriott alone before end of 2018, or to earn 750 nights + 10 years of Plat in combined activity between the Marriott and SPG programs before the end of 2018. This will get OP lifetime status at the level that current elites earn in 75 nights/year, a grandfathered status that won't be possible to achieve in 2019 and beyond.
Option #3 is a huge stretch for OP on his Starwood nights alone, because at 444 SPG nights, he would require 306 more elite nights in 2018. This would be physically impossible to earn butt-in-bed as Marriott will only credit one elite night per room (no credit for up to three rooms like SPG) and there aren't 306 nights left in 2018.
However, OP would get credit for any Marriott legacy activity he had (could be 0 nights, could be 200) AND under the rewarding events structure, OP gets 10 nights credit for every meeting booked at eligible properties. People on the MR board on FT have booked $60 meetings for one hour, many were able to no-show them (pay for the meeting, not show up to the meeting, and still get the 10 elite night credit), and essentially "buy" the nights at $6-$10 per elite night, which is way cheaper and easier than earning them via stays. Even if you had to show to the meetings, nothing would stop you from having a legitimate meeting once a week, or having one hour meetings where you merely hopped on the wifi and did some work or browsed the web casually. See later posts in the thread [Marriott] Platinum Status in Eight Days and $800 - No Stays Required
Assuming OP averaged $90 a meeting and wanted to "buy" his way to Lifetime Platinum Premier this year, it would require anywhere from no meetings (if he had 306 nights, but OP calls his legacy Marriott activity "not so many stays") and $0 to 31 meetings (OP has no MR legacy activity, 31 meetings * 10 elite nights per meeting = 310 MR elite nights + 444 legacy SPG elite nights = 754 nights combined effective August 1st + his existing 10 years = Grandfathered LT Premier Platinum in new MR - at $90/meeting, this would cost $2,790).
Personally I would not spend the latter amount, but I might spend up to $1500 to lock in a discontinued higher elite tier. MR has made minimal difference between Plat and Plat Premier in the combined August 1st program at this point, but others have pointed out how as airlines consolidated and time passed, airlines created more of a difference between their elite tiers, leading some to regret that they didn't chase a higher lifetime status earlier (when they were traveling more or while it was still possible). Marriott may choose to make a greater difference between LTP and LTPP in the future, and I strongly believe they will.
The rub is that Marriott may change their rules on Rewarding Events come August 1st. Existing night totals (including Rewarding Events nights given @ 1 meeting = 10 elite nights) will count towards the lifetime qualification totals and MR + SPG combined night totals will count for this, but meetings after August 1st may no longer universally earn 10 elite night credit (no crystal ball, but rumor mill is MR will only give 10 elite night credit for the account's first meeting in a year, and then only 1 elite night per meeting thereafter).
Anything is possible. And I like cheaper-crazy much better than stupid-crazy.
Last edited by avacadohead; May 15, 2018 at 10:18 am Reason: added comment
May 15, 2018, 10:18 am
#21
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,324
Wow what a drag. It will definitely slow down my progress to 100 nights in 2018 with the problem being margarita girl won't talk to anyone below Ambassador Status.
May 15, 2018, 10:19 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Ecuador
Programs: plat, aa. spg.
Posts: 49
I wonder if 3 rooms per night stays at SPG legacy brands between Aug 1 and Dec 31 2018 will count as 3 elite night credits? I hope it would. OP to be clear if you want to hit LTP with 500 nights only SPG legacy brands count until Dec 31. You cannot use Marriott brands or combine your lifetime MR nights. You would need 600 nights if you combine.
May 15, 2018, 10:22 am
#23
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Albany, NY
Programs: SPG LTP, Hyatt Globalist, HH Gold, IHGPlat, RadGold, Marriott Plat, BW Diamond
Posts: 172
CPRich, thanks for your input and correction. I am figuring out the numbers and possible scenarios to keep my costs low and if it dings the stupid bell too loudly I'm out. But I want to see if I can throw some cheap meeting rooms in the mix. I appreciate you taking the time to answer.
May 15, 2018, 10:30 am
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Ecuador
Programs: plat, aa. spg.
Posts: 49
I'm not sure whether it's been officially verified that for LTPP, the 750 nights can be combined MR and SPG nights. Also, AFAIK the nights credit for three rooms at SPG ends on August 1.
However, if OP wants LTPP, here is a low risk way to do it:
There are about 75 nights between now and August 1. Book three rooms per night in the same SPG hotel for every night (it doesn't matter much whether it's one stay or 75 stays, but doing separate stays and hotel hopping could make some sense depending on current bonus offers). Total nights from this before August1: 75 X 3 = 225.
For the remaining 306 - 225 = 81 nights, book this many nights in SPG hotels for August through December. Again, for LTPP, it dsoesn't matter whether it's one stay or 81 stays or something in between, but OP could maximize bonus points here.
Just be sure that no single stay is 90 days or more, so you cannot do the 75 X 3 and the 81 nights as one continuous stay in the same hotel, regardless of whether there are separate reservations.
However, if OP wants LTPP, here is a low risk way to do it:
There are about 75 nights between now and August 1. Book three rooms per night in the same SPG hotel for every night (it doesn't matter much whether it's one stay or 75 stays, but doing separate stays and hotel hopping could make some sense depending on current bonus offers). Total nights from this before August1: 75 X 3 = 225.
For the remaining 306 - 225 = 81 nights, book this many nights in SPG hotels for August through December. Again, for LTPP, it dsoesn't matter whether it's one stay or 81 stays or something in between, but OP could maximize bonus points here.
Just be sure that no single stay is 90 days or more, so you cannot do the 75 X 3 and the 81 nights as one continuous stay in the same hotel, regardless of whether there are separate reservations.
May 15, 2018, 10:33 am
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Ecuador
Programs: plat, aa. spg.
Posts: 49
Hi Avacadohead, I’m a fellow leisure traveler and it doesn’t necessarily sound crazy to me. In fact, I think I’d probably DO IT! Since it’s early in the year, you probably will be booking some of those 56 nights anyway to maintain SPG legacy annual platinum status for this year, right? So it’s not 56 extra, right, but a number less than that? Then, if you hit the SPG 50 night platinum level, you get some SNA’s or another benefit of your choosing. You can use points or ca&prs to offset some costs, and plan one great big trip OR several smaller ones which you’ll hopefully get enjoyment out of, not just nights credit. In the process, you will solidify your SPG LTP and more importantly your MR LTP benefits for the future across ALL Starwood and Marriott hotels. I say go for it if you can afford it - $-wise or points-wise - and have a great time doing it! (Just another perspective....)
May 15, 2018, 10:39 am
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Ecuador
Programs: plat, aa. spg.
Posts: 49
Given the reply by Starwood Lurker in the wikipost here and the fact that all points will be converted, I would venture that the answer of points credit for up to three rooms and nights credit for only one is the likely reality come August first.
OP has three possibilities:
OP has three possibilities:
- He qualifies under legacy SPG Plat criteria of 500 nights + 10 years as plat. This would require 56 nights solely in SPG (not MR + SPG combined) before end of 2018.
- He qualifies under new merged MR criteria of 600 nights + 10 years as plat. This would require 156 nights in MR + SPG combined, and would not have to be earned before the end of 2018.
- He qualifies for a higher level of status (Lifetime Platinum Premier) at the criteria of 750 nights + 10 years as plat. This would require a combined MR + SPG activity of 750 nights before 2018 ends. Once 2019 comes, it will be impossible to earn Lifetime Platinum Premier.
Last edited by avacadohead; May 15, 2018 at 10:42 am Reason: Added comment
May 15, 2018, 10:45 am
#27
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
Phltraveler, you've given me confidence with your facts and figures. I hate making costly mistakes, and for me this month has been jammed full of them. If I can put some cheap stays and meeting rooms together (multiple room stays as well) I'm going for it. If I can keep the cost under 2,000.00, all the better.
May 15, 2018, 10:51 am
#28
Join Date: May 2013
Location: New York
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott LTPP, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 1,079
Phltraveler, you've given me confidence with your facts and figures. I hate making costly mistakes, and for me this month has been jammed full of them. If I can put some cheap stays and meeting rooms together (multiple room stays as well) I'm going for it. If I can keep the cost under 2,000.00, all the better.
If you do it right, you could potentially rack up 310 nights (31 meetings) for less than it would cost you to stay 56 days this year. If the meetings cost $100 and the rooms cost $100 each, you could buy 310 nights for $3100 to get to Plat Premier, whereas 56 nights @ $100 a night would cost $5600 to get Plat under SPG Plat legacy terms in 2018.
The other thing I would warn you is that there are strong rumors that Rewarding Events will be changed effective August 1st, so if you're going to chase the meetings strategy as a way to get Plat/Plat Premier, I would do that before Aug 1st.
Also, multiple days of multiple meetings don't count as separate meetings (from what I've read). You either want to switch up the properties from day to day, or have at least one day between each meeting so they are not considered having the same meeting over multiple days.
Again though - ask away in that thread. There are people who have actually used Rewarding Events to pad their status and get cheap meetings there. I was able to get to old MR LTP/new MR LTPP with zero meetings, but I researched the possibility when it looked like I was going to fall short.
EDIT: You mentioned a multiple room booking/meeting strategy. You can do either before August 1st (get 10 elite nights credit per Marriott meeting booked, or multiple room credit up to 3 rooms at SPG properties), but you can't do both at the same property (Marriott properties will only credit 1 elite night per room even if you have three rooms simultaneously, and SPG Pro for meetings does not reward 10 nights per meeting). So just an FYI, do not book at a Marriott brand (non-SPG) expecting to get elite night credit for multiple rooms at the same time.
Last edited by phltraveler; May 15, 2018 at 11:05 am
May 15, 2018, 11:55 am
#29
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
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Posts: 15,521
Per here:
Per members.marriott.com:
So between those two, it seems pretty unambiguous that LTPP qualification from August - December 31st will be combined nights and years tenure.
Per members.marriott.com:
So between those two, it seems pretty unambiguous that LTPP qualification from August - December 31st will be combined nights and years tenure.
Post # 1138
Official announcement – See how our three loyalty programs will become one in August
Last edited by margarita girl; May 15, 2018 at 12:01 pm
May 15, 2018, 12:14 pm
#30
Join Date: May 2013
Location: New York
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott LTPP, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 1,079
The language seems unambiguous for Wikipost scenario B6D to me, but William's validation on that would definitely be welcome to remove any ambiguity.
The other parts of B6 though... definitely need some answers there.
Edit: See that you edited in the link as I was replying, making the link in my post somewhat redundant. Oh wel!