I am in a year of limbo. While I watched friends lose hope in their faithful travel partners over the years, mine were the last to go: American Airlines and Hyatt Hotels. Hyatt practically begged their customers to look elsewhere, and so I did. I just didn’t realize how much I would find on the other side. Marriott publishes status matches to Gold for just about anyone, but did you know they also offer challenges to Platinum? There is an update to some newly discovered restrictions to this offer here.
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Marriott Will Match, But Not Much
Marriott Hotels openly offers a status match to Gold (just call and ask). When asking which programs they match, the reps I spoke with only mentioned United and she needed a supervisor to execute the challenge. She had not heard of anything beyond a Gold level match and no other programs besides SPG and United. After speaking with a supervisor over the phone, I was able to match without even providing the documentation to show my status in another program. While I am sure that documentation is part of the process (and I would have no problems furnishing their request) none was required to activate this unpublished challenge when done over the phone. I confirmed several times that the challenge was underway and that my progress matched my records – it was, it worked out perfectly.
Platinum (top-tier) requires just 9 stays in 90 stays. There are two interesting tidbits in this threshold. The first is that Marriott does not measure progress towards status by stays, the only qualification is 75 nights. Why they measure the challenge by stays (something that they do not even track on the website), is a mystery to me, though it worked out for them in my case. My first single stay was 9 nights, which made little progress toward my challenge but was beneficial to the brand. It was also for three rooms as I booked for some co-workers, though just one room counted towards my status stay and nights.
Secondly, the threshold is fairly low. When Hyatt Gold Passport’s challenge was in effect the same 90-day period was in place but 12 nights were required. At that point, Hyatt Gold Passport would award Diamond status based on either 25 stays or 50 nights. During the challenge, it was only nights that qualified but the number was reflective of a pro-ration of what it would take to qualify normally. The same qualifications apply to all but the 1K tier of the United status challenge and any other I have seen.
What Are The Key Benefits?
Most of the benefits Marriott offers their top-tier guests are inline with other programs. Free breakfast, free and fast internet, free upgrades – are really along the lines of other programs, Hilton being one that closely aligns.
I also covered how their top tier matched to IHG and other programs in this post. Because Marriott Rewards Platinum elites will also have an instant status match available to SPG it’s worth noting what SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest) gives their Platinum guests. From the below image two items were cut off: 1) Club/executive lounge privileges where available (Platinum only). 2) SPG Nights Benefits award Platinum members with even more after 50, 75, and 100 nights in a calendar year.
Why Did I Match/Challenge?
For me, the impetus to match was two-fold. The first is to instantly match this across to Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum, which comes with best-available upgrades at checkin. On the Marriott side, Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotels are the top of luxury. but while the rest of the chain offers sparse coverage in the true luxury space (a few Edition hotels, some nice Marriotts) SPG is loaded with high-end properties. Sure they have some lower end hotels too (Aloft, FourPoints, etc.) but it’s the St. Regis, Luxury Collection, W, and Le Meridien hotels that fill out the brand profile.
I am always looking for more options. I travel a lot for work. I also travel a lot personally – in essence, our house is more of a storehouse for our goods than it is a home. Based on last year’s activity I have top-tier in Hyatt (old rules), Hilton, and IHG. So far this year I have already re-qualified for IHG, Hilton, Hyatt, and will soon add Marriott/SPG to the portfolio.
I don’t expect this to continue indefinitely but Hyatt has let me know that I might not be the right customer for them. It’s not that I can’t stay the required number of nights, it’s that they don’t have enough properties in enough places, I need a broader brush and frankly, I am feeling a little unwanted by the brand.
Marriott is the largest in the world and adding SPG to the mix made them an easy choice.
Should You Challenge With Marriott?
I think the answer is an easy yes if you can easily rack up nine stays in 90 days, or don’t mind mini-mattress runs. I personally travel enough for business that achieving the nine stays in 90 days wouldn’t be a problem, it was more an issue of whether the properties in which I would stay would stay within budget and be generally in the same areas I had become accustomed. For the most part this was the case.
While I got a nice upgrade at the Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong, the Caroline Astor suite at the St. Regis Shanghai Jingan was unreal. They are treating a top-tier elite like royalty (something IHG could learn from) and I am honored to be amongst their ranks.
You not only should match and mattress run to get this status, I urge you to do so. I will be earning status for 2019 with the chain the hard way and they have edged out a competitor already for my money and time.
I reviewed three Marriott hotels to-date, all of which were a part of this challenge. The aforementioned St. Regis and Ritz reviews are coming soon. For now, catch up on the following:
Have you had a good experience with Marriott? Do you plan on status matching to their program or others?
What kind of status did they say was necessary for the platinum challenge? I would definitely consider a mattress run, but I doubt my Hyatt discoverist status or IHG platinum status would cut it.
They didn’t say at all. I discussed the status I hold with other hotel chains and referred to them specifically, but more or less mentioned “top-tier” and “equivalent to Platinum” and was given the challenge with no further requirements. One that was less versed in other programs and perhaps less than straight forward could request an IHG Platinum to Marriott Platinum match, though this wouldn’t be strictly honest.
hi kyle, thank you for writing this post. I just called and was able to get the marriott challenge as well. Did you get a email from Marriott to confirm you were enrolled for the challenge? I haven’t received anything and am slightly worried that I don’t have any documentation to prove that I am enrolled.
Never received anything but I did call in to confirm during the challenge and that all stays were tracking correctly.
i am diamond with Hilton. marriott is telling me i can only do a challenge for 1 level above my current level with marriott. since i currently have no status with marriott, they only offered to give me a silver challenge. i could only do a platinum challenge if i was currently gold status with marriott. does this sound right, or should i talk to someone else?
That is correct, please see the updated link in the post about caveats to it that came to light following the publishing of this post. You can press them and achieve Gold from zero stays (I can confirm that on a couple of accounts). If you have the AMEX platinum or have some other way of deriving Gold status in either program, just match that across to Marriott and you will be within the range for a Platinum challenge.
I completely agree with your position on Hyatt. I am a Marriott platinum who switched to Hyatt. Once they raised their qualification standards, I realized the number of Hyatt properties available was potentially a problem for Globalist requalification, so I went back to Marriott. Once they finish integrating SPG, they will be tough to compete with.
SPG is fantastic and if Marriott can take some of the Platinum aspects of SPG and incorporate them into Marriott Rewards their program would lead the industry and smoke the competition.
I don’t think you can compel us (though I’m not familiar with the nature of your powers). Perhaps urge?
Lol, I changed it. I have been writing about mistake fares where airlines must be compelled to do things, urging doesn’t seem to work with them. Thanks for reading and good catch.
Do award stays count? Or points & cash? Or SPG stays?
Tony, good questions.
Award stays = No
Points + Cash = Yes
SPG Stays = No
Which call center you called, Kyle? I called Marriott’s customer service in Asia twice in late July to specifically request a Platinum challenge but were denied both times. Both times the agents told me in no uncertain terms that it was NOT possible to challenge for Platinum status. I am currently a MR Gold and just happened to complete 9 stays with Marriott after almost a month of traveling. Sigh.
I dialed the US call center and had to press for a supervisor after I got the standard response. Once I pressed the matter, it was clear the at the initial rep just wasn’t aware it was available. Others I have spoken to (checking my progress) also indicated they weren’t aware this was offered but could see it on my account plain as day.
I’d try to reach out to them +1-801-468-4000 even if you’re located in a different region, perhaps they have additional access or different systems in the States that your regional support center does not.
Sitting in a Caroline Astor suite at the St. Regis Shanghai Jingan right now typing this. Couldn’t agree with you more as I switched away from Hyatt this year as well. My challenge was 18 nights in 90 days for SPG Platinum and was totally worth it. Fantastic in-hotel, online, and phone service, amazingly consistent. Elite status recognition also very good. Should have made the switch sooner!
AT – Don’t you dare write a review before I get mine loaded! It’s a great property, actually my first ever perfect stay, and a tremendous value for money in my opinion.
I am a little confused here. There are two things here, one is Marriott’s status match, the other is status challenge(?) More details about the status match please. I don’t have any status with Marriott, a match will work well for me. Thanks,
Larry
Sure Larry, you can get a status match instantly if you have entry-level United status, or any status level with SPG. Those are straight matches and not challenges. A status challenge (with Marriott or anywhere else) typically requires verification of your status with another party (though as I outlined, it did not in my case). The challenge is pretty light though when compared to 18 nights for the same status level with SPG, 12/20 with Hyatt.
This is not news.
Lengthy FT thread since 2009 on the challenge from Gold to Plat. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marriott-rewards/1303206-taste-gold-platinum-promotion-platinum-challenge-merged-threads-159.html
Completed my challenge back in March. Adios Hyatt.
Hey Kacee, thanks for the link. As it is unpublished (even the phone reps didn’t know about it) I thought the readership might be unaware of it as well. I also rarely frequent FlyerTalk outside of fare alerts these days so I wouldn’t have seen it there but I am glad you included it here as other readers may want to head over and check out the discussion. I’m glad you challenged and left Hyatt, I am certain you are not alone. I could go on and on about the negative changes they have made and how they invited a content customer base to go look around to their own peril, but that’s probably another post for another day…
There is one status level higher at Marriott! I learned about it several years ago when I met all of the qualifications. It is Platinum Elite Lifetime! I no longer have to stay any minimum number of nights per year, and I’m guaranteed Platinum Elite status until I die, or until they change the program! It’s a pretty sweet deal and I am so glad I reached this level since I don’t travel like I did when I worked.
Thanks for the comparison, enjoyed your article.
Phillip Denton
Thanks Phillip. They publish details about their lifetime status levels, but that sounds like a good deal. I hope that I am able to reach it before my traveling days are over so I can enjoy the same benefits.
I have gold with Hilton and silver with Marriott. If I ask for a match from Marriott, is it for a full year or just a short time?
My understanding was that it is good through the end of 2018 if completed before the end of 2016 (but started after July of that year).
Hi Kyle,
Thanks for the tip on Platinum challenge!
I have Marriott Gold now and I just called to start the 90day challenge. If you could help me answer these questions, I’d really appreciate it.
1. If book 2 rooms for two nights, how are the stays counted? Using my cc to pay for both.
2. Will the stay be counted as 2?
3. Will the nights be counted as 4?
Thanks in advance.
Frank:
You can only earn elite qualifying stay and nights for one room as you can only sleep in one room and be in one place at one time. But… you can earn points on up to three rooms per night. On this stay of 2 rooms for 2 nights you would earn (1 stay, 2 nights) but earn points on 4 room nights.
Does that make sense?
hi kyle, thank you for writing this post. I just called and was able to get the marriott challenge as well. Did you get a email from Marriott to confirm you were enrolled for the challenge? I haven’t received anything and am slightly worried that I don’t have any documentation to prove that I am enrolled.
Kira, I didn’t receive any documentation either and called in a few days later to confirm and once more right before I was to fulfill the challenge. They sent nothing out but mine went through fine.
Got it. Thank you so much!
Great article Kyle. Thanks! I got the challenge -9 nights by Jan 31 for Platinum. I was told that points + cash don’t count by the CSR. Points + Cash don’t usually count. I’d prefer to use points + cash. Do you know for certain that points + cash count? Thanks.
Brett, this is what I was told but I will try and reach out the brand to get some clarity.
Thanks Kyle, on a side note I spoke to a senior SPG associate last week and asked the same question. He told me that points and cash are considered points stays and do not count. I know this is case with Hyatt too. I think its pretty standard across brands that points + cash are really just points stays. I REALLY appreciate the article though. I am super excited to get SPG platinum, which is an upgrade to the best room in the house AND Marriott platinum has the cross over silver status with United that has an economy plus upgrade if available. I hope to match the United silver later in 2018 and keep rolling.
Brett, you may be right on Marriott stays but I can say with absolute certainty that Hyatt points and Cash stays do count as status stays. I am 100% sure this is the case with Hyatt.
I am not sure what I have done wrong in terms of achieving what you have done here in this article. I don’t have any status level with Marriott at all, and neither with SPG. I have been a long time HHonors Diamond Elite status, and I have tried to contact Marriott on several occasions through phone and website/email to request a challenge to Platinum. On multiple occasions I have been denied with just the statement, “Marriott only challenges one level above the current status level”. I find this very disheartening as I could be a potential customer of theirs if they just allowed me to fast track to the same level of VIP status I have grown to enjoy with Hilton.
I had heard from one other reader about a similar issue. I have clarified with Marriott and have a post coming up this weekend with options to work around this issue. Look for that post to come out on Sunday.
can you provide a link to that post, i cant seem to find it?
Sam: Here is a post clarifying their policy. If you have a premium credit card you may be able to skirt the Marriott status requirement, if not, you can at least challenge Gold and Platinum from there in 12 months.
Does anyone know how long the Platinum status will last? I’m considering signing up for the challenge now, and Marriott has told me that after 9 stays I’ll be granted Platinum status until Feb 2019. What I want to know is if I strategically delay the 9th stay to occur in early 2018, will I then receive status until Feb 2020 (the year I earned it plus the entire following year)?
The best time to challenge is July 1st because the challenge (if completed) will give you status through the rest of that year and all of the following.
Is this true? I had earned my status in oct 2015 which went away after Feb 2017. When I called them they told me it resets every February.
Status does reset every February but you’re only eligible for a challenge every 12 months. So if you can wait until July (status earned in July allows status of that year and through the following year plus January) that is the ideal time to challenge.
I activated it today, and I was told that if I earned the challenge in the next 90 days as part of the regular timing, it would be good for the rest of 2018 AND all of 2019. So, almost 2 years. Not sure why July matters (?)
Clarify for me, please. Are the challenge and match programs two separate programs? Are both only for transferring status from another hotel to Marriott? For example, I don’t have status elsewhere and I only have Marriott Silver (soon to be Gold) status. Can I sign up for either program?
Good question – it’s both. Some challenges don’t give status until you complete the benchmarks that comprise the challenge. In a match, you typically do have the status and don’t have to necessarily complete benchmarks and the status is instant when approved. In this case you get the status while completing the challenge so it’s both.
Kyle, do meetings and reward nights count towards this challenge?
I understand the 9 stays part but is there a specific number of days within the 90 days to achieve the status also. With my elite reward nights from a meeting I have done over 20 nights but only 5 stays so far, I still have 5 weeks to go and would really like to complete the challenge.
Thanks,
C
From what I understand, award nights do not count.
Kyle, I am in the midst of a status run from Gold to Platinum in Marriott (obviously the key reason is the status match in SPG). I am not able to understand what you mean when you say the following.
From the below image two items were cut off: 1) Club/executive lounge privileges where available (Platinum only). 2) SPG Nights Benefits award Platinum members with even more after 50, 75, and 100 nights in a calendar year
Oh. I think I got it. You mean that in the picture you appended, these 2 benefits were cut out.
I was a bit worried that these 2 benefits are not given (cut off ;)) if you get platinum via a status run.
Thanks anyway for the nice article
Cheers
Correct. Sorry I was unable to respond before you resolved the matter yourself.
Kyle, Thanks for the update on Platinum challenge. Did you get instant Platinum status after you called in to register? When did your online status shows Platinum? Thank you.
Status was instant including the privileges through the challenge.
If I were already platinum spg and matched he Marriott , am I able to have Marriott plat challenge again?
If you’ve not previously challenged you should have no reason to be ineligible unless that was the result of a previous challenge. Then you are subject to a 12 month waiting period in between challenge eligibility.
Kyle, ok so by reading this blog am I to understand that the nights I currently have with my Gold Marriott status will be reset in Feb 2018 ? If i was to do the Platinum Challenge , would they still allow me the 90 days to complete the challenge past Feb 2018 ?
Thanks .
Yes because you will be on the challenge and under those terms (complete with nine stays in 90 days) and you are good to go.
Thanks for writing this. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to apply anymore as of 1/4/18. Marriott says they only do a match with SPG, not with Hyatt or Hilton. You can still do a challenge (which after a lengthy discussion I am starting to understand), but no match.
Now I have to consider doing a gold match vs. waiting and doing a platinum match (you can only do one per calendar year, apparently).
Option 1: 31 nights to gold (29 rolling over minus 10 for silver (makes me feel like I need to get 60 total for gold, but I digress)) then an easy 9-night platinum challenge. So, 31 to gold, 40 (total) to platinum.
Option 2: gold challenge of 6 nights, then 56 to platinum. So, 62 to get to platinum.
Is it worth languishing at silver for months trying to get to platinum? As best I can tell, it’s not: https://www.marriott.com/marriott-rewards/member-benefits.mi
What do you think?
I wrote a followup post to this that might be beneficial. http://bit.ly/2y85EZG
Just got approved for my Platinum Challenge today. The rep said the length of the status is more like an SW companion pass, good for the full year that you do the challenge in and the whole year after that. If that is true across the board, the best time is now to do the challenge as it’s almost two full years of status. Even if all stays are mattress runs, that is only 4.5 nights a year to have Platinum in both SPG and Marriott along with true United Silver Status long with qazi silver with Delta through SPG crossover rewards with Delta as an SPG Plat.
I would never trust a phone rep to be absolutely sure of the details of the program, but as the rules are unpublished – it’s hard to say. I would argue that the it would be the only program challenge I have encountered that granted status for up to 24 months from a challenge, especially after just 9 stays in 90 days. My rep’s information confirmed the July date, but someone – either your rep or mine is uninformed – so I hope for your sake that the 24 months is accurate.
Hi Kyle,
During the platinum challenge, could you link your platinum account to SPG and have it as platinum too?
Thanks for the information!
I believe so AS, though I didn’t try it myself. If you pursue the challenge and are successful please comment back and let us all know.
I tried to reach them on the phone over the last three days after reading this article! It was a horrible experience. On Tuesday, I was on hold for 1.5 hours (the recording said expected a hold time of 1 hr.). Finally, I gave up. On Wednesday, I was on hold for 45 mins (the recording said a hold time of more than 30 mins.). I was able to talk with a live person. Immediately, I gave her my cell phone number and asked her to call me back if we got disconnected. Sure enough, the call was disconnected half way and no call back. Today, I called again and was able to talk to a representative and then to a supervisor after holding for about 25 minutes (The recording said expected a hold time of 15 mins). Yes I was persistent and determined to get to the bottom of this. I was able to do my work on the computer while on hold. I am a Spire Elite with IHG (the top level above Platinum).
The answer from this supervisor was… We do not Match other hotel reward program and we cannot offer you a Platinum Challenge but can put you on our Gold Challenge.
It was a horrible experience and most of the representatives including the supervisor was not too friendly. I was never too impressed with Marriott service in the past. I wanted to try them out one more time after reading this article.
I guess they will not get my business after all.
It really is disappointing when the front line employees and even the supervisors don’t seem to grasp the big picture of customer engagement. I can’t expect a call center rep to know the ins and the outs of customer acquisition, but the manager should be more empowered than they are. Corporately, it seems that Marriott feels that guests will stay at their properties no matter what, so why lure them away – maybe that’s a bit too much hubris.