Marriott Hotels has a fast-track elite status offer for qualifying paid hotel nights from May 11 through June 26, 2009. This is a short window of 47 nights when your nights will count double towards 2009 elite qualification. Registration is required: http://joinmarriottrewards.com/doublerewards/RN09/
Marriott Rewards Elite Levels
|
Elite Level |
Standard Qualification |
Double Nights Promotion |
|
Silver |
10 nights in the calendar year |
5 nights |
|
Gold |
50 nights |
25 nights |
|
Platinum |
75 nights |
38 nights |
The promotion offers the best value for someone who expects significant travel in 2009 and perhaps even more travel in 2010.
Rollover elite credit is potentially an even more valuable component of this Marriott Rewards offer.
Rollover Elite Nights to 2010 Elite Qualification Credit Offer
http://www.marriott.com/marriott.mi?page=eliterollover
Marriott has a unique offer as an additional component of this promotion to assist members with elite status in 2010. Every night you stay in 2009 above the elite threshold you earn will rollover for 2010.
How Rollover Elite Nights works.
A Marriott Rewards member who stays 20 hotel nights during the 47-night promotion period will accrue 40 nights of elite status. Assume you only stay another 6 nights during 2009 and complete the 2009 calendar year with 46 elite qualifying nights. You finish 2009 just 4 nights shy of Gold elite and 36 nights above Silver elite.
Normally you would start January 1, 2010 with 0 elite qualifying nights.
Rollover elite nights from Marriott Rewards will rollover the 36 extra nights above Silver elite to start your 2010 elite qualifying credit nights at 36 rather than 0. You basically have Silver elite locked in for 2011 and you only need to stay another 14 elite qualifying nights during 2010 to earn Marriott Gold for 2011. Or stay just 39 nights in 2010 to reach Platinum elite and maintain that status through February 2012.
Loyalty Traveler Analysis:
This is your opportunity to strike out for elite if you desire high level Marriott elite status but have a travel pattern that typically does not accumulate adequate nights during the year to reach the 50 or 75 night elite threshold.
The traveler who typically reaches Marriott Gold at 50 nights can use this promotion to push for Platinum elite. And if you do not make it to 75 nights in 2009 for Platinum elite, then you will be able to rollover the nights you earned above 50 nights in 2009 to have a jumpstart towards elite in 2010.
A road warrior can just go for the desired elite status. Some Marriott Rewards members may actually be better off not reaching high level elite in 2009 and using the rollover offer to focus on elite status for travel in 2010 and 2011. Depending on your hotel stay pattern for 2009 and 2010 you may favor finishing 2009 short of your desired elite status to take advantage of needing fewer qualifying nights in 2010 to earn elite through 2011.
Calculating Elite Rollover Nights
|
2009 Elite Nights and Elite Level (may include double nights) |
Rollover Credit to 2010 |
Nights needed in 2010 for 2011 elite status |
|
53 nights = Gold elite (50) |
3 nights |
47 nights for Gold |
|
47 nights = Silver elite (10) |
37 nights |
13 nights for Gold |
|
80 nights = Platinum Elite (75) |
5 nights |
45 nights for Gold; 70 nights for Platinum |
|
71 nights = Gold Elite (50) |
21 nights |
29 nights for Gold; 54 nights for Platinum. |
The time frame of the Double Nights promotion at just 47 days means Marriott Rewards is forcing a commitment to Marriott Hotels at the same time both Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) are offering free nights for every two stays (SPG) or two nights (IHG).
This is a good offer from Marriott Rewards designed to reward guests with double nights for a short period now in 2009. The potential to reward guests with easier qualification for elite status in 2010 and 2011 is the more enticing aspect of this promotion in my opinion.
Marriott Hotels is offering Rewards members a fast-track to the hard-earned elite status normally only reached by hotel road warriors. At the same time, Starwood and IC Hotels Group are offering free nights in 2009 for guests who have shorter-term loyalty goals.
Marriott is seeking a long-term commitment from hotel guests. Time will tell if the lure of elite is a more effective strategy than free nights.
Marriott Rewards Hotel brands: Marriott Hotels and Resorts, J.W. Marriott, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, TownePlace Suites, SpringHill Suites.
Ritz-Carlton Hotels is part of Marriott Hotels and Marriott Rewards points can be used for Ritz-Carlton free nights, however, Ritz-Carlton stays do not earn Marriott Rewards points or elite qualifying credit.
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