A good nights sleep, with better benefits…
Marriott is in the process of finalizing the new Marriott Rewards, with 110,000,000 members, yes, more than 100 million. If you’ve ever been to a concert, you know how easy it is to get lost in a room of 500 people, let alone millions, and with that in mind, Marriott Rewards officially launched brand new status challenges today, which will help you stand out in any of the 6,700 hotels which make up the combined Marriott, Starwood and Ritz Carlton portfolio. If you want to pick up perks, without an entire year of waiting, take advantage of one of these fast track offers sooner than later…
An elite status fast track is all about turning your busiest three month travel period into a year of exciting benefits. Marriott Rewards is now offering both a Gold and Platinum fast track. The Gold offer requires 8 nights within 3 months, and the Platinum elite offer requires 16 nights within 3 months. You must register for the offer first. If you’ve got any big trips coming up, or busy work plans, these fast tracks allow you to secure a year of benefits without having to jump through all the usual hoops, or wait until the end of the year. It’s good stuff, for sure.
It’s essential to enroll in this challenge before you start your mattress party. Obviously, you’ll need a Marriott Rewards account to get started too. Simply call Marriott Rewards at 801-468-4000, or SPG 888-625-4988 to formally request your preferred challenge. Be sure to ask for an email confirming your enrollment status and the qualifications needed to successfully satisfy the challenge. This can be particularly helpful as Marriott/SPG/Ritz Carlton combat early days growing pains with their IT system merger. Despite what *some* agents may inform you, these new challenges do not require having a pre existing elite status, so if you’re misinformed, politely say thanks, hang up and call again. Our info comes directly from Marriott on this subject. Oh, and you can only register once every three years, so make it count.
16 nights in three months to secure Platinum benefits across all Ritz, Marriott, St. Regis, Luxury Collection, W and other properties is very, very tempting. All stays booked directly with Marriott will count, and even lower cost hotels work too. But if you want the best of both worlds, Marriott Rewards offers frequent sales on fantastic properties in Asia, Middle East and Europe, which can make this challenge both affordable and luxurious. And in three months time, very rewarding.
Are you taking the Marriott Rewards Gold or Platinum Challenge?
Featured image courtesy of the St. Regis Bora Bora.
Do award nights count?
Wouldn’t think so.
How disgusting and insulting to loyal members. I have been busting a gut to get the 75 nights this year to retain my platinum elite currently at 45 with 15 future nights already planned and booked. Then some person of the street walks in and gets it for 16!! Shame on marriott for diluting the privalage.
It’s not diluting. 16 nights in 3 months, is very similar to the yearly criterion, and the clock is already ticking on them. Status is a long game, and this is a short term solution. Platinum Premier isn’t up for grabs, and if you’re into your status, that’s what you want anyway.
Now if Hyatt only does the same…
Thanks for this information. Last night I booked 12 nights stay at SPG hotel.. I will need to cancel and re-book (thankfully l I booked refundable room rate) after enrolling for platinum challenge.. I am currently Silver elite..
Nice! That’ll get you pretty close in one go! Best of luck sorting through the agents and getting it all set up! Worth it end the end!
I did Plat challenge in July, Marriott only wanted 9 stays for Plat then, now double?
LoL – they want 9 night’s money from you for Gold? – jog on!
Stays, nights – very different. I personally think 16 nights is easier than 9 stays. I am not some dude that parks at his local dive, stays, leaves for a night, comes back and goes. I travel, keep traveling and will find this much easier to satisfy, personally.
Couple of questions:
1) Is this challenge available from SPG? I have more lifetime nights with SPG than with marriott.
2) If I get Marriott challenge and stay at SPG hotel (Westin), does the stay count towards this challenge?
3) I am 5 nights shy of next level with Marriott and 12 nights shy with SPG. Which program should I keep and also not loose my lifetime nights count?
Dude have you lived under a rock for the last year+. SPG and Marriot are now merged. Fully. Merged.
Hello deskid,
1) Is this challenge available from SPG? I have more lifetime nights with SPG than with marriott.
They’re one program now, and your accounts are merged. You can officially finalize their merger here. There’s no choice on the matter.
https://staging.godsavethepoints.com/2018/08/23/must-do-marriott-rewards-account-steps-2018/
2) If I get Marriott challenge and stay at SPG hotel (Westin), does the stay count towards this challenge?
There’s no difference now. It’s all Marriott Rewards, so any classically SPG hotel is now part of Marriott Rewards. It will all count.
3) I am 5 nights shy of next level with Marriott and 12 nights shy with SPG. Which program should I keep and also not loose my lifetime nights count?
When you combine your programs, they’ll merger together to create one status, so you may get lucky with the combined totals. Best of luck.
Would you know if this challenge is available for people who took the SPG challenge before?
That could depend on their IT systems.
I called in to ask about the challenge and was told it ended Aug 31, 2018. It was a Marriott thing SPG members don’t get this even after the merger.
It’s that true or am I misinformed?
Hi Peter,
As we very clearly mention in the post, anything telling you it’s not on, is wrong. Our information comes directly from Marriott leadership and it’s known that many phone staff are misinformed. Say thanks, hang up and call back : )
I also just called and the CSR was not informed at all and even the supervisor wasn’t. I am not sure if the challenge is worth doing it, when spending more than 35 minutes waiting.
I have called twice now, on both occasions I have been advised I need to be have the status below to be eligible for the challenge e.g. Silver to be eligible for Gold and Gold to be eligible for Platinum
This is factually incorrect and I urge you to challenge the misinformed rep. I encountered the same issue on a call and politely asked that they double check. Best of luck!
I did challenge and both advisors asked if I found the information on an official Marriott website… if I hadn’t they advised they are correct and I am wrong
All I can tell you is that they are wrong, and I know this because our information came directly from the leadership team in charge of loyalty and marketing.
You’ll see plenty of reports of people being misinformed. Call again, ask someone to really check, ask a supervisor and read the terms themselves. I successfully registered, as have many.
When registering, do I have to specify either Gold/Platinum Challenge?
I was a Silver, rang up to register (no question asked on whether I was going for Gold/Platinum), achieved Gold quite soon after (reflected as such by now) and given my renewed business travels, looks like I can achieve Platinum within the time period. Am wondering if my status will reflect Platinum once I achieve 16 nights. Anyone with any thoughts or experience?
Good to confirm with tier you’re shooting for, and or call back to recalibrate.
I already have reservations for end of july and beggining of august. If I enroll in the challenge noe those reservations will count towards it, right? Or do I have to enroll first and then make the reservations? Thank you!
Asked for Platinum challange, i’’ve been denied because still upgraded to Gold by Amex Platinum …
What to say …a really warm weolcome
You shouldn’t have to have the status below to challenge. Push back. Many, many agents are woefully misinformed.
How long does the status last once obtained? If I started next month (March, 2019) and finished in June, 2019, am I Platinum only until the end of 2019 or through 2020 as well? This is important to me as I have 8 years as a Plat and need 10 for lifetime status. Thanks, if you know.
Do you know if achieving platinum status via the challenge (in 2019) would count as one of the 10 years of platinum status required for limetime platinum (along with the requisite 600 nights)? I need only 1 more year at platinum status to achieve the lifetime requirements and I have not seen any information of this topic. Thanks.