Marriott is now offering a Platinum challenge called “Road to Platinum” to select members. The program basically grants you Platinum (or Gold) status after completing the required number of stays in a 3-month period. The following are the stay requirements for each level.
Marriott Rewards Elite Status Challenge Requirements
| Status | Stays Required | Time Period |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | 9 | 90 days |
| Gold | 6 | 90 days |
The Marriott Platinum challenge does note immediately grant you elite status. Rather you must complete the hotel stay requirements first, and then call Marriott Rewards back at 801-468-4000 to notify customer service that you completed the challenge and they will immediately update your account and send you a new member card within 4-6 weeks.
Time Period to Complete The Marriott Elite Status Challenge
The rules state that you must complete the Platinum elite challenge in 3 months. Now, the clock does not start clicking on the day you call and sign up, rather the three months start the following month. For instance, if you call on July 8th to sign up, you have the remaining month of July PLUS three months to complete the challenge meaning that you will have August, September, and October to meet the requirements. It would be wise to wait until the 1st or 2nd of the month to enroll in the challenge, since it gives you more time to complete the necessary hotel stays.
How Do I Sign Up for The Marriott Platinum Challenge?
Signing up for the Marriott Platinum or Gold Challenge is very easy. Just call Marriott Rewards at 801-468-4000 and ask to register. Now, the challenge is not offered to anyone and the agent will check your history in order to verify that you are eligible to participate. Some things that may disqualify you are:
- Having enrolled in a challenge previously within the last year. After you enroll in an elite status challenge you are not allowed to do so again for one year.
- Not enough history on your account. If you are a brand new member Marriott Rewards may not offer you the challenge.
- Having stays recently, or upcoming may help your case. Marriott likes to see that their customers are engaged in their loyalty program. The agent I called to register with noticed that I had been a member for over 10 years and that I had a lot of stays with the program. She also noticed that I was a Marriott Chase cardholder as well. I’m sure that these things played a role in her offering me the Road to Platinum Elite Challenge.
- Already having the status you are asking to challenge for. It may not make sense to you, but Marriott will not allow you to challenge for a status you already have. For instance, if you are Marriott Gold, but are going to lose your status in December, they will not allow you to enroll for a Gold elite status challenge. The program is intended for you to upgrade your status by displaying the ability to bring additional business to Marriott based on your travel history or patterns.
Why Strive For Marriott Platinum Status?
There are multiple benefits associated with achieving Platinum Elite Status including:
- Access to the executive lounge
- Room upgrades
- 50% point bonus Marriott Rewards points on your stay
- Direct phone number for elite member reservations
- Late checkout (if available)
- Elite only offers (Marriott Rewards comes out with bonus offers a few times per year)
- 48 hour guarantee availability
- Access to Rewards Plus with United and get free MileagePlus Silver member status!
Marriott Platinum Challenge Restrictions
- Do award stays count toward the Elite Challenge stay requirements? No.
- Do stays earned using the Marriott Rewards Visa count? No.
Bottom Line
The Marriott “Road to Platinum” or “Road to Gold” elite status challenge is a great way to upgrade your status, especially if you are just a Silver or general member. Also remember that Marriott has a tremendous Lifetime Elite Status program that these stays will count toward as well. If you have a bunch of stays coming up in the near future, you should enroll right before your first stay in order to give you the maximum possible time period to complete the challenge.
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