Starwood Award Nights Now Count Towards Elite Status!

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Update: Starwood apparently will only count paid nights to qualify for the platinum challenge. Award nights will count towards qualifying for Platinum status that requires 25 stays, but not for the challenge which only requires 15 nights.

That’s always been a pet peeve of some Starwood credit card users that use their points for hotel stays instead of transferring the points into airline miles.  They earn tons of points and stay in Starwood hotels worldwide but they don’t get good recognition or upgrades when they stay in hotels because they always stay for free with points.

Until now only paid nights counted towards elite status. So even if you found hotel nights for $80 each, you were still looking at laying out nearly $1,700 to attain Platinum status.

Effective 10/01 Starwood will start counting award nights and stays towards elite status.

Starwood has a few levels of elite status. Status earned in 2011 will last until 02/28/13. Status earned in 2012 will last until 02/28/14.

Having the Starwood American Express Consumer card gets you 2 stays and 5 nights credit right off the bat. Having the Starwood American Express Business card does the same. So if you’re like me and have both that’s already worth 4 stays and 10 nights towards elite status.

Here’s a rundown of status levels:

-SPG Preferred Plus status is attained simply by having a Starwood American Express card. It gets you a preferred room upgrade and 4pm late checkout.

-SPG Gold status can be attained in a few ways. You get it free if you have an American Express Platinum charge card. You also get it free if you spend $30,000 in a year on the Starwood American Express card. Otherwise it required 10 stays or 25 nights in Starwood hotels. It gets you 50% bonus points on Starwood hotel stay in addition to the benefits offered by Preferred Plus status.

-SPG Platinum is where it’s at though. If there is a standard suite available at checkin it’s yours for free. I’ve had very good luck getting upgraded to incredible suites for free as a Platinum member.  You get free lounge access and free internet/wifi access at Starwood hotels. You also get 250 points or 500 points at full service hotels as a Platinum for each stay in addition to the benefits offered by Gold status. Room availability is guaranteed. The Platinum concierge team is very good as well. You need to make 25 stays or 50 nights in Starwood hotels to earn this status.

Another way for folks who aren’t currently platinum to earn SPG Platinum is by calling SPG to enroll in a challenge. With a challenge you need 15 nights within 90 days to earn Platinum status.

What would it cost to become or requalify for Platinum with only award stays?
The following assumes that folks have both Starwood cards, thus lowering their needs to 21 stays, otherwise you will need 2 if you have 1 Starwood card or 4 more stays if you have no cards.
It also assumes that non-elites will enroll in the challenge and it doesn’t factor in credit cards as those don’t count for the challenge nights.

Sample hotels:

Sheraton Bandara Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia
Cash and points award nights:

For non-platinums:
15 nights at 1,200 points+$25.
Total of 18,000 points+$375 to qualify for SPG Platinum via challenge.
21 stays at 1,200 points+$25.
Total of 25,200 points+$525 to requalify for SPG Platinum.

For current platinums:
21 stays at 1,200 points+$25.
Less 21 x 500 points Platinum amenities.
Total of 14,700 points+$525 to requalify for SPG Platinum.

Weekend nights:

For non-platinums:
15 nights at 2,000 points
Total of 30,000 points to qualify for SPG Platinum via challenge.
21 stays at 2,000 points
Total of 42,000 points to requalify for SPG Platinum.

For current platinums:
21 stays at 2,000 points
Less 21 x 500 points Platinum amenities.
Total of 31,500 points to requalify for SPG Platinum.
——————————————————————
4 Points by Sheraton Pittsburgh Airport
Cash and points award nights:

For non-platinums:
15 nights at 1,200 points+$25.
Total of 18,000 points+$375 to qualify for SPG Platinum via challenge.
21 stays at 1,200 points+$25.
Total of 25,200 points+$525 to requalify for SPG Platinum.

For current platinums:
21 stays at 1,200 points+$25.
Less 21 x 250 points Platinum amenities.
Total of 19,950 points+$525 to requalify for SPG Platinum.

Weekend nights:

For non-platinums:
15 nights at 2,000 points
Total of 30,000 points to qualify for SPG Platinum via challenge.
21 stays at 2,000 points
Total of 42,000 points to requalify for SPG Platinum.

For current platinums:
21 stays at 2,000 points
Less 21 x 250 points Platinum amenities.
Total of 36,750 points to requalify for SPG Platinum.
——————————————————————
Sheraton Cleveland Airport:
Cash and points award nights:

For non-platinums:
15 nights at 1,600 points+$30.
Total of 24,000 points+$450 to qualify for SPG Platinum via challenge.
21 stays at 1,600 points+$30.
Total of 23,600 points+$630 to requalify for SPG Platinum.

For current platinums:
21 stays at 1,600 points+$30.
Less 21 x 500 points Platinum amenities.
Total of 23,100 points+$630 to requalify for SPG Platinum.

Weekend nights:

For non-platinums:
15 nights at 3,000 points
Total of 45,000 points to qualify for SPG Platinum via challenge.
21 nights at 3,000 points
Total of 63,000 points to requalify for SPG Platinum.

For current platinums:
21 nights at 3,000 points
Less 21 x 500 points Platinum amenities.
Total of 52,500 points to requalify for SPG Platinum.

HT: aussiebochur, via Gary.