I just qualified for Lifetime Platinum Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy — here's why that won't change my hotel strategy

11.01.2024 - 22:47 / thepointsguy.com

On Jan. 1, 2024, I woke up to some exciting news in my Marriott Bonvoy app: I had officially notched my 10th year of Platinum Elite status. Since I had already surpassed 600 lifetime nights in 2023, this meant that I was starting the new year as a newly minted Lifetime Marriott Platinum Elite member.

While this may seem like a cause for celebration, it actually won't change my hotel strategy in any meaningful way. Given this, I see some interesting opportunities for Marriott to enhance the value proposition for those who've shown extensive loyalty over the years.

Here's why my Lifetime Platinum Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy isn't causing me to change my approach to hotel elite status.

I've been collecting points and miles for more than two decades, and this increased significantly when my then-girlfriend (now-wife) and I lived on opposite ends of the country after college graduation. As a fourth-grade teacher (me) and a law school student (her), we welcomed all ways to save money, shuttling back and forth to see each other.

However, when I moved to Florida and took a consulting job in 2007, my travel really took off.

I was initially loyal to Hilton Honors (which is when I started contributing to TPG), but soon, I fell for the Starwood Preferred Guest program. I began accumulating dozens of nights a year and quickly made my way to Platinum status, which I enjoyed for several years. This activity transferred when Marriott and SPG were integrated to ultimately become the present-day Marriott Bonvoy program.

With 608 total nights and 10 years at Platinum Elite or above now under my belt, I have officially locked up Lifetime Platinum Elite status. Doing so has opened up the program's online experience for lifetime members, which offers some interesting insights into my activity since joining the program in 2007.

However, this accomplishment is going to have minimal impact on my day-to-day strategy.

Related: Last-minute strategies for Marriott elite status

Prior to reaching Lifetime Platinum Elite status, I qualified for Platinum Elite status in a few different ways.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, I received 15 elite night credits every year from Marriott credit cards. I'd then try to snag the remaining 35 nights needed through hotel stays or promotions for double elite night credits. This took a decent amount of effort. However, that was made significantly easier in 2020 when we broke the news that you could stack credits from a personal and business card. Suddenly, I'd only need 20 nights a year to qualify for Platinum Elite status.

Then, in 2022, one of my cards — the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card — underwent a major overhaul, including the addition of automatic Platinum Elite