There are some inside rumors circulating that Marriott is contemplating the introduction of spend-based elite status upgrades for all tiers in 2024.
Currently, Marriott offers elite status solely based on the number of nights spent at their hotels (except for Ambassador status). However, this may change if they introduce a spend-based criteria.
Introducing elite status based on spend is seen as a fairer method of awarding status. Currently, individuals who exclusively stay at luxury hotels would have to spend significantly more to achieve a higher status compared to those who stay at lower-cost properties.
However, this approach may pose a disadvantage for individuals using credit card points for their stays at expensive properties.
Below are the current eligibility criteria for each tier:
- Silver Elite: 10 nights per year
- Gold Elite: 25 nights per year
- Platinum Elite: 50 nights per year
- Titanium Elite: 75 nights per year
- Ambassador Elite: 100 nights per year + $23,000 USD spent
IHG, Hyatt, and Accor are among the hotel loyalty programs that have already implemented some sort of spend-based elite status criteria. For instance, IHG operates on a qualifying points system that essentially relies on the amount spent. Similarly, Hyatt and Accor also incorporate spending as a determining factor for their elite statuses.
If Marriott decides to incorporate spend-based qualifications without altering the existing night-based calculation, it would be a positive change.
