Marriott Bonvoy, the loyalty programme of Marriott Hotels, offers a Status Challenge that can help you qualify for Marriott status in fewer nights than the usual Marriott elite tier requirements. Right now might be the best time to enroll for the challenge, so I thought this was the best time to post.

Marriott Bonvoy Status Challenge

Marriott’s Status Challenge offers the ability to get Marriott Elite Tier Status for a lower requirement than the complete set of elite nights needed usually. The deal with the Status Challenge is, that you enrol for it, and after you complete the challenge, you get the relevant status. Here are the nights required for the various tiers:

• Gold Elite Status can be earned by staying at Marriott Bonvoy participating hotel(s) for 8 nights within 3 months (instead of 25)
• Platinum Elite Status can be earned by staying at Marriott Bonvoy participating hotel(s) for 16 nights within 3 months (instead of 50)

Unlike a “Status Match”, Marriott will provide you with the status only after you complete the challenge and not during the challenge period. However, you don’t need to have Elite status at another hotel chain to do this challenge! This challenge is not available for enrolment online, so you need to call Marriott to be able to enrol. The helpline numbers are here.

Marriott Status Challenge Construct

When you enrol for the Status Challenge, the three-month period starts at the end of the current month. So, if you enrol on January 1 or January 15 or January 28, it does not matter. You need to complete the challenge by April 30. Thus, it makes sense to apply at the start of the month, as you will have more time to complete the challenge. Remember, you need to have checked out by April 30 in this case to have the nights counted for the challenge. You could have booked these nights on marriott.com, anytime.

Remember, qualifying nights for the purpose of the challenge are only granted for stays that are fully booked and paid at Marriott.com, or through one of the advisor rates, such as those offered by LFAL Travel. Award nights or nights paid with points and cash do not count toward the challenge nights. Nor do promotional elite nights, for instance those, which are granted for the Double Elite Nights promotion every year, or the 10 elite nights you get annually as an HDFC Bank Marriott Bonvoy Diners Club Cardmember.

The status granted usually updates within 24-48 hours. The status is valid for the current year, as well as another year. So, if you enrolled for the Platinum Elite Challenge today (January 14, 2025), if you completed the challenge, you will get the status till February 2027.

Benefits of Marriott Bonvoy Gold & Platinum Elite Tiers

• Gold Elite Status: Marriott Gold Elite Tier Status usually comes to you once you achieve 25 elite nights in a calender year. This would get you the following benefits:
  • 500 points as welcome gift at check-in
  • Upgrade to higher category rooms based on availability (no suites)
  • 25% more points
  • Late Check-out until 14:00 based on availability
• Platinum Elite Status: Marriott Platinum Elite Tier Status usually comes to you once you achieve 50 elite nights in a calender year. This would get you the following benefits:
  • 1,000 points as welcome gift at check-in
  • Upgrade to higher category rooms  and standard suites based on availability
  • Complimentary Breakfast at many brands
  • Lounge Access (where available)
  • 50% more points
  • Late Check-out until 16:00

How to Enrol

You need to call Marriott Bonvoy and request the status challenge. You will get a written confirmation and the terms & conditions of the challenge on email. You must document the challenge offer and follow up with a call back to make sure the challenge is noted in your account. You can find a list of all their international hotlines here.

You can enrol for the challenge once every three years. So, you should only enrol if you are certain that you would achieve the required nights in the three-month period.

Once you have enrolled and earned the status, for the next years, you need to earn the status per usual (25 Elite Nights for Gold, 50 for Platinum Elite, 75 for Titanium Elite and 100 Elite Nights for Ambassador Plus 23,000 US Dollars Spend)

Bottomline

Marriott Bonvoy offers the ability to enrol for a Status Challenge once every three years. You can enrol for the challenge now, and receive the challenge for current month plus three months forward. This will give you ability to get Platinum Elite Status for approximately two years just with 16 revenue night stays (booked on Marriott.com or via a luxury advisor rate such as ours).

Are you enrolling for the Marriott Platinum Challenge? What is your strategy?

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