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Accomplishment of a Lifetime – my newly obtained Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum Status
For those of us that travel a lot for work, pleasure, or both, we tend to have goals around airline and hotel status. These are typically annual as the programs roll over each year (excluding cruise lines of course). However many of the major airlines and hotel programs offer lifetime status after achieving certain thresholds, typically taking years and years to achieve. I have been travelling for business since 2002 and for pleasure all my life. With age comes wisdom and for those of us that travel it can also come with the accomplishment of a lifetime – lifetime airline and hotel status.
Back in 2019 I reached 1 Million Miler status with Delta Airlines a few years after Rene achieved the milestone in 2016. At 1M I should be gifted Gold status annually, providing priority boarding and a few other perks. Nothing life changing, but nice anyway. I’m currently sitting at 1.4 million miles with Delta and (probably) want to hit 2 Million Miler status to achieve lifetime Platinum which I think is much more valuable than Gold. But this post isn’t about Delta million miler status. It’s about Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum status.
I know in the points and miles community people love to hate Marriott’s Bonvoy program. It’s not as generous or consistent as Hyatt. It’s not as easy to achieve status as Hilton. And it’s a big downgrade from the old Starwood program post Marriott acquisition. But for me it’s been a workhorse for business travel with the largest footprint of any of the hotel loyalty programs and a reliable program to book leisure stays when and where we want them. I’m by no means exclusive with status and lots of nights with their aforementioned competitors.
Five years ago I noticed on the Bonvoy app that I had achieved five years of Platinum or higher status (and 12 years of Gold or higher). I’m not entirely sure why I took a screen shot back then, but I did…
This meant that I was half way to the 10 year requirement for lifetime Platinum status. I was also sitting just over 450 nights, 75% of the way to the required 600 for lifetime Platinum status. I figured with a little more attention paid to where I stayed for the next five years I could hit lifetime Platinum status and not have to count nights each year to make sure I reached Platinum each year. Why do I care? The answer is that I value:
- The free breakfast perk (this is all over the place by flag, but I’m generally able to get great value here)
- The upgrades, often to club level floors providing lounge access
- The increased points earnings – 50% bonus points
- The welcome amenity, this can sometimes be valuable, particularly outside the US
Five years later it happened, I finally achieved Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum status. Once I hit 50 nights in 2024 I kept checking the app waiting for it to update and then one day I logged in to see the status along with some virtual confetti.
Then in the coming weeks two other surprises came. The first was an email with my lifetime Marriott Bonvoy stats which were fun to see but not overly surprising.
The second was a gift of luggage tags that came in a nice presentation style box.
Final Approach
Well I did it. One more accomplishment of a lifetime. I have now locked down Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum Status. The irony is now I’m a bit more of a free agent as I’m not going to try quite so hard to hit 50+ nights per year, though getting the choice of five nightly upgrade awards are still nice to get. – Michael
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Congrats on the milestone.
Lifetime Bonvoy status is diminished by inconsistent benefit delivery, especially in the US. Lounge access that mention is one benefit that is consistently delivered – and as a platinum, you get the lounge whether you’re upgraded or not.
The nightly upgrade awards are not a platinum benefit, unfortunately. Those come with the 50 night milestone. If you don’t have lifetime, that’s pretty much the same thing, but lifetime members with fewer than 50 calendar year nights don’t get them.
Agree that the benefits are inconsistent at best. The word “upgrade” is a moving target with Bonvoy. The complimentary “upgrades” that don’t involve the use of milestone certificates tend to be higher floors or corner rooms, rarely suites, though I have scored a few at hotels where I’m a frequent guest. It seems that Bonvoy is starting to get a bit looser on what qualifies as a milestone certificate upgrade to include room upgrades other than suites.
Congrats on earning a useless status. I hold a Lifetime Titanium Elite status and over the past year have completely stopped staying at Marriott properties. It’s a useless program now as far as I’m concerned. Switched 100% to Hyatt.
@Jason, now that I’m “free” of Bonvoy I’m going to work on my Hyatt status, but with the caveat below. Sadly, I didn’t have enough years under Starwood to get to Lifetime Titanium. There’s no doubt that it was a superior program.
My problem with Hyatt has been that for my business travel, in most of my cities, they don’t have conveniently located full-service properties comparable to a Westin or a full-flag Marriott. Just like I try and avoid Marriott Courtyards I try and avoid Hyatt Places which seem to be my only option if I’m trying to get a Hyatt close to where I need to be. Some of this is unique to my travel patterns that have me in the suburbs of a lot of cities in the SE US and some if it is that Marriott’s footprint is just so much bigger.
Can you actually get lifetime Titanium? I thought it stopped at Platinum. BTW I do agree with you… have earned titanium for this year and next… the program keeps depreciating as are most loyalty programs. Too many people chasing the loyalty dream diminishes.
Lifetime Titanium was a perk granted by Starwood and honored by Marriott, but closed going forward. Top tier lifetime status for Marriott Bonvoy is Platinum.
I qw
Congratulations! On reaching what everyone knows regrettably, is a USELESS Marriott status.
As a Lifetime Titanium elite member, I’ve switched mostly to IHG and never looked back. IHG still cares about customers and appreciates loyalty.
When Anthony took over as Marriott’s President their awards program has been all property and screw the customers.
ANTHONY, I wish you and your team well. Of course it will take several years before you wish you didn’t screw your most loyal customers, as we leave what used to be a great program.
Rooting for IHG as their US HQ is in ATL my home base. Just wish, like Hyatt, that they had more full service hotels in my most frequently visited markets. Have had some great stays at Intercontinental and Kimpton hotels on leisure travel.
I chased Hilton’s Life Time Diamond status only to have them move the goal posts as I was approaching my final qualifying year as a diamond. So disappointing…………
Hilton’s lifetime program is disappointing for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that you can’t check your progress on the app or website but have to call. My guess is that I’m well on my way with their program, but have had no interest in calling to check my status. But now you have me curious…
When I approached Hilton Lifetime Gold, I couldn’t remember the exact requirements and connected with Hilton HQ chat. I had forgotten that the level had been discontinued. That would not have been a big problem but the agent nearly implied that I had hallucinated a Lifetime Gold option, claiming that it never existed.
As I now know that I won’t achieve Lifetime Diamond, I have set my standards lower, a plan to continue holding my AmEx Biz Plat card indefinitely, even with the forecast rise in annual feel. In effect, I have Lifetime Gold, which is close enough, since WiFi (and a decent breakfast, if Lady Luck should shine upon me) is my top priority.
I just got the same status a month back. I’m relieved because I’ve been tempted to not bother for the past few years but now it’s done and I can avoid Marriott except in the few cases where they suit me best. I was a huge SPG loyalist and have watched with horror as Marriott has Bonvoyed engaged loyalty members year after year. I literally can’t think of two things that Marriott has done in the past few years that favor the guest. Every change makes things worse for us. It’s good to finally be free.
I recently completed Lifetime Platinum status also, it’s a good time to cut down on my annual fees such as the Bonvey Brillance’s $650 af.
Very interesting. I am 22,000 flight miles from Delta Lifetime Diamond and am planning to get that in the next few months. My wife recently reached Lifetime Platinum. A couple trips to Singapore should take care of that. Looking forward to the Global upgrades which are nice on overseas flights. Don’t have to be concerned about clubs as i have Lifetime Skyclub purchased more than 20 years ago with Northwest at a very good price. Happy Flying to all of you.
The broad devaluation of Bonvoy and the spotty recognition of elite status at many properties is incontrovertible. However, I differ with my fellow readers as to Bonvoy’s decline to USELESS. It is a shadow of its former self, true. However, I’m with you, Michael, regarding the chain’s vast footprint. That means a great deal.
Further, my combination of Lifetime Platinum and co-branded credit card status helps me find the occasional bargain, atop the occasional point sale. Two examples:
1) In late February, I snagged a night at the Marriott Boston Peabody for 18,000 points. It is right off I-95 and an easy drive from Logan Airport. Because the lounge was closed on the weekend, I received a voucher for the hotel restaurant’s breakfast service, gratis. It didn’t leave me seeing stars but was tasty with simply outstanding waitresses.
The property was at half-capacity during low season and I was shocked (but not surprised) that I received no room upgrade, especially for a single-night stay. However, I still consider the visit to have been worthwhile and have no doubt that I would stay there again under similar travel circumstances, business or leisure.
2) I just snagged the long-term stay rate at Marriott STL Airport, 40% below the best discounted rate available to the general public. I am loathe to pay for parking, especially since the Courtyard property, a stone’s throw farther west, would have been lower per night with free parking. Nevertheless, a base rate of $150 per night overlapping with the Cardinals’ home opener nearly made me swoon.
Status hath its perquisites.