Marriott’s Bonvoy app went live at 5am EST this morning and became the only useable app for SPG, Marriott Rewards, and Ritz Carlton Rewards members. Marriott also passed the second of two tests regarding their Lifetime Titanium promises – an IT miracle of sorts.
Marriott announced last year that there would be a grandfathered Lifetime Platinum Premier tier and that accounts would be reviewed for qualification in January 2019. Since then, members had been worrying as to whether their accounts would actually be correctly identified come January, especially given the IT issues thus far and if they were, would they remain so when the new app went live with the new Titanium level.
Based on member response, we’re adding more flexibility for Lifetime Platinum Premier qualification. Now, SPG and Rewards members who achieve 750 nights and 10 years of Platinum status by December 31, 2018 will be grandfathered into that Lifetime tier, which starting in 2019 will no longer be available to earn. Rewards members can also qualify under the current criteria (750 nights + 2M points) through year end. If I will not be grandfathered into Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite, will I have the ability to earn into this level in 2018? Yes, members can earn Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite in 2018 if they achieve 750 Lifetime nights and 10 years at Platinum Elite status. This requirement is only for 2018 and will not be continued in future years. Members will receive notice of this Lifetime achievement in January 2019.
Well, on January 28th despite no notification from Marriott, my profile was correctly updated. There was no fight or documentation required and it was a big shock and relief to members who had worked hard to earn that status in 2018.
The forums buzzed with rumors that despite the update, Marriott would somehow mess up the seemingly easy task of renaming this tier when the new Bonvoy app launched on February 13th. I’m happy to say that this too proved wrong – my status correctly displays today in app and online.
The New Bonvoy App Displays Lifetime Titanium Status
The Old App Display – Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite
I qualified by combining my years of elite status and nights across SPG and Marriott, though the vast majority of my nights are courtesy of SPG. For me the combined totals were 755 nights and 13 years of Platinum status.
Despite my lifetime nights, I was quite far from earning Lifetime Platinum status with SPG and even further from Marriott’s Lifetime Platinum Elite. In this case, the merger has had a huge benefit on all my future Marriott stays with Titanium Elite for life now!
Do we celebrate that Marriott hit these two promised milestones without major IT issues?
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48 comments
I just updated the app and mine says 781 nights, 11 years of Platinum. Mine were all Marriott. The dumbest thing I ever did was lose 2 years of SPG nights. Back in the 90’s, I was on assignment from my normal job, and lived in a Sheraton. I did not keep the account active and lost all the points. SPG would never reinstate. However, I did make the lifetime platinum on nights and cash spent. I am retired now and looking back at all those work travels just seems like someone else’s life.
Adam,
Congratulations on your Lifetime Platinum Premium status!! I am far from making even Lifetime Platinum Status – but I am working on it. i was wondering if the “points or nights” that we get from holding a AE or Chase CC counts to just that year for elite status or if it is included in the total points or nights for lifetime elite status? Also are there other ways we can get those credits that would count to lifetime elite status? Thanks and again CONGRATULATIONS!!
Well done Adam. Happy to see my titanium lifetime too. Enjoyed your article congratulating Marriott for getting it right. We complain when things go wrong so it’s great to acknowledge when it goes right.
My account has also been updated! 830 nights / 15 years = Lifetime Titanium Elite.
Congrats, Adam! Now there are at least two of us in this club (LOL). Do you know if Marriott will ever send us some nice shiny membership cards or any other indicia?
I got my app revised to Marriott BonVOY. 995 nights and 13 years with Marriott & SPG brands. Lifetime titanium. Thank you Marriott.
Wow — you must be a true road warrior! I’ve been with Marriott rewards for 35 years, only managed 785 nights and about 2,300,000 points).
It would be kind of fun to have a feature in the app which lets us know how many kindred spirits happen to be in the Concierge Lounge (or whatever the current name) when one enjoys a snack. Or maybe a secret handshake.
We could each feel a little like George Clooney for a brief moment…..
One of the Bonvoy Lurkers (William) is reporting that seeing LTTE in one’s account is a de facto “notification” versus an explicit e-mail or snail mail. I’m not clear that this is a complete win for everyone, however. Some members are reporting that they never received an increment from 9 to 10 years for 2018 activity. I also did not receive a 2018 increment, but was well north of the minimum 10 years so it did not preclude me from LTTE status.
780 nights. 15 years Platinium. Thank you Marriott for getting “Titanium” right. Feels nice guys.
Amateurs 🙂 1473 nights, 11 years Platinum (and now Titanium). Chase card, airline/car rental partners, etc. They all add up. Safe travels to all (from a Courtyard in Utah).
1909 nights. Amateur! 14 yrs Platinum
You win. 🙂
I might get a rock with my combined 28yrs Plat, 2644 nights.
I think its a bum deal! I have 8 years platinum and 997 nights. I earned lifetime platinum but unfortunately I will not be able to earn lifetime titanium. This is a unfortunate situation for a loyal customer who spent a ton of nights and money with Marriott! I’m questioning my loyalty choice now!!!!
Stop whining. You didn’t make it. 1307 nights / 15 years Platinum. And yes ; now Titanium Elite Lifetime.
812 nights, 11 years, Lifetime Titanium on day one. Congrats Marriott, IT go-live success story. I earned my status doing go-lives like these across the country and they are not easy.
Seems I got passed over for FOUR nights. My account shows “Lifetime Platinum” while nights are showing 746 and 10 years of platinum. Seems rather unfair that I can NEVER earn this tier now due to being short by 4 nights. I’m not gonna lie, this makes me want to leave Marriott entirely.
Why did you let that happen??
I have the EXACT same complaint – 746 nights, 12 years of platinum. I had NO IDEA they were doing this 750-night-lifetime-Titanium offer or of COURSE I would have stayed four nights somewhere. When/where was this ever disclosed? I am livid that I missed out on lifetime Titanium for four nights that I never knew I had to attain!
The LT Plat Premier/Titanium Elite qualification criteria has been one of the most widely blogged about and discussed aspects of the merger going back into early 2018.
Back in the dark ages when I qualified, it was 1k nights, 10 years Plat, and 3mm points earned (not in the bank, earned). So I don’t have any sympathy for anyone with less than 997 nights. Yeah, I’m jaded. When the clock turned, I had 31 years of at least silver, 29 gold and 28 Platinum with 2644 nights.
I was Lifetime Platinum and now my app says I am Titanium Elite. Does this mean I lost Lifetime status? How can they do that? Lifetime is Lifetime. and if so, how can I get it back>
@Joe – scroll to the right from the My Account page that loads when first launching the app, you should see it there
Back when I Q’d, it was 10yrs Plat, 3mm points, and 1k nights. Quit whining.
Just now hearing about Titanium Elite now as I noticed it when I logged in —- 2,620 nights in 18 years and over 12M lifetime points. I’ve been very upset as an AA flyer since they merged with US Air and hope I’m not as unhappy with the SPG merger. It certainly takes MANY more points for free stays than it used to and I assume that’s a bad thing…
I am with you; I qualified when the requirements were higher; it feels a little cheap now, with 15 years and 1659 and over 4MM point.
I correctly see my Lifetime Titanium Elite on the website. However, on the app, it only says Titanium Elite- no “Lifetime” and no Infinity sign to indicate lifetime.
@brad – Scroll to the right from the My Account page that loads when first launching the app, you should then see it
Still bit unclear: is LT Titanium elite the highest? I was previously LT Platinum Premiere and now LT TE. 22 yrs almost 1700 nights.
@FlyerFlyer – Yep, that’s the highest available lifetime status and is no longer attainable (for life)
Yes, that’s what has been explained to me numerous times but my understanding (at the end of 2017) was that we would earn THE HIGHEST (Ambassador) for life and be promised the special assistance with calls, I think that is my biggest complaint-Im in the death spiral when calling in. “Say RESERVATION, Say POINTS BALANCE…I’m sorry if you’ll just give me a little more information I’ll continue to torture you…”
I was Platinum Premier Elite as well, then they made it Platinum Elite Ambassador. No clue what the highest non-lifetime level is now.
What a great shock today when I opened the Bonvoy app and saw I was Lifetime Titanium. I was expecting to see my Lifetime Platinum not transferred over. I hardly travel at all for business any more, so I am more than excited with this turn of events.
I just figured out I’ve spent 7.7 years of my 57 year old life in hotels. Almost 3,000 nights.
Umm NOT properly displaying and the Titanium Liftime status on my app. The rep swears that I AM LIFETIME TITANIUM but my app does not display this at all.
Now that we see LT TE is the highest lifetime, does any else feel somewhat demoted for those that were previously LT P-premiere? Not to take anything away from folks here, but LT P-Premiere and LT P-Elite seem to have merged together whereas the requirements were higher for premiere. Someone mentioned the 1k nights for Premiere as well.
Yes and no. From all that I can see, renaming PP to Titanium does not seem to have diminished the benefits we enjoyed before. Creating a distinct name might help to clarify the status at check-in; it seemed that having 3 tiers with the name Platinum was confusing for not-so-well trained front desk personnel at some properties.
Titanium, as we all know, is not a precious metal — Palladium or another, rarer element might have been a little nicer a moniker. However, Titanium is a much harder, stronger metal than Platinum. That might have a little resonance among the scientifically-minded. Given how difficult it now is to achieve — and impossible in the Lifetime form, perhaps that may be of some slight solace.
I didn’t read an article which made an interesting speculation regarding legacy Marriott vs legacy SPG. On the SPG side getting the LT PP was incredibly difficult and had to be nights in bed. No other option ie points earned applies.
After about 18 phone calls to SPG/Marriott Platinum desk and several emails, I am still not seeing my lifetime titanium status reflected for my account. Marriott is short-counting my platinum years with SPG somehow and to this date would not give a timeframe when they’ll finish “investigating”.
I can relate. Sometime around September, when the programs were supposedly already integrated, at least 45,000 points disappeared from my Marriott account. I called at least 25 times, send dozens of e-mails with complete explanations and documentation — got absolutely nowhere. Sometimes the e-mail responses were even condescending; all were quite clearly wrong.
Finally, on yet another desperate call, late on a Sunday night, I reached a sympathetic Supervisor with Marriott rewards who seemed actually to have a functioning brain. She assured me that she’d escalate this until it was resolved. Never did receive an appropriate e-mail or call back, but about a week later, sufficient points were added back to my account to ensure that I’d get the Lifetime PT. Premier status I had earned over 35 years as a customer.
Keep at it — follow-up at intervals of a few days and ask to speak with a manager; despite the firewalls, you might actually succeed in reaching one. At some point, if you annoy them sufficiently, Marriot should make the adjustment.
Best of luck.
I see it now 1610 nights and 16 years as Platinum, now lifetime titanium Elite.
I wish Marriott would now give us a nice metal card like I have from my lifetime SPG status. It’s the little things that make loyal guests stay loyal. I can’t imagine that nice card costs too much to produce!
I still miss SPG, I still felt more appreciated there than I do at Bonvoy as I type this from a Marriott property.
I’m with you on that! Even if the card were not made of Titanium, a nice card of any metal would be a constant reinforcer. There was a time when a couple of nice luggage tags were also sent to Gold and above.
Why not now?
I was given Lifetime Titanium with 1510 nights but only 8 years. They must waive the years required based on spend or nights. No complaints
I’m guessing you qualified under legacy rules — 750 nights and 2,000,000 points by Dec 31, 2018. With that many nights, hard to imagine you didn’t accumulate that many points.
Hi guys, How about Lifetime Titanium + Embassador and 2170 nights in 11years?
I enjoy my Marriott life.
L/T titanium, 9 years and 2118 nights
Lucky you
I qualified under legal requirements but only got lifetime Plat
10 years 799 nights
This was a fantastic notification that I just received. I have stayed with Marriott for so much of my life over the years and it’s nice to be recongnized! I haven’t traveled much over the past few years, but am ready to ramp up again and will be using Marriott again. I considered other chains since it’s so hard to achieve status with anyone, so I was thinking I might as well just stay where the best deal is. This has changed my mind!