How to earn Marriott Bonvoy Platinum with just 10 nights

I lost my Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status back in March 2020, ending a seven-year run that started back in the days of Starwood Preferred Guest.

It was, to put it mildly, a blow. Goodbye room upgrades, free breakfasts, club lounge access, guaranteed late check-out, and even if the elite recognition at legacy Marriott properties had been hit and miss, it was usually spot on at the legacy Starwood brands.

My revised status in the Bonvoy hierarchy was Gold, which is as good as useless (and no, being a lifetime member doesn’t make it any better). This downgrade is the main reason I’ve diverted most of my stays to Hilton over the past few years, where I continue to hold top-tier Diamond status. 

But now, there’s an opportunity for me (and many others) to get back into Marriott’s good books…

Marriott status match & challenge for KrisFlyer elites

KrisFlyer Tier	Instant Match To…	Status Accelerator Challenge
Solitaire PPS Club & PPS Club	Gold	Platinum (10 nights in 6 months)
KrisFlyer Elite Gold
KrisFlyer Elite Silver	N/A	Silver (3 nights in 6 months)

A quick recap, for those of you out of the loop.

Solitaire PPS Club, PPS Club, and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members:

• Can register to receive an instant status match to Marriott Bonvoy Gold (usual requirement: 25 qualifying nights per calendar year)
• Will be upgraded to Marriott Bonvoy Platinum should they subsequently stay at least 10 qualifying nights in a six-month period (usual requirement: 50 qualifying nights per calendar year)

KrisFlyer Elite Silver members:

• Do not receive any instant status
• Can register and earn Marriott Bonvoy Silver when they stay at least 3 qualifying nights in a six-month period (usual requirement: 10 qualifying nights per calendar year)

There’s also a status match and challenge in the opposite direction from Marriott Bonvoy to KrisFlyer, which I won’t address here. You can read the post below for the full details of the Singapore Airlines x Marriott partnership.

KrisFlyer and Marriott Bonvoy offering two-way status match and accelerator

If you’re a KrisFlyer Elite Silver, you can stop reading here. I already said that Marriott Bonvoy Gold is pointless, so it follows that Silver isn’t even worth stepping out your door to earn. 

If you’re a Solitaire PPS Club, PPS Club, or KrisFlyer Elite Gold, however, you have a very intriguing opportunity on your hands to earn Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, which grants perks such as:

• Room upgrade (including Select Suites), subject to availability
• Complimentary daily breakfast for 2 adults per room (subject to Marriott’s byzantine list of exclusions)
• Guaranteed 4 p.m check-out (except at resort and convention hotels)
• Executive lounge access
• Premium Wi-Fi
• 50% bonus on points earning

With a reduced qualification threshold of just 10 nights, it’s something you should really consider. And because you can only take advantage of this status match and accelerator once per account, you need to plan it carefully.

My game plan

One thing’s clear: my goal is to qualify as early in 2024 as possible, but not until March 2024. Why?

• If I get upgraded to Platinum in December 2023, my status will be valid till February 2025
• If I get upgraded to Platinum in January-December 2024, my status will be valid till February 2026

In any case, 10 nights within six months is very achievable. You might already have a few trips in mind where you could switch stays to Marriott, but if not, how much would a mattress run cost?

The usual suspects for mattress runs are Malaysia and Indonesia, where you can find select service brands like AC Hotel, Fairfield and Moxy at attractively-low rates.

You could widen the aperture a bit to include China, where I’ve seen rooms going for as little as US$35 per night. The catch is that travel costs will be substantially higher, especially since these properties are usually located in Tier 3 cities.

Alternatively, we can think about this in terms of points, because both award nights and Cash & Points nights will count towards qualifying nights. Even better, Marriott offers the 5th night free on award stays, regardless of tier. Basically, you’ll stay 10 nights for the price of eight.

Marriott Bonvoy no longer publishes an official award chart or list of hotel categories, but Million Mile Secrets has thrown together this helpful map.

Filter for Category 1, and you’ll find some very tasty deals near home. 

AC Hotel Penang is the clear standout: for 40,000 points total, you can stay 10 nights and qualify for Platinum!

That’s how I plan to do things, but I’d love to hear if you can find a cheaper option.

Now, some of you may be wondering whether you even need to check-in at all. Is it possible to book a stay, no show, and get the nights credited anyway? Nope. No show bookings will be cancelled, and no nights awarded.

You will need to check-in, that much is certain. The question is whether you can do it digitally via the Marriott app, or whether you need to show up in person. It’s a classic case of YMMV.  I think the safest thing to do would be to physically check-in. You can then mention you’d like to do express check-out on your last day, leave the hotel, then check-out via the Marriott app when the time comes.

Conclusion

Solitaire PPS Club, PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members are eligible for an instant match to Marriott Bonvoy Gold, with a further upgrade to Platinum possible with just 10 qualifying nights in a six-month period.

The key to maximising the validity of your status is to qualify as early in the year as possible, so hopefully you’ve got stays planned in early 2024. And if you don’t, it’s worth exploring the possibility of a mattress run, especially since Platinum status can be yours for just 40,000 points!

Anyone else jumping on board?