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Earn SPG elite night and stay credit for multiple rooms to fast-track SPG elite status

A major development in fast-track to SPG elite status has been confirmed on FlyerTalk by SPG company representatives. SPG members can earn elite night and stay credit for up to 3 rooms per hotel stay when booked under the SPG member’s name and all rooms are paid by the SPG member and the SPG member is one of the guests.

Apparently this policy change has been in effect since March 1, 2012, but the discussion on FlyerTalk is developing in the past 24 hours in two threads: Earning Points for Multiple Rooms and New Benefit for Multiple Bookings.

a screenshot of a email

 http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18783034-post23.html

What does this policy change mean?

For example, if I stay at the Aloft Denver and book two rooms for a three-night stay under my SPG account and pay for the rooms with my credit card, then my account will be credited with 6 elite nights and 2 elite stays.

In the past the SPG member would have received points for the hotel spend for the multiple rooms, but elite credit was only earned for the one room the SPG member personally booked for the stay.

This SPG elite credit policy means a person can earn SPG Gold elite and Platinum elite status with far fewer hotel stays when booking multiple rooms.

SPG Platinum = 25 stays or 50 nights in a calendar year.

The SPG member can earn SPG Platinum in 9 stays where 3 rooms are booked and paid for by the SPG member for each stay. This scenario would earn 27 stays and 27 nights elite credit and SPG Platinum is earned for the year.

This is a huge strategy for business travelers and family travelers who book multiple rooms at the same hotel.

 

Elite Stays credit makes fast-track to SPG Platinum an easier threshold for some members.

Elite stay credit for multiple rooms is a huge advantage. Now you have a good reason to book rooms for family, friends and colleagues on your SPG account and pay the bill. They can reimburse you separately. Remember you must be one of the guests for the hotel stay to receive the elite credit and points for all the rooms, up to 3 rooms.

The SPG member can potentially earn SPG Platinum with 9 one-night stays with 3 rooms each stay for 27 elite stays credit.

This is an exciting change for some SPG members.

Note: this post was edited after the initial published version to reflect the changes confirmed by Starwood Lurker that elite nights and elite stays credit will be given for up to three rooms. Starwood Lurker says these changes were announced March 1, 2012 in the revised SPG Terms & Conditions. My study of the SPG T&C this morning found no reference to this change in counting elite stays and nights for multiple rooms.

Ric Garrido, writer and content owner of Loyalty Traveler, shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests. You can follow Loyalty Traveler on Twitter and Facebook and RSS feed.

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16 Comments

  • Curtis June 19, 2012

    This isn’t new to me. I had two rooms at the Sheraton downtown Dallas last year in Nov for the Dallas Margarita Ball for two nights. I received two stay credits.

  • Ric Garrido June 19, 2012

    Elite credit for multiple rooms is a situation not addressed in SPG terms & conditions. It is new to many members who do not normally book multiple rooms. This becomes a strategy now for people who are in a position to book rooms for friends and colleagues, but had no reason to place those rooms on their account before.

    It is also hard to say whether you got two stay credits as an elite credit mistake.

    I earned a number of stay and night credits over the years for Starwood award stays prior to those officially counting for elite credit in SPG.

  • toomanybooks June 19, 2012

    Ric:

    Does this work for reward stays? IIRC, awards now count toward elite with SPG.

  • Nick June 19, 2012

    I have received elite night credit for Marriott for more than 1 room at a time, but I’m not sure how, because it doesn’t usually happen.

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  • JimL June 19, 2012

    I had two rooms in Prague last week. I did not get two stays credit or extra nights. I emailed SPG and they said this is not their policy. I referred them to their latest changes. Radio silence so far

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    Great! Just what we need. Another bloated elite program where status will mean less and less.

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