Bonvoy, the frequent guest program of Marriott hotels, offers an undocumented Platinum and Gold status challenge for faster access to the benefits of elite status. There are two versions of the challenge:
- Platinum Elite after 16 paid nights within 3 months (usually requires 50 nights per year)
- Gold Elite after 8 paid nights within 3 months (usually requires 25 nights per year)
Both are free to register for but you are unable to complete the challenge, you will need to wait until the next calendar year to try again.
We will focus on the Platinum Challenge below.
In this post:
What benefits come with Platinum Elite Status?
I believe Platinum Elite is the sweet spot within the Bonvoy program. The key status benefits for me are:
- Guaranteed 4PM checkout at non-resort hotels
- Executive Lounge Access
- Complimentary Breakfast
- Upgrades subject to availability at check-in (including select suites)
Being able to keep your room until 4PM when you have a late overnight flight is a valuable benefit, allowing you almost a full day in town and then being able to freshen up before going to the airport.
Executive Lounge access, often with a good spread of food during the day and drinks in the evening, also makes for a more enjoyable stay.
The full list of benefits can be found on the Bonvoy website.
My Marriott Platinum Challenge Plan
With two trips to Vietnam and America in the next three months, this is the perfect opportunity to complete a Platinum Challenge and secure status until February 2021.
My two visits to New York are 6 nights and 5 nights, for a total of 11 nights. These stays are both Best Rate Guarantee deals, so are very cost effective.
I’ll make up the remaining 5 nights in Danang Vietnam and, if needed, Hong Kong along the way.
Having this Platinum Elite status will come in handy with my trip to Europe and America in 2020.
How to register for the Marriott Platinum Challenge?
A quick phone call to Bonvoy customer service team (1800 450 010 from Australia) is all it takes to request a Platinum Challenge.
I registered earlier in September and the process took about 10 minutes.
Tip: Register near the start of the month to give yourself almost 4 months to complete the required nights (as you are given 3 full months after the date of registration).
