Rethinking 2012 Status with @MarriottHotels @SPGBuzz, @United.

My 2012 Mileage and Status Goals

I usually set my mileage and status goals early in the year.  Here it is, April 2^nd, and I’m still thinking through my strategy – and that’s not a good strategy.

Airlines

US Airways –

• Current Status: Chairman with 7 segments and 31,175 miles flown in 2012.
• Current Mileage Balance: 257,432 miles
• Goal: earn no more miles/segments w/USAir in 2012.

United –

• Current Status: Gold Premier (thanks to status match) with 2 segments flown and 741 miles since Jan 1 2012
• Current Mileage Balance: 741 miles
• Goal: earn Premier Platinum or Premier 1k –  At a reader’s suggestion, I’m going to try to get US Air to move the miles I earned in Q1 over to United.  Not sure if they’ll go for that or not, but it’s worth a try. If that happens, earning 1k will be realistic.

 

Hotels  – here’s where I’m a little unsure about 2012

Starwood –

• Current Status: SPG Platinum with 48 nights stayed in 2012 already (I’ll have 50 nights by the end of this week.)   So I’ve essentially reached platinum with SPG for 2013 already.
• Current Points Balance: 132,069
• Goal: 75 nights (After this week, I have 7 more SPG nights confirmed in April and 25 SPG nights confirmed in May so I won’t have any trouble hitting 75 nights with SPG in 2012.)
• Notes:  Last year I had 98 nights with SPG and so I’m getting to benefit from the Your24 benefit (you name your check-in time and checkout 24 hours later) and I’m going to take advantage of that this week in Brussels by checking into the Aloft at 10am – awesome after an overnight flight!  I also now earn 4 starpoints per dollar – which is making the points add up more quickly.  SPG is still my # 1 chain.

Marriott –

• Current Status: Gold with 13 nights stayed in 2012 – so I’ve qualified for silver in 2013 already.
• Current Points Balance: 112,166
• Goal: Unsure!
• Notes: I like Marriott as my backup because in Australia they’re more affordable than most of the Starwood hotels and in Australia internet is included at all hotels for all rewards members.   I also like Marriott because I can transfer my Chase Rewards points to Marriott at a 1:1 rate.

Here’s where I’m waffling – starting in June should I focus on re-earning Marriott Gold (I need 37 more nights)  – or even going for Marriott Platinum (though I think it will be hard to do 62 more nights at Marriott this year?  Should I be satisfied with Marriott Silver status?  Or, should I switch to Hyatt or another chain?  I like the idea of Hyatt because I can transfer Chase points to them.

I gave up on IHG last year because I didn’t find much value in their membership. I was platinum but more often than not found I wasn’t being upgraded, didn’t get free water, didn’t get free internet, etc… So I’m not switching back to them.

Decisions, decisions – keep earning with SPG? is there anything after 75 or 100 nights with SPG? Build up my Marriott Status or make a move somewhere else?  What would you do?