2016 First Quarter Travel Review
Can you believe we are already a quarter of the way through 2016? It seems like we just started the year and yet its already time to be assessing status qualification and planning for the rest of the year.
I laid out several goals for my 2016 travel – both for quality of life and status achievement. Its time to see how I’m doing with a first quarter travel review.
Goal 1 – American Airlines Executive Platinum status – I’ll need 100,000 elite qualifying miles or 120 segments to requalify. As of March 31, I’m at 50,260 EQMs and 34 segments. It seems safe to say that I’ll qualify again on elite qualifying miles and well ahead of the 12/31 requirement. That will put me at year 17 on the Executive Platinum island.
Goal 2 – Marriott Platinum – I’ll need 75 nights this year to qualify (or 5o nights to maintain my current Gold status). As of March 31, I’m at 19 nights for the year. With that run rate, I’ll requalify sometime during the fall months.
Goal 3 – Hyatt Diamond – I’ll need 25 stays this year to requalify. As of March 31, I’m at 8 stays so I’ll be on track to requalify in the early fall.
After reviewing my 2015 travel, I wanted to focus more on consistency with my travel and personal life. As such, I’ve been taking more nonstop flights and staying in one hotel longer. I’m also focusing more on personal experiences which has meant a couple of stays in non-chain hotels (and one fun weekend at a memorable wine chateau in California), cruising, and trying to spend as much time at home when I can (which is hard with a lifestyle that is predisposed to heavy travel).
I’ve still mixed and matched some of my travel with redemption. Although I didn’t jump on board the mass redemption frenzy on American, I have used my hotel points for some nights and have mixed up stays outside my usual programs (using my Lifetime Platinum status with Starwood, for example). I’m trying hard not to let status drive my decisions too much, even though I’m programmed for loyalty now!
How are your 2016 travel goals looking after your first quarter travel? Are you on target or in need of a points/miles makeover? Sound off in the comments below!