New Accor rules question

[calgarychris]

Hi,

I managed to pick up Accor Platinum through my Amex Plat Charge card before that was taken away. This past year (from April, when I got the card, until Dec 2016) I managed to pick up 32K Accor points, through various bonuses (bonii?). I was under the impression that I would therefore re-qualify under the old rules (25K to Platinum) until Dec 2017 however my status shows expiry April 2017. Can anyone confirm - I will be fighting it either way, as the Accor agent I spoke to said as much back in November when I was close, but I'm wondering if anyone's had any experience either way...

Thanks

 

[puppysparkes]

Unless I missed something that was my interpretation also.

 

[thatsthatmattressman]

Yes, CC you are correct but with all things Accor and 'Loyalty' it is complicated. 'Plus' causes chaos; you can search in these forums but it is even more vociferous on FlyerTalk and you can see here from a recent article by John from Loyalty Lobby (via a reader complaint): Reader Question: Accor Plus Customer Service Insanity? (Status Downgrade) | LoyaltyLobby

So I understand ...you should have 2 dates on your account.

One is for Le Club the other for Plus. Do you see a second date on the account? Here is mine.

 

[oz_mark]

The difficulty with Plus is that the status aligns with your membership year, rather than the calendar year. Status is based on your previous calendar year - but they seem to be counting what would have been status points last year to determine this years status. Bit of a mess.

 

[NZflygirl]

I made gold via the old system with points etc but also signed up for A+. My A+ says gold until April 2017 but the regular Accor system says until Dec 2017. I confused myself also with buying gold via Ibis business - was only a few stays short of gold but had a leisure trip coming up so wanted to try gold, and then made gold so had status until Dec 2017. But with the A+ system they upgraded me to gold under that system because I complained about only getting silver points with A+ yet I had made gold with regular Accor! So they upgraded me to Gold with A+.

So they appear to have 2 different time frames for A+ and Accor.

Anyway, going to let my A+ expire as I'm entitled to A+ via the New Zealand AMEX card and let Ibis business expire then hopefully they link A+ from AMEX to my Accor account, upgrade me to gold with A+ for the rest of the year while I try and get to Platinum via stays (some points from Europcar rentals last year but most via stays).

It's super painful but hoping I can sort it this year!! I don't really stay at many hotels with exec lounges so the benefit above gold is limited for me. But extra points are nice for when you're able to spend them! (Nil to date spent:shock

Oh my point is - I also think different member years for A+ and Accor.

 

[thatsthatmattressman]

All you need to do is read this page from top to bottom (2/3rds the way through is the good stuff) ...

https://www.accorplus.com/leclub

Then it is all clear

 

[Dr Bob]

All you need to do is read this page from top to bottom (2/3rds the way through is the good stuff) ...

https://www.accorplus.com/leclub

Then it is all clear

Great info. Thanks.
I hit gold beginning of Dec & initially thought that it would only hold to end of March 17 (renewal date) but now see that it will hold till end of Dec 17. The bummer is I have would have made over 1K Status points with Dec 16 stays. So these won't go towards maintaining my Gold this year & I bet I finish just over 6K. Will have to look closely at the points total in the last quarter.

 

[M@rcoPolo]

YES IT'S COMPLICATED

If you are Accor Plus then "Appendix 1" in the T&Cs applies - see below...

APPENDIX 1 – ACCOR PLUS MEMBERS
If you are an Accor Plus member, the Status assessment will be different and based on the following rules, commencing 1 January 2017:
At the time of your Accor Plus membership renewal, the Status will be assessed based on the Eligible nights or Status points earned during one of the two periods:
1. The current calendar year
2. The previous calendar year
The highest number of Eligible Nights spent or Status Points earned during one of these two periods, will determine your new Status.
If, during the previous calendar year or the current calendar year, you did not reach a threshold allowing maintenance of your current Status, you will have a Status corresponding to your activity during these two periods, as indicated on the Le Club AccorHotels scale (refer to table in clause 8).
Accor Plus Members automatically qualify for Silver Status and are never downgraded to Classic Status, provided the member renews their Accor Plus membership.

So - say you are Accor Plus Platinum until the end of November 2017 (end of your Accor Plus membership) - comes 30/11/2017 they will look at Status Points & Nights for 1. Calendar year 2016 and 2. The period from 1/1/17 to 30/11/17 and use the highest number to determine your status for the following year (from 1/12/17 to 30/11/18). This is ok if your Accor Plus membership expires late in the year (e.g. expiring 31/12 you basically have 2 full calendar years to play with, expiring 30/11 you have a full calendar year and an 11 months period) but obviously not so good if your Accor Plus membership expires early in the calendar year.

What to do? Check now your qualifying Status Points & Nights achieved during CY2016 (you'll find this info under My Loyalty Card > My Points History) - if you have enough Status Points or Nights to maintain Platinum (or whatever status you are trying to maintain) then there's no need to stress, you will maintain your status at renewal time... if not, then you better start booking away if you want to maintain your Accor status!

To make things even more complicated - it looks like the above only applies if you decide to renew your Accor Plus membership... if you don't, who knows what will happen as you'll be left in limbo between the Accor Plus and the LeClub "systems"

 

[thatsthatmattressman]

ON this point specifically (well noted M@rcoPolo) ... we can attest all hell breaks loose! You get dropped in to a purgatory; the Plus program more or less assumed you will never leave! It makes me ill thinking about it!

YES IT'S COMPLICATED

To make things even more complicated - it looks like the above only applies if you decide to renew your Accor Plus membership... if you don't, who knows what will happen as you'll be left in limbo between the Accor Plus and the LeClub "systems"

 

[puppysparkes]

I certainly won't make platinum this year (ending 2017). A soft landing will be appreciated for now. The new scheme includes nothing of interest at this time. Neither do any others.

Is it me or does status only matter in Asia? NZ = oh I head (six) something bout it so have a voucher (thanks I'll take 2). Straya = take ya voucher n drink it mayte. Asia = red carpet

 

[sycokid]

YES IT'S COMPLICATED

If you are Accor Plus then "Appendix 1" in the T&Cs applies - see below...

APPENDIX 1 – ACCOR PLUS MEMBERS
If you are an Accor Plus member, the Status assessment will be different and based on the following rules, commencing 1 January 2017:
At the time of your Accor Plus membership renewal, the Status will be assessed based on the Eligible nights or Status points earned during one of the two periods:
1. The current calendar year
2. The previous calendar year
The highest number of Eligible Nights spent or Status Points earned during one of these two periods, will determine your new Status.
If, during the previous calendar year or the current calendar year, you did not reach a threshold allowing maintenance of your current Status, you will have a Status corresponding to your activity during these two periods, as indicated on the Le Club AccorHotels scale (refer to table in clause 8).
Accor Plus Members automatically qualify for Silver Status and are never downgraded to Classic Status, provided the member renews their Accor Plus membership.

So - say you are Accor Plus Platinum until the end of November 2017 (end of your Accor Plus membership) - comes 30/11/2017 they will look at Status Points & Nights for 1. Calendar year 2016 and 2. The period from 1/1/17 to 30/11/17 and use the highest number to determine your status for the following year (from 1/12/17 to 30/11/18). This is ok if your Accor Plus membership expires late in the year (e.g. expiring 31/12 you basically have 2 full calendar years to play with, expiring 30/11 you have a full calendar year and an 11 months period) but obviously not so good if your Accor Plus membership expires early in the calendar year.

What to do? Check now your qualifying Status Points & Nights achieved during CY2016 (you'll find this info under My Loyalty Card > My Points History) - if you have enough Status Points or Nights to maintain Platinum (or whatever status you are trying to maintain) then there's no need to stress, you will maintain your status at renewal time... if not, then you better start booking away if you want to maintain your Accor status!

To make things even more complicated - it looks like the above only applies if you decide to renew your Accor Plus membership... if you don't, who knows what will happen as you'll be left in limbo between the Accor Plus and the LeClub "systems"

Am i right in thinking then as follows please ?

Accor Plus status is renewable 09/2017

Checked points history for this calendar year and it is as follows

2017 -

6

1 299

2016 reveals the following

2016 -

50

12 836

So would it be correct if i added the 2 years together at this moment in time achieving 56 nights in total or 14135 status points i would have already qualified for next years Platinum status from 10/2017 to 9/2018 or have i completely lost the plot altogether ?
Many thanks for providing this info by the way

 

[M@rcoPolo]

Am i right in thinking then as follows please ?

Accor Plus status is renewable 09/2017

Checked points history for this calendar year and it is as follows

2017 -

6

1 299

2016 reveals the following

2016 -

50

12 836

So would it be correct if i added the 2 years together at this moment in time achieving 56 nights in total or 14135 status points i would have already qualified for next years Platinum status from 10/2017 to 9/2018 or have i completely lost the plot altogether ?
Many thanks for providing this info by the way

Please do keep in mind I'm not Accor but the way I read their T&Cs above you are out of luck...

"At the time of your Accor Plus membership renewal, the Status will be assessed based on the Eligible nights or Status points earned during one of the two periods:"

- in 2016 ("The previous calendar year") you missed out on Platinum qualification (60 nights or 14,000 Status Points)
- in 2017 ("The current calendar year") you will need to hit 60 nights or 14,000 Status Points by the "time of your Accor Plus membership renewal" - therefore by 30/9/2017

I know this is crazy because the new thresholds and the whole "Status Points" system only started on 1/1/2017 - so why should you be bound by the new rules for the previous calendar year?!

 

[Dr Bob]

Am i right in thinking then as follows please ?

Accor Plus status is renewable 09/2017

Checked points history for this calendar year and it is as follows

2017 -

6

1 299

2016 reveals the following

2016 -

50

12 836

So would it be correct if i added the 2 years together at this moment in time achieving 56 nights in total or 14135 status points i would have already qualified for next years Platinum status from 10/2017 to 9/2018 or have i completely lost the plot altogether ?
Many thanks for providing this info by the way

You have attained Gold in the calendar year 2016 so you will be Gold until 31/12/2017.
If you qualify for Platinum during 2017 then you will become Platinum when you qualify & maintain same until 31/12/2018.
If you don't re-qualify for Gold during 2017 then you will drop to Silver 1/1/2018.
This is all independent of your renewal date.
At least this is as I understand it after a call to Accor.

 

[M@rcoPolo]

You have attained Gold in the calendar year 2016 so you will be Gold until 31/12/2017.
If you qualify for Platinum during 2017 then you will become Platinum when you qualify & maintain same until 31/12/2018.
If you don't re-qualify for Gold during 2017 then you will drop to Silver 1/1/2018.
This is all independent of your renewal date.
At least this is as I understand it after a call to Accor.

That's indeed the case for "normal" Accor LeClub members however if you are an Accor Plus member, the Status assessment will be different and you'll be reassessed on 30/9/2017 - refer to Appendix 1 in the T&Cs here: le club accorhotels programme - Accor Plus

 

[sycokid]

Please do keep in mind I'm not Accor but the way I read their T&Cs above you are out of luck...

"At the time of your Accor Plus membership renewal, the Status will be assessed based on the Eligible nights or Status points earned during one of the two periods:"

- in 2016 ("The previous calendar year") you missed out on Platinum qualification (60 nights or 14,000 Status Points)
- in 2017 ("The current calendar year") you will need to hit 60 nights or 14,000 Status Points by the "time of your Accor Plus membership renewal" - therefore by 30/9/2017

I know this is crazy because the new thresholds and the whole "Status Points" system only started on 1/1/2017 - so why should you be bound by the new rules for the previous calendar year?!

So i guess adding the nights i have acquired since renewing Accor Plus in 10/2016 to the rest of the nights i acquire until 09/2017 is a no goer as well then ? Looks like Accor Plus members who have to renew early in the year have been well shafted then ! Ffs how is a person supposed to acquire nights in the first couple of months of the year, there's not even enough nights to do so :idea:


Looks like my strategy will be this
Accept i am not going to make 60 nights by end of 09/2017 then when they call about renewal pi$$ them off like they have done me,(recognition only worth it for me if i can get access into club lounge and canapes and drinks on an evening as Platinum which i can locally cheap as in Brisbane) use the $300 i save to book 3 more rooms and hope i acquire the total of 60 nights allowing an extra 3 months which is highly probable in my case. If need be i can always rejoin Accorplus end of December then at least i will have both aspects of the card (le club accor and accor plus ) running concurrently which hopefully will mean less hassle and confusion in the future . Thanks for the contribution mate

 

[sycokid]

You have attained Gold in the calendar year 2016 so you will be Gold until 31/12/2017.
If you qualify for Platinum during 2017 then you will become Platinum when you qualify & maintain same until 31/12/2018.
If you don't re-qualify for Gold during 2017 then you will drop to Silver 1/1/2018.
This is all independent of your renewal date.
At least this is as I understand it after a call to Accor.

I was already Platinum so have Platinum till the end of 2017 regardless of Accor plus ...... i think )

 

[Jama]

ON this point specifically (well noted M@rcoPolo) ... we can attest all hell breaks loose! You get dropped in to a purgatory; the Plus program more or less assumed you will never leave! It makes me ill thinking about it!

Yep been there too. They can't seem to grasp someone leaving because the customer service is so bad. Then wanting leClub fixed in order to keep your 80,000 points causes all sorts of bother.

 

[ksthommo]

if you are an Accor Plus member, the Status assessment will be different and you'll be reassessed on 30/9/2017

My expiry date was 04/2017, got the renew phone call on Saturday. Accor Plus Sales Rep stated I will remain Platinum and disregard the silver status
on the Accor Plus email I would receive on Monday. Email received with Accor Plus Gold listed.
Logged online later on and I'm now Platinum again. Expiry dated on virtual card 04/2018, most likely will drop at the end of this year.

 

[collcars]

I just renewed my membership didn't ask what level i would be as i was Platinum 12000 points Jan- may and i was qualified as Platinum from June - Dec 2016 20000+ points, when i logged in yesterday i had be put back to Gold, may a call today and complained and that said i should have stayed Platinum and they reinstated me.

 

[NZflygirl]

So it looks like you can earn points on food along with some other things. Does anyone know if these are status points or reward points?? I couldn't distinguish this in the T&C. It just said 'points'.