In our interview with Chris Holdren, SVP Global Web Services and SPG, in last month’s issue of InsideFlyer, he mentioned that Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) was going to announce an “exciting new way to help our elite members get a head start on earning or maintaining their elite status for 2010.” Registration is now open for two new promotions that will help members achieve or requalify for elite status. The new Nights Advance promotion will make it easier for SPG Platinum elite members to requalify for Platinum next year. All elite qualifying nights and stays accrued between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2009 will be counted for elite status in 2009 and will be carried over to 2010 to give you a jump start to elite status next year. So if you stay twice for a total of eight nights between Oct. 1 and the end of the year, you’ll start out with two stays and eight nights in your SPG account in 2010. Registration by Nov. 30, 2009 is required and you must currently be a Platinum member to be eligible.

Gold members are offered a slightly different promotion. SPG members who were at the Gold level and Preferred members who were very close to Gold by Sept. 2, 2009 will have elite qualifying nights and stays count double through Dec. 15, 2009. So if you stay twice for a total of eight nights by Dec. 15, 2009, you’ll receive credit for four stays and sixteen nights in 2009. Registration is required by Nov. 30 and your stays will only count double after you are registered for the promotion.

Bottom line: Only those members who are already elite members (or very close to it) can benefit from these promotions. Current Platinum members who have not yet requalified for Platinum this year can choose either Nights Advance or Nights Count Double. Note that the promotion dates are different–Nights Advance runs from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2009 and Nights Count Double is from Sept. 15 through Dec. 15, 2009. Be sure to register at http://www.spg.com/promos