Starwood Preferred Guest has a SPG Challenge Offer, where you can earn either SPG Gold or SPG Platinum Status much quicker by staying a given number of nights in a 90 day period.

To take part in the offer, you must a SPG member have not held the elite status you’re trying to qualify for in the last five years and have not previously completed a Status Challenge promotion. You can contact SPG to sign-up for this challenge. Unlike a status match, you do not need to have elite status with another hotel company to take part.

If you sign-up now, you’ll earn status through February 28th, 2019, almost a whole two years!

In addition to the status challenge, there are other ways to earn SPG elite status with credit cards. The Platinum Card from American Express offers complimentary SPG Gold Status every year and the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express offers SPG Gold after 30,000 in spend a year.

Offer Details: Members must register by December 31, 2017, and choose a consecutive three-month (3-month) earning period (the “Challenge Period”) from the options provided at time of registration. For example, if a member registers in February 2017, the Challenge Period options from which to choose are: January-March 2017, February-April 2017 or March-May 2017. Platinum Status Challenge participants must complete 18 Eligible Paid Nights at hotels and resorts that participate in the SPG program within their Challenge Period. Gold Status Challenge participants must have nine (9) Eligible Paid Nights within their Challenge Period. SPG Award Nights do not count as Eligible Paid Nights for the purpose of the Status Challenge. Only eligible paid nights consumed within the selected Status Challenge period will count towards the Status Challenge.

Eligibility: Status Challenges are not available to members who have earned SPG elite-level within the five years prior to the current year. Specifically, SPG members who earned Gold or Platinum status in or after 2012 are not eligible for the Gold Status Challenge, and SPG Members who earned Platinum in or after 2012 are not eligible for the Platinum Status Challenge. Members who have successfully completed any prior SPG status challenges may not register for this Status Challenge. Members may register and attempt to participate in the Status Challenge again if they fail to complete the Status Challenge. If a member completes the Gold Status Challenge and is successful, he or she is able to come back to register for the Platinum Status Challenge. Members may not, however, repeat a Status Challenge that they have already successfully completed. An SPG member who reaches SPG Gold or Platinum status by linking their SPG and Marriott Rewards accounts will not be eligible for the Status Challenge offer.

Earning: Members who meet all terms and conditions and successfully complete the Gold Status Challenge will be upgraded to Gold status. Upgrade to Gold status will occur within 5-7 days of the stay posting to the member’s account with the ninth (9th) Eligible Paid Night completed. Members who meet all terms and conditions and successfully complete the Platinum Status Challenge will be upgraded to Platinum status. Upgrade to Platinum status will occur within 5-7 days of the stay posting to the member’s account with the 18th Eligible Paid Night completed. Once an SPG member reaches elite membership status, the applicable benefits will commence during the member’s Status Challenge Period. The Elite Status Challenge entitles members to one full year of elite status, from one renewal period to the next. If a member is upgraded via the challenge on or before February 28th, 2017 they retain status until February 28th, 2018, the following year. If they are upgraded on or after March 1st, 2017 they retain status for the remainder of the year, all of 2018, up until February 28th, 2019.