In addition to revealing new choice benefits, making suite nights an ‘option’ at 50 night level, Starwood’s terms and conditions updates contained a few other changes.

Rules Now Allow 24 Hour Check-in Requests Online Instead of Just By Phone

Platinums who stay 75 nights in a year are eligible for ‘Your24‘ .. a 24 hour check-in clock, based on availability. If you check-in at 11pm, you wouldn’t have to check out until 11pm. (And if you check in after 9am you’re still eligible for 4pm late checkout.)

Starwood’s terms now say that this benefit can be requested with your reservation online, no longer having to call Starwood for the request.

Distinguishing Between ‘Base’ and ‘Bonus’ Points for Elites Earning in the SPG Pro Program

The new SPG Pro program “SPG Pro Travel Professional Booking” will award points for a maximum of 15 guest rooms per night instead of 9.

Points-earning in the SPG Pro program has been changed as well to distinguish base points and bonus points. Regular earning is one base point per $3 spent. Golds and Platinums earn 1 base point and half a bonus point per $3 spent, instead of just ‘1.5 points’. Platinums who spend 75 nights with Starwood earn one base and one bonus point per $3 spent, instead of 2 base points.

I’m actually not sure the meaning of the difference between a base point and a bonus point here, how it would matter to a member, since status isn’t earned in the program based on ‘base points’ and I don’t see any other way in which a base point is more valuable or different than a bonus point. But the terms now draw this distinction, and I’ve reached out with the question.

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