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Timing Diamond upgrade through FoundersCard?

Discussion in 'Comps' started by notfromconcentrate, Dec 31, 2018.

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  1. NotFromConcentrate

    NotFromConcentrate It’s a Cassowary :)

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    Okay, semi time-sensitive question on what's probably a bad day for a time-sensitive question, being New Years Eve :)

    I've had it on my list for a while to look into getting FoundersCard to get the free Total Rewards Diamond status. Please no discussion about whether or not it's worth it, I've determined it to be worth it based on my needs.

    Through a referral link, I'm able to get it for $395 (which I'm gladly willing to pay for the status), but that expires today. It naturally could stay the same afterward, but we don't know that for sure. I've come to understand that upon getting the Founders Card, it takes about two weeks for your TR card to be updated to Diamond.

    My uncertainty lies in when I can "claim" my Diamond status relative to when I get the Founders Card, which is where my question comes in...

    The way I understand it is that one's Total Rewards tier status is valid for all of the year in which they earned it, plus the following year, until January 31 of the following year. Meaning that if I was to get Diamond today (Dec 31 2018), I'd have it until January 31, 2020... whereas if I got it on February 1, 2019 I'd have Diamond until January 31 2021... the latter obviously being the better scenario, since I'd have 24 months of membership instead of 13 months.

    Say I pay the $395 fee tonight, to lock it in. Does that automatically become my "effective" date for the Diamond status upgrade? Or can I simply wait around until February 1st to "claim" the Diamond status, and cause it to take effect then?

    Sorry if this is a complicated or unclear question. I think what I'm trying to do here is pretty clear... that is, get the Founders Card at a guaranteed price, but delay the "activation" of the Diamond status so that I can have it for as long as possible.

    Many thanks in advance, and a very happy new year to all :)
     
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2018
    [TENTATIVE Late Jul/Early Aug] Vegas by way of Chicago/Elko/Reno!
  2. Patman

    Patman VIP Whale

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    With founder's card you only get the benefits while you are an active paid member. If you don't renew one year later, your diamond status will expire with your founder's card status.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  3. NotFromConcentrate

    NotFromConcentrate It’s a Cassowary :)

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    Right, which I get.

    But to be clear, say I get it tonight and I claim the Diamond benefit right away (say on Jan 1, 2019). My Diamond tier will then have taken effect as of that date, meaning it's good only until Jan 31, 2020, right? Or will it be sustained until Jan 31, 2021 because I was a Founders Card member for the rest of 2019?

    Basically what I'm worried about is I'll get the Founders Card tonight... then I'll get the Diamond tier status, but it will only be good until Jan 31, 2020 because I timed it improperly. Will this happen if I don't get the card later? Or am I worrying about nothing?
     
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  4. Patman

    Patman VIP Whale

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    I don't have the founder's card, but i don't believe you get to choose when your diamond status begins. CET diamond is just one of the benefits (may not get extended but probably will). It's not meant to be the reason you get founder's card. I think someone actually posted on here they were denied, when they said they were getting it to get Diamond status.

    I think it takes a week or 2 before CET matches up the list from Founder's cards to get the status. But when you get it you get one year. So if you get it tonight and they give you Diamond status at CET on Jan 15, 2019 you will lose it after Jan 1 next year as soon as CET processes the list that says you didn't renew. It has nothing to do with the Jan 31 expiry date for CET.

    If you don't need it yet some people talk about waiting until February to make sure that the CET benefit is renewed for another year.
     
  5. TxTeach79

    TxTeach79 #VLV

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    Not 100% sure of your question, but to my experience.... I had Diamond through FC for two years, until I started actually earning enough to make Diamond without it (getting the benefit through FC steered me to CET properties for sure). You don't automatically get Diamond when you enroll with FC, it's a benefit like all their others that you have to request/activate. So if you were to apply tonight and not activate the benefit til Feb, it would take effect within a couple weeks of that point. They say two weeks, I think it took about 4-5 days for my status to change on the TR site.

    So if you were to activate the status in Feb 2019, you'd have it til Jan 31 2020. Then, assuming you're still a FC member and the benefit is extended again by CET, you just re-activate the benefit at that time, boom, 2021.

    Once i declined to renew my card after hitting Diamond organically two years ago, FC becomes very aggressive in getting you back. I've gotten multiple offers via email to bring me back onboard via significantly reduced rates. There just wasn't enough else there that was very practical for me; I think the only other benefit I ever activated was Hilton Gold.
     
  6. Sprocket

    Sprocket Low-Roller

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    Founders card only sends diamond card requests once a month. I believe they told me it was the 18th of the month. So if you apply for the benefit on the 31st, they won’t even send the request for a few weeks. It also takes a few days for founders to approve you
     
  7. Patman

    Patman VIP Whale

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    I think the question is whether or not he can time it to get more than one year of Diamond with a one year Founder's card membership. My understanding is the answer is no. So if the list is sent on the 18th of Jan and you get it say Jan 25th, 2019, and then you don't renew next year, the list sent Jan 18, 2020 will not include you and you will lose CET diamond around Jan 25, 2020.

    I would think also that if you get it now but don't activate CET diamond until say the June 18, 2019 list is sent, you will still lose Diamond after the Jan 18, 2020 list is sent.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  8. NotFromConcentrate

    NotFromConcentrate It’s a Cassowary :)

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    I can’t reply to everything in this thread as I’m in the middle of cooking... but this has been very informative and had told me most of what I need to know. Thanks so much guys! And patman yes, you interpreted the question correctly

    One last question... say I get the founders card tonight and activate the diamond status as soon as I’m approved... no matter what happens between CET and Founders Card, I’m good to stay diamond for at least all of 2019, right?
     
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    • Agree Agree x 2
  9. Tpmrwb

    Tpmrwb Low-Roller

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    Thar's Correct.
     
  10. NotFromConcentrate

    NotFromConcentrate It’s a Cassowary :)

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    Purchased. Fun 2019 at TR properties ahead. Happy new year guys!
     
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  11. Harry Lyme

    Harry Lyme VIP Whale

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    Enjoy your status!
     
  12. RushAndRoulette

    RushAndRoulette Low-Roller

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    The Current offer from Founderscard is Diamond upgrade through January 2019, which is now less than a month, and not the greatest deal. So if you pay for the founderscard membership now (which it seems that you did), you are betting that they offer this benefit again sometime after January 31, 2019 offering diamond until January 2020 so you can activate that offer.

    If after January 31, 2019, this benefit disappears from foundercard, which is possible but unlikely as they would have a massive amount of cancellations, then the $395 fee is only good for all the other non-CET things they offer. For some it is worthwhile, but to most the CET Diamond is the best offset to the fee.

    Unlike securing diamond through regular gaming where you can get it for the rest of the year and next year, diamond through founderscard is similar to doing a card tier match where it is good until the end of the period (the next January 31 on the calendar) and can continue for another year past that if you earn a prorated amount between the activation date and December 31, which is already yesterday.

    Hope that helps and doesn't muddy the picture more. Happy New Years and hope for many more trip reports from Diamond lounges!
     
  13. StevieNight

    StevieNight High-Roller

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    I wish I had seen this thread sooner as I would have encouraged you to wait until after they announce if they are renewing - the Diamond status will only be valid until January 31st 2019 unless they renew with TR (they usually do, but no guarantees). There is a risk you just bought status for a month...
     
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  14. Harry Lyme

    Harry Lyme VIP Whale

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    It looks they did renew from communications some folks have had.
     
  15. goblue55

    goblue55 Tourist

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    Figured this discussion would be starting soon, LOL.

    They did renew? I hope so, but I have not heard anything at all from Founders Card. Hoping you are correct; you have been in the past. Thanks for info.

    On Founders Card website still showing:
    • Complimentary Diamond Total Rewards®Status through Jan 2019
     
  16. Harry Lyme

    Harry Lyme VIP Whale

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    It generally says that around this time of the year as any status matched today will only go til the end of the month.

    A few people in an AC group I'm in have posted positive communications in regards to a renewal. I take everything with pause, but it seems the partnership is working so why stop now? FB_IMG_1546362002476.jpg
     
  17. JimmyG

    JimmyG Tourist

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    One last note when I'm asked about FC membership, if you are getting it mainly for the Diamond card status and the partnership is not renewed, way down in the fine print of FC is this tidbit:

    9. Cancellation; Termination.
    (a) You have the right to cancel your Membership at any time. Because of the nature of our service, no refunds will be available.

    This is one of the reasons I timed my membership after the Jan 31 expiration date. Although I do use some of the other perks of the FC, CET diamond status is probably the only one that will retain me.
     
  18. JimmyG

    JimmyG Tourist

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    That is not correct, if the partnership between CET and FC is not renewed, you Diamond card status will end at the end of this month and the cost of FC membership is non-refundable. CET is just one perk provided by FC and if the agreement between the two ends, so does your Diamond card status.
     
  19. NotFromConcentrate

    NotFromConcentrate It’s a Cassowary :)

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    So I called Founders Card today to clarify what the situation is... they said it's unlikely that CET will cancel the partnership, but the only thing they can guarantee is Diamond status will be a perk until the end of Jan 2019. Luckily, I was able to cancel my application... and I think that's the best way about this, since if they don't continue the partnership, I'd get relatively little value out of the card. So best case, it will continue, and I might pay $100 or so more for a sure thing instead of a gamble, and worst case, it didn't continue and it didn't cost me anything.

    Really hoping it will continue though, because I'm already planning out my summer Vegas trip based on being Diamond :)
     
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  20. JimmyG

    JimmyG Tourist

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    FC runs "specials" continuously, if you miss one today, another will be along tomorrow. I would call them after the FC/CET approval and tell them you want to sign up under the "special" rate and my guess is you will get it. That's what I did and it works.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 2, 2019
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