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Refresher needed, credit card for paying Vistana MF

VacationForever

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I have always used the AmEx SPG to pay Vistana and Marriott MF but I have not paid attention to the cc points multiplier. I remember posts about Vistana not getting the multiplier when using the Marriott cc.

So...

What are the multipliers when using for Vistana MF to pay in the month of July:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- AmEx SPG
- New Marriott Premier Visa

Thank you!
 
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taterhed

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I'm waiting to hear also.

We're finishing up a WKORV and I want to get the right credit card for paying MF's (I also have a Marriott) and to get best status in new system. Hoping for lounge access--I think that's platinum now? or just gold elite?
 

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dsmrp

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Maybe I might be too late on the amex MF payment depending on my billing cycle.
 

VacationForever

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I posted my results re Marriott new card in this thread:

https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/chase-marriott-premier-plus-and-vistana-mfs.274758/

Amex spg should be same for MF as staying in an spg hotel 3x, I think, I 'd have to check later.
I charged HGVC MF to chase Reserve and I think it was counted as travel too, so 3x.

I guess I should prepay vistana mf with starwood amex this month to get 9x MR pts.
I read it but I am not clear.
For the month of July,
1) If I use SPG AmEx to charge Vistana MF, do we get 3X SPG points?
2) If I use Chase Sapphire Reserve to charge Vistana MF, do I get 3X UR points?
3) If I use Marriott Premier Visa, do I get 2X MRPs?
 

taterhed

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Better card for Vistana Maint Fees is the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
You get 3X Ultimate Rewards points which are worth $0.015 each
AND, get a $300 travel credit which you can use against the annual card fee.

The new Marriott cards are a DEVALUATION from SPG card.

Aw well, my charge test result is back: as predicted by others, I only got 2x points on my pre-payment of MF. I just charged $200, not the whole amount.

Strange but the MF payment was listed as pending for 4+ days in our online Chase acct before it was posted as a charge to the CC billing period. Other charges made on the same day as MF payment were posted the next day. Maybe the word "Vistana" in the transaction description tripped up some logic, and the CC staff were waiting on a decision on how to code the transaction. The MF charge came across as "Vistana Spa Condo Fee".


YUP.

Looks like 3x UR, 2x MR
Currently 2x on the SPG card.... (3x for 'other' purchases?)

The new AmEx should pay 6x MR I think.
 
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dsmrp

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YUP.

Looks like 3x UR, 2x MR
Currently 2x on the SPG card....

The question remains: will the new AMEX SPG (AUG) pay 6x or 2x on SPG MF's. I think the current bet is on 2x....

I recall from the form letter we received about Starwood Amex changeover in August, that it will be 2x on all Vistana/SPG deemed charges.
I don't know why I thought I got 3x/$ on current Amex charges; I'll have to check my account when I get home to confirm.
So assuming 2x SPG/$ then if I pay MF now in July and points get posted before August 1, then I should get 2 x 3 = 6x MR pts/$.
After sale of Vistana to Marriott goes thru, I'm hoping MF payment would get 6x MR/$ on new Marriot Premium Plus card.
 
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taterhed

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Me too.

I meant 2x spg or 6x MR and not 3x spg. Got in a hurry and didn't say that right.
 

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I recall someone doing a test with the new MR Premier Plus credit card and it only paid the standard 2x on Vistana MFs.
 

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xxxxx del xxxxx

I just went back and re-read everything I looked at two days ago....I can not find the AMEX news flash I was looking for. Guess it was old or deleted.

Clearly, I'm confused and need to re-look

post deleted.
 
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VacationForever

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I'm thinking there may be changes after Aug.... The new AMEX SPG terms have not been confirmed.

I think you're getting 3x because you're 'gold' SPG. Which will become 2.5x under the new system if you're gold (not plat)
Of course, that's SPG....not sure if the post-Aug will be 2x (converted to 6) or 2x=2x. That's the question.

I think the system is in flux until the AMEX Spg. terms are posted and in-effect.

Now if I can just figure out a way to get Plat. under the new system. So far, I can only see spending 75k annual on AMEX SPG to get Plat.
You need the new $450 AmEx SPG card with $75K spending to get platinum. The regular one does not.
 

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I'm thinking there may be changes after Aug.... The new AMEX SPG terms have not been confirmed.

I think you're getting 3x because you're 'gold' SPG. Which will become 2.5x under the new system if you're gold (not plat)
Of course, that's SPG....not sure if the post-Aug will be 2x (converted to 6) or 2x=2x. That's the question.

I think the system is in flux until the AMEX Spg. terms are posted and in-effect.

Now if I can just figure out a way to get Plat. under the new system. So far, I can only see spending 75k annual on AMEX SPG to get Plat.

Huh? They were posted. What makes you think they aren’t confirmed?

We will lose 33% of the normalized points we earn for each $ spent on the AMEX SPG cards as starting Aug 1 it will earn just 2 Marriott points per $.

FYI, AMEX’s own website about their card shows 2 points. Strangely it also does NOT mention the included annual free night up to 35,000 point value (for the regular card).


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I think you're getting 3x because you're 'gold' SPG. Which will become 2.5x under the new system if you're gold (not plat)

Now if I can just figure out a way to get Plat. under the new system. So far, I can only see spending 75k annual on AMEX SPG to get Plat.

Thank you! yes that's the reason I get 3 spg/$, DH & I are SPG gold because we bought a developer unit. I saw the rate online too. So Vistana owners who are SPG gold or plat, and have current Starwood Amex card will earn 9 MR/$ by pre-paying MF and having points post by August 1. After August 1, it will be at best 6 MR/MF$ or worst 2 MR/MF$ depending upon the CC used.
So I will go ahead and prepay my 2019 MF. My billing cycle ends in 5 days, and by paying promptly the spg pts should post by August 1.

LOL we don't have enough discretionary income to spend on CC to make even 'gold' much less platinum.
The majority of our expenses don't take credit cards as a form of payment.
 

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Thank you! yes that's the reason I get 3 spg/$, DH & I are SPG gold because we bought a developer unit. I saw the rate online too. So Vistana owners who are SPG gold or plat, and have current Starwood Amex card will earn 9 MR/$ by pre-paying MF and having points post by August 1. After August 1, it will be at best 6 MR/MF$ or worst 2 MR/MF$ depending upon the CC used.
I didn't think the SPG status had any relationship to the amount of points you get with credit card spend. If you stay at a Starwood property, you earn 2 points per dollar (like with Marriott you earn 10 per dollar) on room rate and elligble purchases. Gold Preferred Guest® and Platinum Preferred Guest® members earn three Starpoints for hotel spending. This is completely independent of using the credit card. The current SPG Amex, you get 1 StarPoint per dollar in every day spending and 2 Starpoints per dollar on spending at a Starwood property or paying Vistana maintenance fees.

Since paying Vistana maintenance fees only earns you points through the credit card, you get 2 per dollar which converts to 6 MR per dollar. If you stay at a Starwood hotel prior to 8/1/2018, you will earn 3 points per dollar by being gold and above and if you charge your room to your current SPG Amex, you will get an additional two for a total of 5. That works out to 15 MR points. However just paying the Vistana MFs gets you a maximum of six MR points per dollar. Elite status in SPG has no impact on how many points you earn with the SPG Amex.
 

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I didn't think the SPG status had any relationship to the amount of points you get with credit card spend. If you stay at a Starwood property, you earn 2 points per dollar (like with Marriott you earn 10 per dollar) on room rate and elligble purchases. Gold Preferred Guest® and Platinum Preferred Guest® members earn three Starpoints for hotel spending. This is completely independent of using the credit card. The current SPG Amex, you get 1 StarPoint per dollar in every day spending and 2 Starpoints per dollar on spending at a Starwood property or paying Vistana maintenance fees.

Since paying Vistana maintenance fees only earns you points through the credit card, you get 2 per dollar which converts to 6 MR per dollar. If you stay at a Starwood hotel prior to 8/1/2018, you will earn 3 points per dollar by being gold and above and if you charge your room to your current SPG Amex, you will get an additional two for a total of 5. That works out to 15 MR points. However just paying the Vistana MFs gets you a maximum of six MR points per dollar. Elite status in SPG has no impact on how many points you earn with the SPG Amex.

Yes, this!

The SPG points awarded by Amex through the use of the SPG Amex card have NOTHING to do with one's elite status. One's elite status only impacts points awarded by Starwood through stays at a Starwood property.

Currently, when using the SPG Amex to pay Vistana MFs one earns 2 Starpoints/$. After August 1, when using the SPG Amex to pay Vistana MFs one will earn 6 Points/$. Therefore, with the 3:1 ratio there is no advantage to prepaying one's MFs prior to August 1.
 

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I didn't think the SPG status had any relationship to the amount of points you get with credit card spend. If you stay at a Starwood property, you earn 2 points per dollar (like with Marriott you earn 10 per dollar) on room rate and elligble purchases. Gold Preferred Guest® and Platinum Preferred Guest® members earn three Starpoints for hotel spending. This is completely independent of using the credit card. The current SPG Amex, you get 1 StarPoint per dollar in every day spending and 2 Starpoints per dollar on spending at a Starwood property or paying Vistana maintenance fees.

Since paying Vistana maintenance fees only earns you points through the credit card, you get 2 per dollar which converts to 6 MR per dollar. If you stay at a Starwood hotel prior to 8/1/2018, you will earn 3 points per dollar by being gold and above and if you charge your room to your current SPG Amex, you will get an additional two for a total of 5. That works out to 15 MR points. However just paying the Vistana MFs gets you a maximum of six MR points per dollar. Elite status in SPG has no impact on how many points you earn with the SPG Amex.

you're right. I looked back at 2016 and 2017 statements, and got total 2 spg / $ for my MF spend. However charges to resort on timeshare stays gave us the extra 50% bonus only on restaurant charges. Other timeshare resort charges got 2 spg/$.
 

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Currently, when using the SPG Amex to pay Vistana MFs one earns 2 Starpoints/$. After August 1, when using the SPG Amex to pay Vistana MFs one will earn 6 Points/$. Therefore, with the 3:1 ratio there is no advantage to prepaying one's MFs prior to August 1.

How do you calculate the six points/$ after Aug 1? I haven’t read this... if they continue to honor two points per $ and we get twice that (as now, I believe) then it would only be four points/$.

The 3:1 is ending at end of July, and then becomes 2:1. I think I’m either quite confused, or others on this thread are...




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taterhed

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I didn't think the SPG status had any relationship to the amount of points you get with credit card spend. If you stay at a Starwood property, you earn 2 points per dollar (like with Marriott you earn 10 per dollar) on room rate and elligble purchases. Gold Preferred Guest® and Platinum Preferred Guest® members earn three Starpoints for hotel spending. This is completely independent of using the credit card. The current SPG Amex, you get 1 StarPoint per dollar in every day spending and 2 Starpoints per dollar on spending at a Starwood property or paying Vistana maintenance fees.

Since paying Vistana maintenance fees only earns you points through the credit card, you get 2 per dollar which converts to 6 MR per dollar. If you stay at a Starwood hotel prior to 8/1/2018, you will earn 3 points per dollar by being gold and above and if you charge your room to your current SPG Amex, you will get an additional two for a total of 5. That works out to 15 MR points. However just paying the Vistana MFs gets you a maximum of six MR points per dollar. Elite status in SPG has no impact on how many points you earn with the SPG Amex.

Yes, this!

The SPG points awarded by Amex through the use of the SPG Amex card have NOTHING to do with one's elite status. One's elite status only impacts points awarded by Starwood through stays at a Starwood property.

Currently, when using the SPG Amex to pay Vistana MFs one earns 2 Starpoints/$. After August 1, when using the SPG Amex to pay Vistana MFs one will earn 6 Points/$. Therefore, with the 3:1 ratio there is no advantage to prepaying one's MFs prior to August 1.

I went back and re-read the post I was reading; it does say additional 50% (1 point) for old gold/plat elite purchases at qualifying Starwood blah blah blah... but the terms pages on other sites exclude the resort/mandatory fees. Guess I bit off a bit early on that. It's only for hotel stays; you're right.
I have no idea why the OP did or didn't get 3 pts.

The Amex Plat SPG page I was looking at is gone. I absolutely can not find it. It must have been an old or cached page that I had. The current page I just found is completely stated with no TBD info.

Some times you get it right, sometimes not. I was not right. Sorry. Sadly, it was after a good deal of research. Geez, these T&C's are brutal to read.

Yeah, not eligible.

As a Platinum Card Member, you can upgrade to Starwood Preferred Guest Gold Status without meeting any stay requirements. Receive all the benefits of a Preferred Guest® with the following enhancements:
  • More Starpoints: Earn 3 Starpoints® for every eligible U.S. dollar spent -- a 50% bonus over base-level membership
 

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How do you calculate the six points/$ after Aug 1? I haven’t read this... if they continue to honor two points per $ and we get twice that (as now, I believe) then it would only be four points/$.

The 3:1 is ending at end of July, and then becomes 2:1. I think I’m either quite confused, or others on this thread are...

I am.
 

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How do you calculate the six points/$ after Aug 1? I haven’t read this... if they continue to honor two points per $ and we get twice that (as now, I believe) then it would only be four points/$.

The 3:1 is ending at end of July, and then becomes 2:1. I think I’m either quite confused, or others on this thread are...




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This is the source.
upload_2018-7-7_17-5-31.png


If you wish to see it yourself https://www.spgpromos.com/amexcomingsoon/
 

taterhed

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Huh? They were posted. What makes you think they aren’t confirmed?

We will lose 33% of the normalized points we earn for each $ spent on the AMEX SPG cards as starting Aug 1 it will earn just 2 Marriott points per $.

FYI, AMEX’s own website about their card shows 2 points. Strangely it also does NOT mention the included annual free night up to 35,000 point value (for the regular card).


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Agree with the above; but this is posted on the T&C for the Amex SPG std card and on the website listed on the 'new for Aug 2018' page:
http://credit-cards.marriott.com/en-us/starwood-preferred-guest-us

Is this what you couldn't find?

Annual Free Night Award
Each year, after renewal of your Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express, you will receive one Free Night Award from Starwood Preferred Guest. The Free Night Award can be redeemed for a one-night stay inclusive of room rate and applicable taxes at participating SPG and Marriott Rewards hotels with a redemption level at or under 35,000 points. Redemption levels for participating properties will be available on August 1, 2018.
 

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Agree with the above; but this is posted on the T&C for the Amex SPG std card and on the website listed on the 'new for Aug 2018' page:
http://credit-cards.marriott.com/en-us/starwood-preferred-guest-us

Is this what you couldn't find?

Annual Free Night Award
Each year, after renewal of your Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express, you will receive one Free Night Award from Starwood Preferred Guest. The Free Night Award can be redeemed for a one-night stay inclusive of room rate and applicable taxes at participating SPG and Marriott Rewards hotels with a redemption level at or under 35,000 points. Redemption levels for participating properties will be available on August 1, 2018.

That’s what I saw previously, but when I look at Amex now I don’t see it.

https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card/starwood-preferred-guest/


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Currently, when using the SPG Amex to pay Vistana MFs one earns 2 Starpoints/$. After August 1, when using the SPG Amex to pay Vistana MFs one will earn 6 Points/$. Therefore, with the 3:1 ratio there is no advantage to prepaying one's MFs prior to August 1.

Not much difference then in point multipliers using the revised SPG Amex vs the new Marriott Premium Plus CC for paying Vistana MFs AFTER the Vistana/ILG sale to Marriott. Before sale finalizes, Amex is the better choice. Of course the 100K MR bonus for new Marriott card is attracting more customers to sign up now. And several on this forum have previously said they're cancelling their Amex cards for various reasons from the sale to Marriott.
 
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